Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1902-09-13
TOWN BETTER MENT.
MANY ASSOCIATIONS ORGANIZED FOR
THIS PURPOSE.
How the Movement which began In
Stockbridge, Mass, In 1853 Has
Progressed and Some Of the PrOmi-
nent Societies.

nent Societies.
The organization In recent years of
many societies, each working more or
less independently along various lines
leading to n more consistent, ccOnom-
icnl and beautiful development of our
cities, towns and homes. has shown the
growth OF pronounced public senti-
ment. says the Washington Star. The
forerunner of this movement was the
work for the sick, unfortunate and
poor, and out Of this work have grown
hospitals, charitable organizations and
colonies of social workers
The movement for the Improvement
of the surroundings Of the people as
whole began with few village I'M
provcment associations. such as the
Laurel Hill association of StOckbridge,
Mass, organized in 1868. A few years
later B. G.. Northrop of Connecticut
lectured upon village improvement and
organized associations for this purpose
throughout the eastern states. Such
work. however. was scattered. each So
ciety working independently with little
knowledge Of what others were doing
along the sa me line. About this time a
movement for the requirement Of land
for public parks and reservations was
started by the city Of New York in the
requirement Of Central park.
Earnest and serious students were
studying the problems of the growth Of
cities and towns, and there grew out Of
this such books as Shaw's municipal
Government In Continental Europe"
and more recently RobinsOn's I'm
provement Of Cities and Towns" The
national organizations having for their
object the study of the problems of the
administration Of cities began with the
organization Of the Social Science as
sociation, the social science division Of
the American Association For the Adj
yanccment Of Science, and more recent
ly the several municipal leagues that
have been established to study and con-
fer on special problems having to do
with our municipalities.
All this study and effort have brought
students artists and men OF affairs
closer together and have led to a more
general appreciation of the close r"la'
tion between beauty and utility. Beau
ty Is not now regarded by men OF nf-
fairs as an aesthetic consideration hav-
ing no practical value, and mere Orna.
mcntatiOn Is not now regarded aS an
essential element of beauty. Men are
coming to know that II m object Is
we'll proportioned and perfectly fitted
for the uses to which 1t Is to be put 1t
has the principal elements OF beauty
and that without these elements Orna
mcntatiOn will not correct its defects.
Out Of this feeling and out Of the
study that has been given to these va
rious problems and organizations have
grown societies having for their princi-
pal purpose the preservation Of beau
tiful objects in landscape in public and
private buildings, greater consistency
and economy and more beauty in the
design of our towns and cities. One OF
the first organizations Of this kind was
the board OF trustees for public reser-
vatiOns In Massachusetts, OF which Q
similar board has been organized in
New York. or national organizations
there are tho American Park and Out
door Art association, the League For
Social Service, the General Federation
Of WOmcn's Clubs. the National League
OF Improvement Associations and the
National Art club Of New York.
As an illustration Of n marked and
growing interest I'm the movement, the
secretary of one Of these organizations
has stated frankly to one of his mem
bcrs that n paper having to do with
outside affairs which he controlled
had increased its circulation ten times
within the year that his association
had been in existence.
The American Park and Outdoor Art
association at its meeting in Milwau-
kee voted to hold its next meeting In
Boston early in August, 1902, and to
invite all organizations working along
similar lines to send representatives t.
this meeting to confer with reference
to n joint meeting.
Such a meeting will not alone accom-
plish the object for which the variOu-
earnest men and women who attend
are working. The results OF their de-
liberatiOns and experiences must be
placed before the public In such a sim
pie, direct and forcible way as to at
tract the attention of all persons, lead
them to comprehend the purpose In
view clearly and SO interest them that
they will act upon the suggestions thus
received upon their return home. 1t is
only by educating the general public
that important results can be accom-
plished. The st. Louis exposition will
offer an opportunity for installing an
exhibit upon the science and nrt of
modern city and home making that
would. II well executed under the lead
ership Of all associations having to do
with outdoor art, do more to justify
this worlds fair than anything else SO
far suggested. Such an exhibit show
ing the logical growth of n city or
town. governed first by the topography
of the site, next by the lines OF trans
portation and intercOmmunication.t then
the growth Of buildings for public use,
for business purposes and for homes
and all incidental features connected
herewith, would profoundly influence
the public taste.
The Town Hall.
habitants In the land but has its town