Little Falls weekly transcript. (Little Falls, Morrison Co., Minn.) 1894-19??, 1895-05-17
FOSTER TOWN PRIDE.

\ FOSTER TOWN PRIDE.
GOOD WORK OF VILLAGE IMPROVE
MEN1 SOCIETIES.
Public Spirit Awakened to the Value of
Omitted Ehort-How Two New England
Towns Were Observation-Disclosures and
Plans of Procedure.
The following from The Forum for
March strikes the keynote Of progress
IL the towns Of our country and shows
what earnest and united effort may &C.
oolnplish toward identifying and max
ing them more healthful and desirable
as places of residence, not to mention
the increase of wealth:
The American people are showing a
rapidly growing interest in the improve
ment Of their towns, and Of the many
causes of this progress the numerous viii
lage improvement societies are not the
least. AS Jack Falstaff was mot only
witty in himself, but the cause that wit
was in other men," so the influence of
these societies is by no means limited to
the towns or counties where they are
organized, for their example benefits
many towns where no improvement So
cieties have yet been formed. Far more
has been accomplished than l ever ex.
pected to see when l enlisted in this
work 80 years ago. But compared with
the public needs and the rich opportuni-
ties in every state the work seems just ba.
gun. These societies foster that town
pride and public spirit which suggest lib
eral plans and prompt to generous gifts,
impressively putting to every citizen the
question; What is it my duty or privi
lege to do for my town?
A sketch Of the Laurel Hill associa-
ton of Stockbridge, Mass, the first ill.,
oorporated village improvement society
in the United States, is suggestive. 1t
was originated by Miss Mary Hopkins,
now Mrs. j z. Goodrich. Her untiring
efforts to rouse the people resulted in a
public meeting where the subject was
discussed and a society was organized
As result the Stockbridge Of today
stands out in marked contrast with the
Stockbridge of my boyhood. The main
street. irregularly laid out and uneven
ly graded, with deep pools of standing
water, with few trees and fewer side
walks. the green" without trees or any
semblance of ornament, loaded wagons
making deep ruts almost to the church
door, the cemetery with broken down
wooden fence and full Of brambles and
weeds-these all appear in my recollec-
ton Of Stockbridge as it was in 1853
Today streets arc graded and lined with
shade trees. At the first annual meeting
the treasurer reported that the amount
paid in in labor or cash was 81, 1896.
The number of trees planted the first
year was 423. At this meeting Cyrus
w. Field and E. w. Pomeroy together
gave $3.50 to be used for prizes. Fifty
cents was given for every thrifty tree
planted of kinds specified; $40, or a sill
yer cup Of equal value, to the planter Of
the best l5 trees; to the second best, So;
to the third best, S. All the trees were
to be planted within certain specified
limits. Another prize Of $40 was offered
for the largest number and the best trees
planted along any public roads of the
town. A prize of $40 was given to the
person who made the longest and best
sidewalk, and other $40 to the person
who made the greatest improvement in
the grounds around his dwelling any
where in the town. A reward of $40
was offered for evidence which should
lead to the conviction Of any one injur-
ing the trees and footbridges under the
care Of the association.
About 1000 trees have now been
planted, and the association has the in
come derived from about 81, 900 of in
vested funds, supplemented by individ-
ual subscriptions. When 50, 1000 was
given for free town library by a single
benefactor this amount was nearly dou-
blcd by individual contributions. The.
library building, fine stone edifoe,
with reading room and lecture hall, cost
ing $25, 900, was the gift of the late J.
T. Goodrich. Mr.. Cyrus w. Field gave
$40, 600 for park, and MIR. David Dud-
ley Field, in the last year of his life,
gave to Stockbridge 50 acres of land,
including the romantic Ice Glen, for
mountain park, together with SIS, 900
for it's improvement. The Laurel Hill
association, with an offer to pay one
half the expense induced the railroad
company to add an acre and half to
the grounds about its station and to
erect an elegant building. This associa-
tion has beautifully adorned these
grounds. Its anniversary, fifty observed
on the fourth Wednesday of every Au-
gust, commemorated last summer 40
years Of successful work. Every acre of
land and every homestead in Stockbridge
have appreciated in value by reason of
this society.
! The appearance today Of New Mil
Ford Conn. nresents a striking contrast