The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1905-11-10
IMPROVEMENT CLUBS
EASILY ORGANIZED AND A POWER IN
TOWN BETTERMENT.
Americas First Association of This
Kind and What 1t Has Accomplish.
ed.- The Socicty's Work I~ncreases
Value of Property.


Kind nnd What 1t Has Accomplish
Valve of Property.
Every town should and could have q
village Improvement society. When
properly handled, they are productive
of excellent results. The good that a
wide awake and thoroughly in earnest
village Improvement society can nc.
complish can only be appreciated where
it exists.
1t is an exceedingly simple matter tc
organize Il of these societies. The of.
ficerS usually consist of Il president,
vice president, secretary, treasurer and
executive committee. The meetings
are usually held monthly, with an an.
nual meeting held in the spring. Spe-
cial meetings may be called at any
time by the president, and the annua,
dues vary from 81 to So.
The first incorporated village i'm
provement society in the United States
is said to be the Laurel Hill association
Of Stockbridge, Mass. 1t was organ
lied by a Stockbridge woman, and her
untiring efforts to rouse the people re.
suited In a public meeting where the
subject was discussed and u society
was organized. AS u result the Stock.
bridge Of today stands out in marked
contrast with the Stockbridge Of the
past. The main street, irregularly laid
out and unevenly graded, with deep
pools Of standing water, with few trees
and fewer sidewalks, the green with.
out trees or any semblance Of orna.
ment, londed wagons making deep ruts
almost to the church door, the cemetery
with broken down wooden fences and
full of brambles and weeds these
We're the conditions in 1853.
Today streets are graded and lined
with shade trees. At the first annual
meeting the treasurer reported that the
amount paid in In labor or cash was
$1,39G. The number OF trees planted
the first year was 1923. At this meeting
Cyrus w. Field and Il. w. Pomeroy to.
gether gave $3.50 to be used for prizes.
Fifty cents was given for every thrifty
tree planted Of kinds specified; $40 or
q silver cup Of equal value to the plant.
er Of the best fifteen trees; to the sec.
ond best, Sc; to the third best, 81. All
the trees We're to be planted within
certain specified limits.
Another prize Of $40 was offered for
the largest number md the best trees
planted along any public roads of the
town. A prize Of $40 was given to the
person who made the longest and best
sidewalk and another $40 to the per.
son who made the greatest improve.
ment IN the grounds around his dwell.
ing anywhere in the town. A reward
Of $40 was offered for evidence which
should lead to the conviction Of any one
injuring the trees and fo%otbridges un.
der the care Of the association.
When $4,000 was given for a free
town library by a single b%enefactor
this amount was nearly doubled by In.
dividual contributions. The library
building. a fine stone edifce, with read.
ing room and lecture hall, costing $25,.
600, was the gift Of the late ]. z. Good.
rich. Mi. Cyrus w. Field gave $4,000
for a park, and David Dudley Field IN
the last year Of his life gave to Stock.
bridge ffty-eight acres Of land, includ.
ing the romantic Ice Glen, for a noun.
tain park, together with $1,000 for It's
improvement.
The Laurel Hill association, with or
offer to pay one-half the expense, in
duced the railroad company to add an
acre and a half to the grounds abou,
its station and to erect an elegant
building. This association has beauti
fully adorned these grounds.