Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1905-03-18
GOWN BETTER MENT.
't+E AMERICAN CIVIC ASSOCIATION
AND ITS WORK.

Plans of the Organization For Benu-
tifHinE md Improving Towns and
'itics-FiNe Hundred Societies In
the AssocIntion
The movement which the American
'.iNic association now represents first
h"@an to assume large proportions in
southwestern Ohio, where n lot of
ELrcWd manufacturers. publishers and
real estate men awolle to Il realization
of III" fact that improved surroundings
mad" better workmen. caused men to
buy homes and led people to become in
tc""Sted in good literature.
The beginnings of the movement
were along modest lines. The term
"back yard improvers." first applied to
ITS promoters in dcriSion, was soon
accepted as one OF their watchwords.
ana the progress made has been such
tIiat now the association that stands
Tor IT'S furthcrance represents men
who have undertaken all kinds of eff
fort for public beauty. no matter how
extensive.
For some years there were two
bodies working in this iield-the Amer
lean Park and Outdoor Art association
and tie American League For Civic
Improvement. That these organiZa-
tons were able to live with the names
they bore was a wonderful testimony
to the vitality of the idea on which
ln,l n.
was effected at joint meeting In st.
Louis last spring. The American Civ
ic aSSociatton. the result of this mcr-
l"r. represents about 4SO local improve
lE"Ht organizations
lt'e association proposes to agitate
constantly the Improvement in appear
"Ev" of cities, towns, villages, farms
and rOadsidcs and to bring II steady
ami direct influence to bear so that its
force may be expended in way to Sc
cuH" results. While much of the inn
pr"Ncmcnt sought can be accomplished
"n!I by the public authorities for
instance, Improvement in the arChi-
lecture of public buildings. the creation
OF civic centcrS, the acquisition of sys-
yet the association urges action by in
divjdualS looking to Improvement in
tie architecture of individual homes,
the making of attractive back yards as
well as front yards, the general loca-
tipu of flower boxes mt windows, par
tI"ularly by contiguous houscholderS,
and the adoption of other similar ideas
i.it
The association insists positively
uron the aesthetic possibilities of rail
road lines. 1t stands for the removal
of artificial creations that destroy what
there is of natural beauty and partic-
uiHrly for the checking of obnoxious
public advertising. 1t recognizes that
tI.a greatest Improvement in a city can
he made in the locality where there Ii
tie greatest uGlncSs and most disease
breeding Suunlor The true beauty of
a city depends on its worst locality as
much as its best
The associations work has been di-
ViG"d into the following various de
pavtmcntS: Social settlements, outdoor
art. parks. arts and crafts, chldrcns
S'tlttllN' 'i'N Ill'hlllS, llCtoiS b'tltl-
mrnt, libraries. public nuiSances. pub
lie recreation, railroad Improvement,
rural improvements school extension
AMI the press.
The influence of Kansas City BoS
ton and ESSEX county, New Jersey, in
tic acquisition of co-ordnated park
systems Is spreading, and the idea is
hCing adopted throughout the country.
The plan of grouping public buildings
so that they will make Il dgnitied and
beautiful civic center is being worked
out not only in Washington, for the
Improvement of which the association,
believing the attractiveneSs of that
city to be of national concern, has ap-
pointed Il special committee, but in
Cleveland, where n good deal has al
ready been accomplished; in st. Louis
where report has just been presented
to the mayor by specially appointed
committee; in Philadelphia and other
cities. Hartford, Conn, bids fair to
lead the cities of its size in this direc-
ton
Many towns and villages are doing
work fully as important and with
quite as great Il strain on their more
moderate resources. An important part
of the associations work is to spread
accurate information as to what has
been done and what can he done.