Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1902-07-30
WOMEN BOOM A TOWN
now The FAIR SEX IS IMPROVING
NORrHFlELD. VT.

Tcwn-rheir Clever Plan 40 Keep
Vie street.. and Sidewalks Clean.
The women OF Northfield. VT. are en-
gagged I'm one OF the most remarkable
campaigns for public Improvement
ever attempted by women anywhere.
says the Boston Globe. Not satisfied
with the progress already made by the
men. who have walked the place. out
Of twenty-five year sleep and made
this settlement OF 5000 souls into n
miniature city among the hills by form
Ing board OF trade" getting new in
dustries. beating other villages OF the
same size I'm the race for modern pub
lie utilities and I'm general putting
Northbeld back on the map. the ladies
got together last year and said they
guessed the situation needed the fine
aesthetic hand OF woman to give It
taste. II not also a little organized hem
pecking TO give IL perslStency.
They banded together in n village
improvement society. This Mt first
confined it's enthusiasm TO making the
streets beautiful to look at. Then the
conversation. wherever there were
preparations for new building. was
pervaded by them i'm the interest of
ornamental architecture. Recently they
gave n dinner. at which the after cot
fee oratory disclosed plans more rad
icRl. There are TO be a drinking fouu.
tain. a granite chip embankment of
the now unsightly Dog river and an
observatory on Paines mountain.
Since the dinner Il has come out that
II was committee OF ladies calling on
Secretary Smith of the board Of trade
that induced the board TO make it's
present effort toward getting new in
dustry for women and also that the la
dies are about to set their bonRets at
Andrew Carnegie
But the latest is that the village i'm
provement society is going to earn.
beg. levy and magnetic fund where
with to buy steam fire engine. North
field has paid fire department. but no
hydrants or steamer. other villages
have had ladies' Improvement societies.
but NOrthfield is out with a claim that
this is the first wOman's voluntary
board OF municipal hustle.
The society began mcdestly. giving
no sign OF the ambitious vigor which
has since come over il. As Mrs. Ed
gert0n said at the dinner: TO build
parks. TO plant trees and keep them i'm
healthy condition. TO fight the sign
board and waste paper nuisances. to
clear the streets OF rubbish and TO
plant vines and flowcrs-all these are
the work of the ordinary village inn
provement society. II we succeed. as
others have. in arousng pride and
carefulness among the people. these
Will find expression in the desire
among nei-hborhoOds to rank highest
for clean streets. well kept lawns and
neatness in everything pertaining to
out of door housekeeping"
or course the money to n large ex-
tent comes from the men. and il was
men who were hired TO 20 about with
carts picking up. but IL isn't men that
tend the public flower beds One OF the
early maneuvers OF the society was to
invite a landscape architect 10 come
up from Boston. look the town over
and tell the ladies i'm an address what
effect II had on his artful eve and what
ought 10 be done TO render Il really
good and beautiful. One OF the numbers
on his programme was parklets at
street corners planted with flower beds.
These have been put i'm and are under
the personal supervision OF Miss John
stOn and Miss Ingalls,
Miss Johnston. the president. thus
described what has been done and
what remains TO come:
The plots OF low. uncouth ground ut
the corners OF our streets and also the
sandy and barren waste about our de-
pot were graded and the ground pre-
pared for cultivation and were made
most attractive spots. The grounds are
now all ready for cultivation again
when spring opens. We are ready with
money TO 20 on with this good work.
and many things will be done, such as
walling our river on both sides with the
waste OF granite chips from one of our
manufactures and covered with a
growth OF vines and a public drinking
fountain erected on or near the COM
mon.
Baskets are placed at intervals along
our streets. where paper or any article
that tends to litter our walks may be
placed. Seats are to be placed in con-
venient spots for travellers, and In the
near future we shall see an observatory
with well kept road leading TO il.
which will give to us here and our
summer friends one OF the most beau
tifui views in our Green Mountain
State"
Ii would be inexact to say that the
luxurious side OF life thus so vigorous
ly cultivated by the ladies has he'd no
effect upon the gentlemen. The latter
spent many anxious moments in quest
or an activity worthy OF the high stand
ard set by the more sentimental sex
Many distinct results followed this
mental exercise. One was a splendid
piece OF medieval chivalry. In order
to understand it thoroughly one should
know that Mortified ladies wear par
ticularly fetching frocks Now, the
farmers were accustomed to tie their
teams to posts in what should have
been the most imposing quarter Of the
metropolis. Much paving produced
holes. which filed with rain, mud and
slush. and more paving deposited
stains upon the passing frocks. A par
~ or young men. having privately as
certained from the judicial authorities
that nothing would be done about it,
stole forth by night and unlawfully
ripped up the posts. That forced mat.
fcrs. and. though the posts have been
replaced. the teams now paw solid
stone and the frocks retain their love
Illness.