Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1898-06-03
OF TOWNS.
DIR. NORTHROP, APOSTLE OF BEAUTY
IN VILLAGES.

Father of Arbor Day.
In the midst of the turmoil and strug-
gle for political preferment it is well 70
remember that careers of great public
service are open to men who never hold
political office. A career of this sort
which merits general recognition is that
OF DIR. Birdsey Grant Northrop, who for
20 years was member of the boards of
education of Massachusetts and Con-
necticut, 10 years in the former and Is
In the latter, where his work was pre-
eminently successful. But what gave
this man his distinction, says the New
York Post, and rendered his life one of
uncommon service to his generation.
was his steadily increasing devotion
during his Official career and for many
years afterward to the education of the
American people in things which are
really matters of public education, but
are outside of schools and textbooks.
Dr. Northrop was the great apostle of
what he well called "yillage improve
ment." Born and bred in New England.
respecting the stern virtues of the Yam
kee character, he early saw how thrift
had obscured taste and how the old
Puritan distrust of art had developed a
disregard and even contempt for
beauty when it was easily within reach.
Going from one rural town to another.
IN TWO OF the oldest states, year after
year, he found what should have been
the most attractive villages neglected,
unkept, even repulsive, simply because
RI
ural advantages. The ambition to work
reform was supplemented by the sense
TO perceive what needed to be done and
the executive ability to devise practical
Die ways of doing it., for DR.. Northron
mad those qualities by which the Yankee
brings things to pass, and he might have
become rich man. if he had cared for
wealth, through opportunities more than
once held out to him by those who an
preciated his rare talent for business.
The Village Improvement society
was the machinery through which DR..
Northrop worked. This was an organ
ization of the more public spirited peo-
pie IN any town to look after the side
walks, see that good street crossings
were maintained, have trees set out in
proper manner, encourage the growth
OF SHRUBS and flowers, make attractive
lawns, establish drinking fountains.
abolish the old carelessness about the
disposition of refuse and rubbish-in
snort, oy score Ct methods, transform
what had always been a sordld looking
village into place which became a de-
light to the eye and solace to the mind.
The pioneer society of Stock bridge,
Mass, which long ago made that town
famous, was DR.. Northrop's model, and
Tor many years he lectured and wrote to
Introduce the same methods elsewhere.
with an enthusiasm, power and a sue
cess In making converts which age
could not abate until near the very end
OF lis life. He visited over 40 of the
states and territories and aided in Or
ganizing hundreds of societies in all
parts of the country.
A natural outgrowth of this village
Improvement work was the mans devo-
ton to tree planting on a larger scale
than for the mere adornment of a street
or lawn. While secretary of the Con-
necticut board of education he was
commissioned, in 1877, to visit Europe
and examine the schools of forestry and
forest plantations as well as the indus
trial schools and report for the benefit
of the schools and people of his state,
with an especial view to encouraging
the reclamation of waste lands by the
propagation of trees. This led to his be-
coming the earnest advocate of tree
planting and the originator of ArbOr
day as an annual occasion for such
planting IN connection with the public
school system. Almost every state in
the Union now keeps Arbor day.
This varied work in the education of
public taste, as well as in the develop
ment of the public school system, was
carried on for period longer than the
lifetime of generation. 1t made DR..
Northrop a great civilizlng force He
leaves this world a distinctly more
beautiful, more agreeable and more ele-
waiting world to live in than he found
it. He set in motion forces which will
continue the work of Improvement that
he began, and his influence will live long
after him.
Young men who have ambition to
serve their generation complain, with
too much reason, that public life, in
the conventional sense of. the term, is
impossible in an age when political of
flee is too often to be secured only at
sacrifice which honor does not permit,
but the quiet and modest career of DR..
Northrop is proof that man may ac-
complish vast good for the nation with
Nttf Il,
was life of over so years which was
full of public service. The next century
will offer plenty of opportunities for
public service to men who may be de-
MED political office.
THE MODERN BEAUTY