The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1906-05-09
THE INFLUENCE OF THE BEAUTl.
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The people of the city are beginning
to take an interest in The plan of max
ing it the most beautiful one in the
northwest. The most gigantic scheme
SO far contemplated is that of Mr.
Bulge to convert Il large tract of land
into residence park where the. streets
will be lined with trees and the ave-
nues and driveways be bordered with
beds of blooming flowers. The general
plan of this beautiful addition to the
city is to lay out an eighty-acre tract
of land into large residence lots, with
the driveways so wide that the centers
may be converted into magnificent
flower gardens. through which the
roads will wind in artistic beauty.
But this is not the only efforts be-
ing made to beautify the city in the
way of flower planting. The plat of
ground on the east side of the new
government building will be converted
into small park. 1t will, of course,
be too small to serve as a pleasure re-
sort. and no attempt will be made to
make it such. But it will be a ver-
table beauty spot, and located as it
is in the very heart of the city and
near the postoffice, it will furnish
pleasure to hundreds of people every
day. 1t will be modelled on the plan
of the famous little beauty parks Of
Washington City, where the corners
Of the squares caused by the city be-
ing laid out in the form Of a wheel
with the avenues radiating from the
center, instead of the square, as is
true in all other cities, are filled with
trees and plants which gives the entire
city natural beauty which is de-
lightfully refreshing.
The work does not, however, stop
at the large plans which cost i'm
mense sums of money. The children
and the ladies have taken hold of this
plan OF planting flower gardens, and
when these two classes undertake a
scheme of this kind it is practically
done. They are arranging to plant
large quantities of flowers in nearly
every yard in the city. There can be
no question that when these develop
into beds of blooming beauty, the har-
mDny OF color with natures back
ground of natural green will make a
city where the aesthetic side of man
may be developed by his contact with
the handiwork of natures Designer.
In this sordid age we must not for
get that the soul needs cultivation
and development and that the sun
shine of life lies in the beauties of
nature. We may not be able to re-
produce the plans OF the mountains
with their eternal green or the wind
ing river with its forest fringe. nor
yet the brooklet which plays amid the
grassy borders and fingers beneath the
leafy boughs, but we can garnish the
sameness Of city monotony with flower
beds and besprinkle the grassy lawns
with the richest painting of the Omni-
potent artist
There is pleasure as well as educa-
20 inn in hn yinn IF
as in the possession OF them after
they have developed into projections
of beauty And the children who are
engaging in the work of identifying
the city will derive from the work it.
self an education in the appreciation
of the beautiful that will amply repay
them for the time they give to the
work.
Once the school room was dingy
place where the rudest furniture was
made to do service and where the
mind never received an impression of
the beautiful or the pleasing. A paint
ing was to the child SO surrounded no
more than the coarsest chrome. The
soul starved and shriveled under these
conditions until it was unable to COM
prehend the beauty of that which
should have been the source of the
sweetest delight. No wonder that
from the SUM- kissed hills of Italy, with
the blue Of heavens sky for canopy
and natures indispensable painting
spread out before the constant gaze.
that the greatest artists and the
sweetest poets Of the ancient world
should come.
In our own land the long dormant