Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1901-05-11
A VILLAGE IMPROVE WENT SOCIETY.
Good Work Accomplished BY Ono In a New
York Town.


town, owes it's charming appearance
today entirely to the endeavors of the
me mbers of the Ladies' Village I'M
provement Society. Three parks were
set apart by the pioneers originally.
but after one hundred years they were
little regarded by the people then Nv
ing within sight of them. They were
overrun with weeds and brush: trees
began to grow promiscuously in one.
while the lines of another were broken
Il down and it became a mudhole.
II One afternoon two women were look
Il ing out on the plot called Lafayette
1 Square. a little stream was stagnat-
ing through its center: drivers and
pedestrians had no consideration for
the struggling grass.
Can we not do something?" asked
II enc.
II Evidently they had been thinking of
the same thing, for the other said.
y Let's try"
II The two talked with other women,
Ii and Il meeting of women was called to
II devise ways and means of improving
II the village Mrs. +. =. Newkirk pre-
II sided and at her suggestion a perma-
nent organization was formed. Mrs. d.
..
H. E. Lewis vice-president. Mrs. F. p.
/ Newkirk, treasurer. and Mrs. Z. ii.
| Bennett. Jr, secretary. A board of
/ directors and an executive committee
were also appointed. and a constitu-
ton and bylaws were adopted.
II Organization was perfected in Sep
III tember the objects of the society were
! made known throughout the commun-
A. - L.
! village began at the home of each of
the twenty members. The majority of
the people said. You can never ac-
complish anything but the women
entered enthusiastically upon their
enterprise. They wrought changes in
/ their own dooryards. They exchanged
slips of hardy plants. purchased the
roots of inexpensive bot pretty shrubs.
BY ordering together and purchasing
at wholesale they We're able to save
much. All orders We're shipped To the
| president of the society. and the tX-
pressage on individual packages was
saved for the purchase of more shrubs
1t was an aggressive campaign. The
rubbish which had accumulated in the
corners of the fences was cleared
away. Old fences We're replaced by
new ones. or repaired. or removed en-
tirely. The women made beautiful
lawns about their homes. and planted
vines to spread over walls and fences
Ornamental shrubbery was set out:
pretty evergreen or deciduouS trees
were procured from the forest near by
Ia1C set in rows where the crumblinS
fence once stood. New sidewalks
were laid. AS the village was noted for
it's deposit of bluestone. handsome
stone walks We're procured cheapiy.
AS soon as these We're laid. it was seen
to be essential that wide cutters should
be made, and with the cutters came
Igrading the streets, and removing
weeds and stones. Attention was
given to back dooryards that faced the
railroad. Weeds and brush had over
run them, and they had become a
dumping ground. Back doors and
barns which had never known a coat
of color were painted. and the wealth
e--beaten. tumble-down board fences
were replaced by neat white pickets.
| \ subscription was finally started ior
funds to restore the parks. People were
asked to give anything from a cent up. \
| New England supper was given. and it
that it has been repeated annually. The
| society was able to swell the contribu-
| tons by the proceeds from a series of en-
ltcrtainmeEts. embracing concerts. theat-
ricalS. and lectures. which found ready
favor These also were found so profit
able in every sense that they have been
continued. The money having finally been
raised a committee of three was appoint
ed TO arrange for grading and curbing
| LAFAYETTE Square. the dimensions of
which were lsox62 feet. A handsome
late Calvin Cole by his sons. at cost of
$1,000. and was formally dedicated to the
village. The expense of the grading,
| curbing, setting the fountain and obtain
| ing water for ii amounted to $1,000.
| Washington Park was next made de-
| ichtful. Gravelled walks were wound
| through it: in place of aggressive weeds,
lawn Grass-seed was sown; ground was
spaded up. and cultivated plants set ou' ::
mountain ash weening willow. and bal
sam trees were placed here and there.
Land wild clematis and ampelopsis were
SO planted that they would in time over
| run the tops of these trees. Hoilyhock
| geas. and wild roses were arranged in
Iprctty vistas tinahv. fa1 en- and dccayci
timber stumps. weeds. and rubbish were
taken from Fort Hill Park. which was
| down. and is now an attractive green
plot of threc-quartcrs of an acre sur
| rounded by fine curbing. The three
parks are cared for at compare lively
small expenditure.
| In forgotten cemetery on side street.
near the heart of the village, the few re
naming slabs had been lcvcllcd by the
frosts of many years. Wild apple-trecs
grew and bore fruit. which was harvested
only by the small boys: old rose bushes
ran wild and mingled with briers. bur
docks. milk-wccd and goldcn-rod. MANY
old cans and pals had been thrown into
the enclosure. The grass was never cut.
land the grounds were fast becoming inn
|penctrable- The women got to work.
cleared the old cemetery of debris. and
reset the ancient shafts. removing the
ashes of some of the forefathers of the
| hamlet to the new and handsome burial
grounds on the hill across the river ThH
grass is now moved regularly. the wild
hramb.rs are suh1ucd. and the place l.
honorcd as it should be.
| The society has purchased opera chair
Tor the village theatre. and a street
sprinkler. Five of the women have been
designated the -rremens Relief" and
they make coffee and provide refresh
lmeniS for The fircmeu ut fires. The
IcietY has eNertcd its influence against tn.
inrcval' Mt habit of the male popua ton OF
leXpectoratinS tobacco juice ON the siGe-
walks. and has had gratifying measure
lof success. 1t also brought about the en-
actment of a village ordinance which pro
vices for the arr.s' of trampS If found
Wl'nln tho limits Of the village. and rO-
urcS 10 this effect are nosted along the
hiGEWaYs near the town. and on the tree
in town.
| IN all the society has expended about
9''H on It's various improvements. though
nc results certainly suggest 4 larger sum.
" continues 20 foster town pride and pub
nc spirit. and through its untiring efforts