Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1876-09-07
Village Improvement societies.

In an article on the above subject In
Scribner for September, DR.. Holland says :
There are just about four months In the
year which an ordinary country village is
pleasant place to dwell in, viz; from
May to September. The muddy streets
and sidewalks of autumn and spring, and
the icy and snowy ways Of winter, rend-
er it uncomfortable for walking or driv-
ing. The foliage and herbage of summer
cover up the ugly spots, and the greenery
OF the growing months tran Storms the
homliest details into the pleasant and
picturesque. The moment the greenery
disappears, dilapidated fences, broken
down sheds. unkept commons, neglected
trees. and all the tolerated ugliness Of the
village assert themselves. The village is
beautiful no longer. There are thousands
OF villages scattered over the country in
which there has never been public spir-
tied attempt made to reduce their disorder
TO order, their uginess to beauty, their
discomforts to comforts. Every man takes
care, or does not take care OF his own
There IS not organtic or sympathetic
unity, and the villages. Instead of being
beautiful wholes, are inhsrmOnious ag-
gregdtions Some paint and some do not
paint Some keep their grounds well
and Others do not keep their grounds at all
piles OF rubbish, are exposed here and
there. and every man apparently feels at
liberty TO make his belongings as unpeas.
ant to his ncighbor As II pIeases him. No
public sentiment OF order is developed; no
loya! pride Is iostered; there is apparent
ly no desire for beauty or convenience that
goes one step beyond ones home ia any
case.
II - therefore with great qualification
that we notice here and there the organ
Kation of Village Improvement Societies
and the beautiful work which they are ac-
compIlshug. Whenever they have been
in existence long enough to accomplish
siGF 5tThe nf&hways old, neglected com
-.-s..s go r~..~,.i r. a'iri -..,. fia4t~i
sidewalks are laid in all the streets, and a
public interest in order and beauty is de-
veloped, which makes every man more
careful OF his own. Two villages, OF
which we happened to know, have been
quite transformed within two or three
years by the operations of these organiz-
atiOns; and their beneiicent work, already
done, Will insure to their localities Ger
tain amount of beauty and convenience for
the next hundred years. They have not
been met by the public apathy that they
anticipated, and they have been enable by
subscriptions, fairs and festivals, To raise
sufficient money for the work they have
Instituted, while individual citizens have
co-operated with them III their schemes.
There Is no good reason why every con
siderable village of the country should
not be made convenient, healthful, and
beautiful, by the operation of such socie-
ties as these. There IS no good reason
why public feeling Of pride should not
be engenlered by them, and an earnest
purpose developed to make each village
more attractive than its neigEbor. Selfish
interest in OF the side of the societies for
Improvement in beauty and comfort means
Improvement in value. Emulation be-
tween neighbors between villages Is eXcit-
ed, and niggardly property holders are
shamed into efforts TO contribute TO the
popular desire for harmony. This is not
theory; it is experience; for, whenever
they have been tried these societies have
done the work and exercises the influence
We have stated.
Again, these societies are agencies OF
culture. Developing a public spirit and
u feeling OF local pride, they cannot fail
bear fruit in other and higher directions
Public and domestic architecture viii be
the first to feel the effect OF the new sent
ment. Men will build pretty houses, in
tone with the new order of things. New
ambition will be developed with relation
to public buildings and their surroundings.
The new town hall will be better than the
old. The new church will be an orna-
ment and glory, which the old one was
not Lyceums, reading clubs, and librar-
les, are just as natural an outgrowth OF a
public spirit engendered by these societ-
les. and public culture nourished by
them, as they are, themselves, the out
growth OF public necessity.