Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1876-09-27
Village Improvement Societies.


ScriJner for September. Dr. Holland says
There are Just about four months in the
year in which IN ordinary country village
is a pleasant place to dwell in. viz from
May to September. The muddy streets
and sidewalks of autumn and spring. and
the lev and snowy WAYS Of winter. render
it uncomfortable for walking or driving
The foliage and herbayc of summer cover
up the ugly spots, and the grcenery of the
growing months transforms the homeliest
details into the pleasant and picturesque.
The moment the greenery disappears,
dilapidated fences. broken down sheds,
unhempt commons, neglected trees, and
all the tolerated uglinesS of the village
assert themselves. The village is beaut-
full no longer. There are thousands of
villages scattered over the country in
which there never has been a public spir-
tied attempt made to reduce their disorder
to order, their ugliness 20 beauty, their
discomforts to comfort. Every man takes
care, or does not take care of his own.
There Is no organic or sympathetic unity,
and the villages. instead of being beautl
full whOleS, are lnharmonlous aCgrcGa-
,ions. Some paint and some DO not paint.
Some keep their grounds well. and others
do not keep their grounds At all. insight
lv wrecks OF vehicles, offensive piles of
rubbish are exposed here and there, and
every man apparently feels at liberty to
make his belongings as unpleasant TO his
ncghbor aS it pleases him. No public
sentiment of order is devcloped no local
pride is fo>tered; there is apparently no
desire for beauty or convenience that goes
one step beyond ones home in any case.
1t is. therefore, with great qualification
that we notice here and there the organiza-
ton Of village Improvement societies, and
the beautiful work which they are accom-
fishing. Wherever they have been in
existence long enough to accomplish any
thing. shade trees are planted 10y the side
of the highways. old neglected commons
are fenced in. graded and planted; side
walks are laid in all the streets. and 4 pub
lie interest in order and beauty Is devel-
opcd. which makes every man more care
ful of his own. Two villages, of which
we happen to know. have been quit.
transformed within two or three years 10y
the operations of these organizations; ant
their beniiicent and beautiful work. al
ready done. will insure 10 their localities :
certain amount of beauty and conven
ience for the next hundred wears. They
have not been met By the public apath,
, that they anticipated, and they have beel
: enabled by subscriptions and fairs and trS
, tivals to raise sufficient money for tn
> work they have instituted. while indivi,l
+ ual citizens have co-operated with then
in their schemes.
There is no good reason why every con
t siderable village of the country should nc
1 be made convenient, healthtu and beiutl
: full by the operation of such societies a
: these There is no good reason why
: public feeling of pride should not be en-
gendered by them. and an earnest purpos
developed TO make each village more NJ
tractivc than its neighbor. Selfish intere>
# is all on the side of the societies; for i'll
r provement in beauty and comfort mean
V Improvement in value Emulation be
y tween neghbors and between villages
a excited. and nigSardly property holder
; are shamed into efforts to contribute to til
y popular desire for harmony. This is nt
l. 4 theory, it is experience. for wherevt
e they have been tried, these societies hay
4 done the work and exercised the intuenl
e we have stated.
IL Again, these societies are agencies
t. culture Developing Il public spirit and
IS feeling of local pride. they cannot fail
IS bear fruit in other and higher direction
v Public and domestic architecture will
= the first to feel the effect of the new sent
1t ment. Men will build pretty houses.
r, tone with the new order of things. Ne
IL ambition will be developed with relate
II to public buildings and their surrounding
l. The new town hall will be better than Il
is old. The new church will be an orn
lp ment and glory. which the Old one w
n not. Lyceums. reading clubs and libr
ir rics are Just rs natural an outgrowth of
IS public spirit engcndered by these societie
IS. and :. public culture nourished by thel
n as tlev are, themselves, the outgrowth
e. a public necessity.