New-York tribune., 1903-02-24
WOMEN AND CIVIC PRIDE.
What the Former Do in Beautifying Town
and Countyy-Dr. Tolmans
Last Lecture

women to-day as never before in the history Of
the world. especially those leaving institutions for
higher education. have opportunity to shape and
20 guide by their personality and influence every
movement for promoting higher social and indus
rrial life" said DR.. Tolman. yesterday in the con-
cIudnE leCtur. Of his course Present Day Prob
lens" at the home of Miss Helen Miller Gould
Desire without knowledge he continued, lis
not only Intellectual but deteriorating. For the ex
press purpose of enabling men and women desirous
Of rendering personal service 10 offer personal
help and guidance the American Institute Of Social
Service was organized, TO place at their dis
posaj failures as well successes Of past move
rnents. that every bit Of the worlds experience
NAV serve as a working model, so that may
avoid mistakes and utilize successful effort
This course Of lectures ius+rl.es what the insti-
rue is doing in the collection and Interpretation
Of the wealth Of material in its storehouse-"
Before and after taking might have been the
-r1e of the lecture as its lessons sapiently
enforced by the views Of village lanes and city
streets bare and uninviting before being struck
fy the wave Of city Improvement, transformed into
beauty spots thereafter. He exhibited first desc
late village streets, hdeous alleys staring lines Of
vvnie7ashed picket, tumbledown sllacks given over
10 the advertising hend. bare little village parks
quite innocent Of Improvement
This indicates the typical village spirit, said he
.apsthetic Indifferent with no idea Of civic patri-
otIsn or responsibility for higher social life Such
4 village is absolutely nothing but collection
- houses and fences It needs TO be shaken up
EMPOWERED IN VINES.
Then he showed the same spots after the wave of
village Improvement had given the desired shaking
one humble village house he designated as merely
"a box with some holes punched for doors and
Windows A Iater view showed it embowered in
vines and roses as pretty as any summer picture
could well be. He described some Of the results
achieved by the offering Of prizes for the best
kept grounds either by societies or individuals.
Cleveland has been particularly successful in this
hpre has
1red thousands OF packages of seeds. and has
offered prizes year after year for the best plants
and gardens.
one first prize Of $l5 was offered for the best
kept grounds. 10 be given only to boys or girls
under fourteen years. A boy Of thirteen and half
years determined TO have the prize. The screen
showed his home before he began; the back stoop
a tiny, one story frame house, an unpreposseSs-
ing back yard. bounded by a hopeless board fence
The picture Of his prize grounds showed the young
work in lovely pot. whose scheme
Of Identification he had planned himself The house
hidden riotous vines, which dropped lovingly
porch and doorway The fence had dlsap-
}'.ared behind q leafy screen Of trailing tendriis,
with tail plants banked in terraced masses against
II. The smooth plot Of green grass filled the centre
of this charming little back yard.
Dr- Tolrnan mentioned a little mining community
the shores Of Lake Superior. in which, consid-
ering ali the circumstances, he thought he had
found the best results. The houses we're hare and
commonplace scattered irreguarly over bleak
patch Of rocky soil. The company offered rrizes
for The best KEEP; ground and. further stimu-
Jus. opened a greenhouse from which shrubs. trees
and plants were sold a for the work. Remark
able changes were effected in the appearance of
some Of the grounds.
BELIEVES IN SCHOOL GARDENS.
Or ToIman advocated school gardens one Of
the most efficient means -cultivating a Of
beauty and love Of the soil. France. Austria, Ger
MANY and Switzerland have thousands If such gar
Gems and the movement is increasing apidy in
America
An extremely desolate little country church care
fuIlv fenced in from the street by high picket
fence evoked the remark from the lecturer THAT
The Christian Endeavor Society Of that church
could find no more Christian thing TO do than 10
improve and beautify the grounds Of the church;
nothing else would have greater social uplift on
the community.
One finds the spirit Of Improvement and the oNe
Of beauty in the most unexpected places. SAID the
lecturer and then he showed lonesome calm on
sunbaked Arizona plain. The frontier woman IN
the doorway was eaunt and unlovely- but mass "i
brilliant bloom rioted before the door
But the camera did not show village and rural
section 10 be the greatest sinners in aesthetics
on The contrary the hideous billboard, whch Is
the thumb mark Of a commercial civilization.
puts forth its fOulest In city thofouG-
fares Dr. Tolman showed parks bought
and beautifed expense OF hundreds of thou
sands Of the peoples money, the approaches 10