The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1898-06-09
Town and Village Improvement

Town and Village Improvement.
There are many beautiful towns and
villages in America today, notable among
which are Garden City, Long Island,
Tuxedo Park, n. Y, Fairbault, Mimi,
called the model village of America,
Berkeley Neighborhood, Cal, Pasadena
and Riverside, both of California, Col
orado Springs. Colo. and South Park,
Dayton, Ohio. All are planned after
modern ideals, and all have active village
improvement associations.
The first society for village improve
ment was organized by Miss Mary Hop
Stockbridge. Mass. over forty years ago
Stockbridge today is famous, on both
sides OF the A tlantic, for its beauty and
its reputation has brought to it as citi-
gems many noted and cultured people
The object of these societies. which
are now a net work all over the Union,
primarily, was the draining and improv-
ment of streets, and where the towns
were large enough to cooperate with the
town councils in putting in sewers and
water works, planting of shade trees and
highways, putting down sidewalks, re-
moval Of front fences, doing away With
ash barrels and boxes along sidewalks
and replacing them with neat, painted,
iron receptacles with covers, for scraps
and paper, and compelling stores to keep
their boxes and wares off the sidewalks.
The improvement of the grounds around
railway stations has been another notable
effort of these associations.
The village improvement Association
OF South Park, Dayton, Ohio, is undoubt-
eddy one of the most active and public
spirited of these societies.
They organized a Village Improve
ment Society and themselves offered
cash prizes for the best improved home
grounds. The objects of this association
are the beautifying of all streets, unim-
proved property, parks, ETC., by planting
trees and flowers and general promo
ton Of landscape gardening abating nui-
sances; prizes were divided among the
four person having the finest specimens
of landscape gardening
To the toys and girls were offered
prizes for the best kept back yards,
whether planted in grass, flowers, vines,
shrubbery or vegetables. The good re-
suits of these competitions cannot be
computed. Helping to make a town
beautiful is not light or trivial work. 1t
is founded on the best principles of hui
manitarianism for whatever tends to
cultivate people and fosters a love of
home ard contentment in the human
heart is certainly good work.
So, if you have not "lent hand this
Spring, make your plans to help the des-
ert spots in your town to blossom as a
Rose just as soon as you can.
Think, if in each city and town a band
of men and women pledged themselves to
offer prizes-and paid them-for the
seieanest, prettiest back yard and alley in
town Cannot you see the change it
would make in the health and morals of
a town? The cleanliness would change
the health rate, and the work would
keep the boys and girls off the streets a
great deal, and the emulation as to who
kept The prettiest place would be healthy
one. This was proved by the interest
taken in the South Park contests. The
prizes were given in the Autumn, and
more earnest, happy lot of girls and boys
could not be found Their heads were
full OF plans for the next year; they knew
where success and failure lay, and were
able to profit by their experience.