The Indianapolis journal., 1903-12-13
BEAUTY OF THE CITY
WILL Be ENHANCED
Enthusiastic Citizens Set in Motion
indianapolis Civic Improvement
Association.
ITS OBJECT OUTLINED

Under lowering skies and Drawing the
drizzling rain and the mud of one of Decem-
ber's most disagreeable days. small num-
Der of enthusiasts met yesterday afternoon
at the Commercial Club and set in motion
movement that may result in far reaching
good for the city of Indianapolis and the
culture and happiness of it's people.
AT the invitation of the park committee
of the Commercial Club about two dozen
well-known citizens met and formed the
indianapolis Civic Improvement Associs-
ton, which has the object of it's forma-
tion the planting and care of trees. shrubs
and vines; the promotion of cleanliness and
beauty in yards, lawns and public thorough
fares and in numberless ways the general
Identification of the city. William Wat
son Woollen was elected president of the
new organization and Lewis Hoover, who is
also secretary of the Commercial Club, was
made its secretary and treasurer
Those present at yesterdays meeting
represented the First, Second, Third, Sixth,
Seventh. Eighth, Ninth. Twelfth and Fiji
teenth wards. The plan OF organization of
the society contemplates an executive COM
mittee to aid the president and secretary
III the administration of the society's work,
composed Of one member from each ward.
These were not selected yesterday. but are
to be chosen by the president before the
next meeting, which is to be held next Sat
urday at p m. In addition to the central
or parent organization, effort will be
made TO organize each ward In identically
the same way and eventually each precinct
In the city. in an effort to individualize and
localize the work of the association. Every
citizen OF Indianapolis Is invited to become
member or the society.
PLAN OF THE WORK.
saTha uorlx Of tna parr asro,{c tio, .o,J
Secretary Hoover last evening will be
done through the Commercial Club and I'm
cooperation with 1t. The park committee
of the club has been Interested in this work
for some time, and made an effort at ac-
complishing some good last spring. At that
time we distributed about 1900 packages of
seeds to school children in six of the city
schools. and the results accomplished were
very satisfactory.
Organizations similar to the one we pro-
pose to put into operation have accom-
notably in Minneapolis, St Louis and other
places. Here In Indianapolis want every
body to join US. We propose to show peo-
pie that little time and a very little money
spent on lawns is a good investment. With
the Commercial Club 70 back US. we can
accomplish a great deal more good than
We could do in an entirely independent way.
Beginning some time in January, we ex-
pect to show in the schools and perhaps
in some of the churches stereopticon views
illustrating what can be done in the way
OF beautlfying yards and lawns. We have
about fifty slides with indianapolis pictures
on them, and few others giving views of
lawns and flower gardens in Dayton, o..
In number of talks made at yesterday s
meeting the point was emphasized that the
scope of the new association and the good
that may be accomplished by it are greater
than may now appear on the surface. In a
number of cities similar societies have ex-
tended their work to a supervision of public
buildings. bridges, statuary, municipal art,
the enforcement of laws dealing with in
terests allied to their own. and other things
of equal import. The prediction was made
that the Indianapolis association will, In
time, assume proportions that will make 1t
one Of the most powerful factors for mu-
nicipal advancement and the promotion
of general culture and education that the
city will know
The members of the park committee OF
| the Commercial Club, which is responsible
| for the organization of the new association
are c. A. Kenyon, chairman; Judge Henry
| c.. Allen. w. w. Woollen. A. F. Potts, Hugh
| Nick. Landon, r. o. Hawkins and c. c.
Bro wn.