Connecticut western news. [volume] (Salisbury, Litchfield Co., Conn.) 1871-1970, 1901-06-20
BEAUTIFY THE TOWN
THIS is A WORK THAT is BEST
UNDERTAKEN BY WOMEN.

portant Matter-There Is No Town
That Cannot BE Improved.
The later years of the nineteenth
century have given us an indication or
advancing civilization that is destined
to have a much greater influence on the
artistic tendency of the coming gener-
atoms than is generally realized, says
yelma c. Melville in The Housekeeper.
/ refer to the town and village associa-
lions that are being rapidly organized
in various parts of the country and
which are bound to increase more rap
idly as the results already obtained
awaken interest among people. 1t is
very evident that the work of beautify-
ing the smaller places must be under
taken by women. Weeds and rubbish
must be cleared away and unsightly
places made beautiful. Already local
clubs have taken up the matter, and 1t
seems that the movement only lacks
the adoption by the great federation to
make it universal. When 4,000,000 In
telligent women scattered throughout
every city, town and hamlet in the
United States shall become interested
in reform, ii is not at all difficult to
predict a grand victory.
There is no town, however small or
poor, but may be benefited by the asso-
ciated efforts of its residents. The
streets can be kept free from weeds,
the walks mended and mudholes filed
up. Rubbish receptacles can be pro-
yided and merchants persuaded not to
use the sidewalks for storerooms.
Then, whether there is an association
or not, the women of every town
should make it their business to look
after the advertisements that are per-
petually Haunted in the faces of them
selves and their children. What Is
more distressing than to see the side of
building or some showboard covered
week in and week out with the latter
ed remains of highly colored clowns,
horses and other circus attractions IL
nothing worse?
One evening the woman's relief corps
of a certain village had the use of the
city hall for some charitable gathering.
Toward night they spied man pasting
| Eandbills of a cheap show In conspicu-
| Gus places about the halls and building
and promptly ordered him to take them
| all down again. or course he protest
| ed, but they soon convinced him that
| for that day and night the city hall
was theirs. There are many women as
| bright and determined as these who
would never have taken that stand
| simply because the matter had never
| been presented to them in the right
| light. Even one person can create pub
lie sentiment. Don't let us urge that
we have no influence, for we cannot so
easily escape responsibility. 1t is diff
cult to estimate the influence of any
one person and equally impossible to
overestimate the silent influence of a
village or town that is kept neat and
beautiful.
| A prominent member of u most ener-
getic improvement association in Mont
clair, n. j., says: zone of the first ben
efits derived by women from public
work is that they gradually lose sight
of the narrow, personal views of life
and find themselves on the higher, al
truistic plane. In forming such an as
ISOLATION as ours we must remember
that our aim is to offer assistance and
give suggestions and not to direct the
local authorities"
In a later paper this same woman
writes: Under the supervision of the
street commission galvanized iron bar.
rels were placed at intervals along our
main thoroughfares for the reception
OF rubbish. Shopkeepers were begged
to keep their premises in good order
and if they failed to comply with the
| request the association sent a man with
a wheelbarrow, broom and hoe to clean
up for them. 1t was seldom that the
same shopkeeper compelled us to dc
this more than once"
Here, as elsewhere, the different com
mittees have their tasks for which they
are responsible. The children's auxil
larry numbers over LOO school chill
dren, all of whom have pledged them
selves to do what they can to make
their town beautiful. The humane
committee sees that neither children
nor animals are abused and that there
are proper sanitary conditions at the
police station. In this town especia
attention is given to the circles and tri
angles at the functions of the streets
some Of which are exceedingly attrac
tive.
Already we find business companies
taking up this work. Some six year!
ago a manufacturing company in Day
ton, o., inaugurated a reform along
this line about their shops and prem
ises which ought to be advertised al
over the country for the benefit of les.
progressive business men. At one tim,
the location of their shops was known
as Slidertown, and it was famous fol
fighting and bad characters. The mel
would not live near the works, for the!
could not afford to raise their families
there, and this set the president of til,
company to studying the situation will
view to lettering it. He began by in
yiting the men to state their grievances
against the shops and premises and Of
fer suggestions for improvement.
The results which have sprung from
these condolences are most crafty
ing. An improvement association ha
been formed among the members, an,
the name has been changed. from Slid
ertown to South Park. Very small
children in South Park are we'll up II
landscape gardening and are quit
ready with their information that 9TH
first principle of landscape gardening
is to preserve open lawn centers; tn
second, plant in masses, not isolated
the third, avoid straight lines" Casl
prizes were offered for the best KEEP
lawn in South Park, the best alley, tn
prettiest back yard, etc.
Pictured Lie