davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-04-09

The Sunday Star Of March 90 contained
An article descriptive of the unpleasant
,-1evs from many rear windows in TINS CITY
owing to the neglect of back yards by fesi-
dents 1t painted rather gloomy picture
vet there were rays of light In II. REFER
ence was made to the good work that mas
been done recently in the District by the
nublir school teachers. which is nhd'hS eA
nresslou I'm the form of some hundreds OF
backward gardens and a very general APP
probation by children of the value OF now
ers. grass, vines and shrubs. 1t may Dc
doubled II many people have a true concep-
ton OF the extent OF this influence and the
results that have already been scored by
the public school workers in intoxicating
love Of the beautiful in nature on the part
Of the rising generation.
This Sunday The Star is enabled to print
an account of how the work in the schools
started and what is being accomplished IN
the direction OF home gardening IN conse-
quenCe of 1t. 1t is gratifying to see, in the
illustrations which accompany this article,
physical evidences of progress. Some OF
the landscape effects are beautiful. Some
are crude. but with promise of betterment,
In all of the home gardens, whatever the
artistic effect or he pre-degree of scientific
soil culture, there is at least a spirit of
progress and a direct evidence of garden
love which promises rich results in the near
future. Indeed, 1t is not too much to say
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-04-09
GRATING IN LONDON
THE POLICE OF THE BIG CITY ARE
NOT ABOVE REPRoAcH.
Special Correspondence of The Sunday Star.

Special Correspondence of The Sunday Star.
LONDON, March 80. 1905.
When stories of police bribery in America
have been published here the newspapers
have derived much satisfaction from draw
ing comparisons between the incorruptible
British bobby and the venal American
cop" But faith in the superior virtue of
the home article has been rudely shaken
by the disclosures made at the trial just
concluded of a suit for SANDER brought
by ex-Inspector Mccarthy against one
David Curtis, a bootmaker. The evidence
showed that III is no uncommon thing for
gamblers here to be- blackmailed by the po-
lice, but it was also made plain that pro
lection coststlmucff less than it does on
the other sidevof the Atlantic The Eng
lish police official, when he is dishonest, is
a much cheaper man than the American
guardian of the law, which. from the point
of view of the corruption, is a distinct
advantage DE Ts
Mccarthy has been twenty-five years on
the force, Calling promotion step by step
until he became head of the detective de-
partment of the Fl division. That is one
of the most envied positions on the force,
because of thez opportunities 1t offers for
tips" for looking after weddings and other
swell functions, and other gratuities that
u
Mccarthy had held his billet for less than
a year when he was summarily dismissed
from the service on variety of charges,
the principal one being that he had taken
brides from gamblers and bookmakers. 1t
was found that no convictions could be OBJ
tanned against gambling clubs I'm his baiH-
wick, though complaints were constantly
coming In. Also the street betting men
seemed unusually expert in escaping detec-
ton McCarthy's reports to headquarters
invariably discredited the complaints re-
ceived and denied that there was any
ground for organizing a raid or instituting
prosecution. Scotland Yard began to sus-
pect that the inspector was acting In coliu-
sion with the offenders against the law.
Suspicion became certainty when, without
McCarthy's knowledge, another officer was
employed, and raid resulted in all the
evidence necessary for conviction.
The inspector had been playing the game
I'm the fashion too familiar In America. and
feathering his own nest. But the steps he
took to indicate his character showed that
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-04-09
ART OF THE CURVE
EXPERT SAYS STREETS SHOULD
NOT BE STRAIGHT.

From the Architectural Record
geometrical definition says that a
straight line Is the shortest distance be-
tween two points. So that any one who
makes a road or other surface for traffic
between two points usually lays 1t out be-
tween straight lines, or near an approx
nation 10 them he can get. Where
there are many surfaces for traffic within
limited area, as in town, the advantages
Of q straight line are increased; saving of
time IN travel becomes multiplied by the
number OF those who travel, whether pc
destrans. horses. or street cars: the sys-
tenn OF interviewer lines becomes simpler.
and the spaces between them more useful
aud tractablo; dimensions, angles and areas
are easier 10 calculate and record; and
drainage. sewage and other practical prob
lens are simpler to solve. AS an artistic
motive in surfaces for traffic when prop
erly treated. the value OF the straight line
has been understood since the beginning OF
architecture; and II is as plainly seen in
the Hypostyle Hall at Karnak or the Mall
in Central Park in the streets of Paris
or the avenues OF Schonbrunn.
For all that. as a motive for surfaces of
traffic, the straight line is very much In
the minority; COW tracks. country roads and
paths In suburban gardens generally revel in
every kind Of curvature, and, IN the old
every one OF these we can trace to a greater
or less degree artistic possibilities of a
kind not to be found in the straight line.
Lines of beauty do. or ought to- move In
every park road or garden path that Is not
straight. mere street curb Is able to
express sweep OF line that Is living and
diguited and real pleasure to every one
who can see II as IL is. The really superb
effect that can be produced by the fore
shortened lines OF common macadam Is TO
be seen in any well-laid-out park here at
home or IN Europe. but particularly In
France. The lines on the driyeways In the
Bots de Boulogne, for instance. have a
grace and vigor and motion that Will be a
novel delight to any one who will go and
discover them. and the simple borders OF
q box or Ivy along the entrance drive OF
path of Partisan suburban lot have a
grace that would be striking In itself with
o9t the lsurels and aucubas they inclose.
90 BY the Tber's Banks.
When the river winding through town
|. hi II reaches fortified and accented b,
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-04-09

city engineer, or whoever plans new roads
or streets. never uses curve that can be
avoided; 1t is troublesome to lay out on
the ground and record in the office. so
our towns are disfigured by endless sue
cessons of streets meeting at awkward an
giles in road surface and building line II
we wish to see street OF gracefu! line
that Is not straight, we must usually go
to the old world where they have grown
up everywhere along ancient farm roads
or sheep paths. The character of such a
street is entirely different from that of a
straight one The sides bend round a cor
ner and disappear from view, provoking
the never-fading curiosity to discover what
Is beyond The facades of the buildings
are presented at different angles, and, on
one side, to greater advantage than where
they are all in the same plane
Curved Lines in Venice.
How much of It's charm does the grand
canal at Venice owe to it's windlngs, and
how much would some of the palaces lose
were they to be marshaled along their wa
terry highway Strengthened out, until one
could see from the railway station to the
ducal palace? How much of their fascina-
ton do SO many country towns OF Italy
or England owe to the curvature of their
streets? Look, for instance, at the picture
of the Via SedbelIoni at Bellagio, where the
houses have obviously strung themselves
along the track of farm wagons rotted
away, maybe. these thousands of years,
but which took the easiest route uphill.
What charm did those long forgotten feet
or wheels lend to the irregular course they
unthinkingly marked out! Look at the
picture of the street seen through the an
cient gateway of Bologna! This long-buried
Strada DELI AbbondanZa at Pompeii so
nearly approaches the superb In the sweep
of It's lines and the regularity of its mas
sive piers that 1t Is hard to believe that 1t
was not designed and constructed for the
effect such a highway ought to have. They
seem to have understood the value of equal
spacing and continuous cornices on q curve
in England better than on the continent;
they have found the conditions there. and
gladly accepted them for motive. There
is the famous example Of Regents Circus
in London. or the Crescent at Bath, where
the resulting effect Is very striking in it's
logic and order In the west end OF London
are many curved streets of houses OF similar
and commonplace design. yet looking very
handsome and dignified with their I'M
broken horizontal lines and repetition of
vertical ones. In the same way, and on a
very large and complete scale, the circle is
used in the Piazza Castillo at Milan These
curved streets separate themselves into two
classes, the monumental or conscious and
deliberate (Which is comparatively uncom-
NOM, and the accidental or picturesque,
which Is found In almost every town In
Europe, and many at home. AL travellers
See and most travellers admire them, more
or less, consciously or unconsciously. for
they are full Of charm and artistic sug-
SastiouH
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-04-09

stone entertainments. the sweep of line and
surface of massive masonry Is often a
thing no less than magnificent, as most of
those VIII agree who have seen the Arno
at Pisa the Ttber at Rome or the Thames
at London. The gentle reader is advised
the next time he takes train to mark the
superb sweep OF the parallel tracks around
curve, and though they are nothing but
segments Of circles. he will see the fore
shortened into ellipses and acquire what
Nero offered riches fora new source of
pleasure.
The straight line IS not by any means the
only source of beauty in country roads and
city boulevards. II has practical disad-
vantages besides. for 1t is not always for
practical purposes the shortest distance be-
tween two points.
The writer then demonstrates the CORE
spending horse power required to draw
ton on the level and up various grades,
showing that curved and gently sloping
roadway is frequently more economical both
of time and power than the straight road
that climbs a stiff grade.
Never a building age but has in one way
or another felt and submitted to the fas-
Gina ton of the line that always changes,
that presents the succession of innumerable
columns or windows or mere unbroken sur
faces at different angles, each with Its own
variety of light and shade, yet all In
graded order, and gaining from the fore
shortening of number of equal things
! the variety OF a series of unequal ones.
changing successfully in exact proportion.
Every pillar in Bernini's colonnade and
every exterior stone In the castle of st.
Angelo has a presentation, an individual
ity and a distinction that 1t could not ac-
quire In a structure of rectilinear plan.
Lost at ST. Louis.
Yet with all this instructive search for
the bending line, its use In and out of sea-
son. building designers seem often 10th to
use 1t, particularly on a large scale: or
perhaps It does not occur TO them. There
was, for instance. a noble opportunity for
sweep of columns or arches or other
architectural motive lost at st. Louis,
where the transverse avenue between the
principal groups of buildings would natur-
ally be a circle struck from the center of
the great fountain; but the obvious and
opportune curve Is broken into six straight
lines and four angles. two of them re-en-
tering and all more or less difficult and
thankless to treat. The bridges of Paris
| and Rome rise to angle In the middle
instead of the more graceful and convenient
curve of those In London. Compare the
| splendid sweep of the Arno embankment at
| Pisa with the ugly angles on Franz josef 5
| quay at Vienna. How much more restful
and pleasing would have beer these lines
| of buildings. curb and car track, had they
been reduced TO one great segment OF a
| circle.
| A railroad engineer Is compelled to make
a curve at every change OF direction, as q
train will not travel along kinls but the
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-04-09

nasturtiums were the only growth, cover
ing the fences as we'll as the ground. Num-
Der 2 shows the upper part OF the same
yard. The clear central lawn and the bor-
der planting should be noted, az sugges-
tive of the landscape effects possible on
a small scale by the exercise of a little
thought in planning The climbing rose
on the porch is one year old; it was bought
for 10 cents at one of the city department
stores. Number presents view of the
backyard garden of another Normal stu
dent, with a luXuriant growth of sweet
peas on the right; these plants make ex-
cellent fence covering. Number gives a
glimpse of another Normal students back
yard work in the vicinity of 18th and @
streets. The hollyhocks form a permanent
growth at the rear, seeding themselves from
year to year.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-04-09
Home Gardening Work
and BACKYARD Improvement

good. Where there has been failure, 1t is
is powerless to prevent. Small boys and
their dogs the cats of the neighborhood,
rabbits and pigeons frequently destroy the
an over-anxious father or mother with the
ruined all the good work done. In other
the father or mother the work would have
enough to have her garden ruined by a
spring of one normal student. In making
few seconds wrecked the work of an en-
damage than for the plumber of the thief.
individuality. originality and artistic
temperament show strongly in this work
persistency, attention to instruction, sur
mounting obstacles, patience and gener-
osity.
Specialists.
Some of the students prefer to raise but
one kind of flower, bringing that to high
state of perfection. Asters, nasturtiums
and sweet peas have been the favorites for
such eorts. Flowers are more popular than
vegetables. There have been some very
successful vegetable gardens. A member of
the class of 1908, living in Southeast Wash
ington. kept family of eight supplied with
fresh vegetables most Of the summer. The
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-04-09

investment gave him a bushel in return
and pleasure in popping it during the fol-
lowing winter evenings. A sixth grade boy
in the Bradley School, through interest
aroused at school, persuaded his family to
inclose side yard that had been made un-
slightly by the employees of the bureau of
engraving and printing, using 1T as short
cut to work He hauled sod that had been
removed when the Speedway was construct
ed. gathered cannas from the dump back
of the propagating gardens. and, with the
assistance of a girl of thirteen and one
grown member of the family, transforma-
ton was made around the home.
Simple Rules.
The following simple directions placed in
the hands of the teachers as a guide for the
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-04-09

chldrens gardens win also be helpful to
parents:
The Place to Plant.-Plant in the sunniest
part of the yard. border near the fence
makes the most attractive garden. Cover
all the fences in the yard with vines. Your
garden will be pleasing if you plant all of
kind all of a color together.
How to Prepare the SOil-Do not dig
when the ground is wet Dig foot deep,
making the soil fine and free from Jumps.
Mix rich earth old manure with your
soil Fresh street sweepings Will burn the
tender plants.
Planting the Seed.-Be careful not to plant
too deep. Fine seed should be merely COW
cred. good rule is to plant four times the
greatest dimension of the seed. Water the
seeds gently.
Window or Porch Boxes.-The box should
be six to eight inches deep Have holes
bored in the bottom of IT. Put broken
pieces of flower pot or small stones on the
bottom Fill with good soil. Fasten the
box in a sunny place on the porch or in the
windows. Plant vines low growing
plants in the boxes. Water twice a day
thoroughly. A box needs much more water
than garden.
General Hints.
Water your garden thoroughly. Do not
sprinkle it. Keep the top soil very finely
worked. Never work it when it is wet.
Pull the weeds. They rob your plants of
food and water. Train your vines. Pick
your flowers every day. The more you pick
the more bloom you will have. Do not
waste them. The hospitals will gladly re-
ceive well-made punches. A garden VIII
not stand neglect.
BY following these directions the garden
will be pleasure all summer and the school
will have a fine flower show in the fall.
Explanation of the Picture.
The group picture printed herewith shows
examples of the work that has been done
by the Normal School students in Washing
ton yards. Number 1 illustrates how some
of them devote their time to bringing out
one variety to perfection. In this yard
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-04-09

should be taught in the training school,
there was no available land where the the
DRY could be put into actual practice. This
1t has, however, been the greatest aid to the
work. The home was the only place for the
student to obtain the practical work, so an
order was issued requiring each student to
raise plants at home. Some attempted to
portion, and in cases of asphalted yards or
lack of space through living in apartment
houses the work was confined to window
boxes. The work has become so popular
that there are few cases now where the en-
tire yard is not improved. In no other way
could such genuine interest have been
aroused among these young people Usually
all of the family has co-operated particu-
larry the children. Sometimes whole
neighborhood has caught the gardening
fever from the normal student.
Greenhouse Training.
During. the winter by means of simple ex-
periments conducted in the school green
house on the grounds of the Department
of Agriculture the students learn how to
prepare and fertiize the soil; how to propa-
gate plants by cuttings; the proper ways of
planting seeds; the requirements Of the
commonest plants in regard to light, food
and water. The simple rules of landscape
gardening are impressed upon them by pic
lures of good planting, and, as far as posi-
BILE. they are urged to apply these rules at
home. With the following rules as foun-
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-04-09

punches from these lfome gardens find their
way into school rooms during September
and October. brsghteAing places that would
otherwise be bafren9s
Far-Reaching Results.
This work Is far reaching. It stretches
beyond the immediate home 1t stretches
beyond the neighborhood. The student-gar-
dener gathers so much pleasure from her
labors that she is generous enough to want
the children with whom she comes in con-
tact to have the same pleasure. She has
an intelligent understanding of the subject.
enough to start the little ones on the right
way. She has enthusiasm sufficient to enter
into their accounts of success and failure
and it is not unusual thing for her TO
visit the childrens gardens, thus making q
stronger tie between the home and The
school than has ever existed before. Free
quently these visits are rewards to the
children for good work
This work must be productive of much
good to the children of our schools. What
ever is practical, whatever binds the chill
dren closer to their homes. whatever teaches
better and healthier way to live is the
province Of our public schools. The chill
dren have proved their cooperation by
ordering more than one hundred and fifteen
thousand penny packages of seed this
spring.
The Parents Part.
1t now is the province of the parents to
help by giving the children a place that is
their own, where they may be held respon-
sibie for success or failure, where whatever
is produced is theirs, and not only to allot
q small space, but to aid by simple instruc-
tions. The danger here to avoid, however,
will be the doing of the work for the chill
dren. That is not an aid Let them be the
workers. Hold them responsible for the re-
Ct1I n lrnr Inr1c q hnrl "a o.
thing to do during the long vacation days.
A fifth grade boy in the Twining School
invested cent in some popcorn. He planted
ii along the fence in the back yard. His
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-04-09
Cows and Trees Do Not Agree.
nj the Lynden (Wash.l Sun.

From the Lynden (wash.) Sun.
Much has been said about parking the
streets and identifying the town OF Lyn.
den We happen to know one man who.
with this idea in view, set out. some very
pretty evergreen trees in front of his prop.
erty and the next morning he discovered q
band of live stock quietly browsing on what
was left of his trees If the streets were
parked, what excellent pasture it would
afford for the COWS!
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-04-09

The new senator from Missouri Is re.
publican, but not millionaire. He may
have to caucus by himself when he gets to
Washington-3alvest News.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-04-09

dalton the worst of places may be turned
into a pleasing picture:
A-Keep the lawn clear.
B-Mass the planting in a border on the
side OF the garden or next to the house.
C-Avoid straight lines
D-Plant the tall shrubs at the rear
to form a background for the low growing
plants.
Inspection.
AS the home garden is considered a part
of the school curriculum every garden is
inspected by the teacher in charge primarily
to see that the students are following in
structions The best ones are photographed
The large majority are successful, and from
the accompanying photographs the reader
Will see that the landscape effects are
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-04-09

that these hundreds Of little home gardens
have IN them the making of a beautiful
Washington which in the near future will
become world-famOus.
How the Work Started.
For the past two years the students Of
Normal School No. l have been required by
the course Of study outlined for the train
ing OF teachers to cultivate home gardens.
The Improvement OF back yards is not the
primary object. If the work is properly
done II is necessarily, a result, but the re-
quirement is made so that the student shall
have actual practice In plant culture before
she attempts TO teach that branch
When the educational value of gardening
for children first appealed TO the school
thorities, and they decided that the subject
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-04-09

Another popular Easter flower Is the
azalia, imported to America from Belgium.
This flower is an original Chinese plant
but has been transplanted in Belgium. from
which country shipments are made with
better success, owing to the more hardy
nature of the flower when cultivated IN the
cooler cline.
Holland produces many flowers for the
Easter trade of America. The bulbs of the
jonquil, tulip and hyacinth are imported to
this country from Holland, in addition to
a number of other popular flowers. As
with the Easter lily from Japan, all the
flowers mentioned are shipped to America
in the fall and kept in cool greenhouses
until the opening of the Easter trade, when
they are placed in the warm greenhouses
and forced to bloom.
One of the novelties promised by local
Tourists for the coming Easter is a new
flower which has recently been brought to
this country from the Philippines. This
new flower is designated as the Philippine
bouganviIea, a semi-tropical plant, which
grows after the manner of a small shrub
and puts forth small blossoms of pink and
red and cream colors. late species of
the heather family, the erica. a yellow
flower, will also be an Easter novelty this
season also the old-fashioned camellia
iapanaca, which puts forth white and pink
and red blossoms and which was very popu-
lar in America fifty years ago.
Other imported flowers that will be in
evidence next Easter will be the rhodaden-
drons, the blue and pink hydrangeas, the
acacia and the yellow genesta.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-04-09

ton In late years has been such that now
the local florists are able to supply the
home market from their greenhouses