The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-07-11


Do Away with the Fences.
How much the residence streets in our
smaller towns and villages have improved
in appearance since the fashion obtained
of doing away with front and line fences!
writes Dart Fairthorne in Illustrated Mag
azjne. Smooth lawns merging one into
the other, shaded by a few trees, give a
much better effect than the rows of little
boxes stuffed with heterogeneous collec-
ton of plants and shrubs which formerly
did duty as front yards. With good walks
about the dwellings and broad,
smooth pavements in front, bordered at
each side by we'll grown and well kept
trees, set in not too narrow strip of
turf, quite a park-like expanse is secured
and an elegant effect produced, though the
buildings themselves he but modest.
1t is hard to estimate the educative eff
feet of ali this; besides the ne5ghborliness
and general good feeling promoted by CO.
operative work, which must surely tend
to harmony of heart, an effect is secured
which gives the restfulness of home 10
the heart and of beauty to the eye. What
ever the eye rests upon is, in a general
way, educative; every item going to make
or mar the general effect having its reflex
II
smothering, irritating, exasperating, to be
cooped in a cluttered. ill-kept yard in
hot days of summer, the larger expanse,
the general roominess. must bring cor
responding responsiveness of soul to him
whose ordinary environment possesses this
pre-eminent grace.
Nor need the cultivation of plants and
shrubs be neglected to Secure the above
minated results. The space in the rear
o. the grounds formerly given over to the
ubiquitous tin can and to the general ac-
emulation of repuisive rubbish, may be
utilized to great advantage as flower or
vegetable garden, or as a playground for
the children. If set aside for the latter
use it VIII be better for being bordered
with beds of flowers of the Commoner
sorts, in which the children are given
proprietary rights to plant cultivate, and
to gather, as nearly as may be, 1T their
own will and pleasure Better 100 if
vines be trained over the outbuildings and
alley fences. With good turf and a tree
or two, a barren, sunbaked waste may be
transformed into a fairy bower aud sure
ly it were worth some effort and expense
to keep the children safe, happy and off
the street
If there were no other gain, there IS a
hygenic benefit in it all, too, which COM
mends the movement Towering fences no
longer shut out the sunlight and shut in
the damp, OBSCURE the view ana cut OIL
neighborly communication. Grass grows
where once were moss and mould. Sun
light sweetens and breezes sweep where
once there were dark corners which nei-
Their penetrated. There being now no place
where rubbish may be harbored, clearly
and tidy habits are inculcated in the chill
dren, which are of great value in char
acter building.
The mental and moral tone of the COM
munity Is raised. The standard topic,
What more can we do to improve our
street." raises the conversation many de-
grees above common gossip. The easily
convened circle of admirers over a rare
plant or bloom, the convenient compari-
son of growing gardens, vines, shrubs
and trees, all tend to elevating compan-
ionship and clOseknit neighborliness, and
the greater cleanliness and tidiness alone
should bring an added sweetness to the
moral as we'll as the physical atmos-
phere.
If there were no higher motive for the
Improvement of our home places in this
cooperative way than self-interest, that
alone should prompt it; for every beauty
added every blemish banished, every
harmonious note struck ir the improve
ment of our premises, enhances their
monetary value. The love of beauty how
ever, for its own sake, for it's educative
influence, for its eevating power, should
lead US to keep high ideals always before
our eyes and inspire us to their highest
possible development in our every environ
ment, in community in street, and espec-
tally in our homes.