The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1906-05-25
CIVIC I1PRO YE1IFNT.

ESLl.f7IS ss1&l14z1GOiI613
iIs POSSIBILITIES OUTLINED BY AN
fNolANAPohs ARCHITECT
1I.hHaent OF ParlSs-Besternent OF
stIta,InS Hedge For Alley Fences
Retirement OF towns Is greatly adj
ranced By the work of civic improve
ment associations which have been eS-
tablfshed in many rownS and villages
of the middle west Their purpose Is to
so influence the people Of 4 town that
they will insist upon good p.veInents,
clean streets, beautifully planted lawns,
care OF back yards. the planting or
shade trees, flowers and parks. i'm
provemept OF streams. bridges water
supply and. IN fact. everything which
VIII make an ugly town beautiful or
tend to further improve a fne town.
thus adding 10 the comfort and happi-
ness of its people
Louis H Gibson. IN architect OF
Indianapolis. who has not only IN eye
for architectural beauty. but has made
q study OF this movement and has
done 4 good deal OF work in connection
with 1t. makes the following practical
suggestions Tor beautifyin= towns:
Civic. Improvement IS uiEta-ian first
and artistic 1fterward. There * little
OF art for arts sake in city building.
Our first Stei, after mere utility is
cleanliness. then more utility and then
art.
Under our form OF government we
cannot make Il city or town. beautiful
by legislation No one can issue IN
edict and proclaim that we shall have
elevated tracks The will OF an indi-
vidual or of :, Legislative body cannot
rid us OF the smoke nuisance even II II
be such simple engineering problem.
The personality OF Il mayor of 4 city
or town counts for little without active
pubic support and sympathy We can
NOT act within the rigid confines of the
law. but viii be forced TO follow the
influence OF the most strongly express
ed public sentiment.
Active public interest in municipal
affairs means the expression o: 4 high
public Conscience y public sentiment
In favor OF = more beautiful city or
town means 4 more BEAUTIFUL city or
town The moral asSertiveness OF L
community must be back OF all lessiSia-
-. - ,,,a .- enactive
t,,ra,,o,l, s,x .ra:,,tive
,tI,;.r,,..r..,+r l,I,,-,, ., nrh,5r. r,oxr,.
go, - ,I,a El,.,,-hFr, md normal no.
<.sr,,;,,,. t. ~, +1,,t % ,cccssa,,- for rho
o.l>,,.,- 1..,.,.,r...,,,an+ ~ !, successful
- .,St<.,, I,taren,lv -bera Is M
- - ,,,,,,,,-, GIN, ;b., tb,+ or n
department OF public parks NecesSi-
$50 u ,,,-t ever WAS finished AT
d.. mo -;,,,.. r. - ,,,so,,,,e.lv denend
en- ,,-,on m. ancorr, cement and sun
80 ,rh;,,, COMES ,1;ractIy, from the
,,.,o-,,.,
Now a, ~ b,va lost a GREAT onpor.
-,,,,;-, IN ,b[. ,,,.-,,./.t ~ o,,- Yards and
,,-,.,;-.,,,.rr,- >,,,r. I,.,c,. r,-f,s in which
We ,,,ioht have. l,.,rtirnI .,,r,l,,ns Who
70 r. that may mot 1,,,v seef,Ss Who is II
1bor may nor r-royr r,arirol1s nastnr. |
+irn,e rar,,an,s mironette moon
.o,r.-s ,,,r.ba1or ,,nttons and many
otherS thar II is deIirht TO th.nI, of, |
Th.. cost OF 1h,.Se flowers counts for
haefStest or :, few strcct chi rides and
one. NAV have the ioy of flowers from
the seed or. from, sims for n whole year
Who VIII estimate the material or
commercial va,,,a OF civic arr: Who
will estimate definitely the value which
come. 10 surrounding. proner,y from 4
vel, kent na-k- \ property owner In.
VESTS a few dollars in trees 10 20 In |
front ofi,;S house and In his ward Law