The Newtown bee., 1905-06-02
SOCIAL TOPICS.


The spirit of improvement is abroad, Let us be glad: It will do us good to have company coming. Let us brush up and get ready for our guests. Hospitality demands that we should put things in good order, and set forth our best. Let us try to put yourselves in the place of those who will be invited to come back to the old homes. Some of them may not have been here in many years. They will fOndly think of the homestead as it was when they left it; or they may imagine that the dear old town has kept pace with the march of modern progress. Alas! the possibilities of disappointment in certain cases are back to the scenes of childhood and find everything in chaos and ruins. Change is inevitable; but change for the better, and not for the worse, ought to be the keynote of our saluta- tiOnS.
 We owe it to ourselves, as we'll as to our guests, that our homes, our high ways, and every object of interest in the community shall be made as pre- sentable and attractive as possible be- fore the 5th of August. If there is any spirit of civic pride and enterprise in us the thought of this anniversary should be sufficient to awaken it and sustain our active interest and CO., operation to mark the event as a red letter day in our history. And now is and prepare for the Old-hOme-coming which may prove to be the cause of great and important changes in the fOwn in the near future.
 What can we do? Let the good work of the Mems club suggest some of the things that need very much to be done. The public highways of a community always give the first, if not the best impression of the home-life of any people. The streets of the Holy City, New Jerusalem, are of pure gold. And pure gold stands for all that is true, and fair, and good. Our streets are the avenues of our public and private life. They signify our daily walk and conversation, or the SOcial-mOral con- duct of the community. And as we are prone, naturally, to put the best side out, and the best foot forward, the public highways do, as a matter of fact, tell the story of our civic stand ards and ideals.
 Good roads indicate intelligent self interest, at least. It pays to have hard, even driveways to market be- cause it saves time, labor, horse-flesh, and the wear and tear of things in general. Then it is matter of com fort and enjoyment to have good roads and pleasant roadsideS when we ride to church: or drive for pleasure. It is not very inspiring to have to pick your
 way through the town with slow and anxious care while on either hand you
 behold unsightly ditches, deep and dangerous; heaps of muck, stones, rot
 ten leaves, and sticks; tin cans, stove
 pipe, old broken crockery, bottles, etc.
 It is really a strange thing that we'll to-dO families who have we'll kept houses and respectable lawns will empty their coal ashes, sink drains, and sewage into the streets! It is also strange that the mending of the high of better; and that the mud and refuse of the gutters should be thrown out and left upon the sidewalks and lawns!
 A friend who came to spend the day,
 short time since, was nearly all the forenoon on the way from Brookfield Center "because the roads had just
 been worked" A good road goes to prove that somebody cares for his horse and for himself; but good side walks are an evidence that man is of
 even more consequence than a horse; and that the social life of the commu.
 nifty is quite as important as going to
 market.
 It would cost but little to have slightly and even beautiful roadsides. Nature tries her best to cover the rough places. Let each one do what
 he can over against his place. Bury
 the tin cans and refuse; plant wood.
 bine or morning glories to run over the
 rocks and fences, and so assist nature The approaches to our railroad tation, and freight house, ought to be made
 the subject of special prayers by all the people.