The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1906-02-21
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ms no IiTtEs o vi I'm ps BY AN
INDIAN APoLls tstTEcT.

Care For Lawns and Trees - ~ - tApsss
/ Itslnlenf o. Parks ~ D ternient q
! Baek Yards Cleanins eets-subS
Il stftufins Hedgei For sAlIey Fences
Retirement of towns greatly %.
vanced BY tile work OF civic improve;
,ment associations which lave been 81.
tabltshei In many towns aud Villages
Of the middle west Their purpose Is 70.
10 influence the PEOPLE Of 4 town that
they Win insist upon good payements,
clean streets, Beaudf fully planted lawns,
care Of back yards; the planting q.
shade trees, flowers and parks, JIM
pr0yenent Of streams, bridges, wdter
supply and, in fact; everything which
viii 1aHltei anergy toYlG beautiful Or
tend to further lhprote 4 line town,
thus adding to tic comfort mid happl-
ness.of It's people,
Louis II. Gibson, an architect Of
Indianapolis whollas not only an eye
for architectural beauty, but has made
study Of this movement anq has
done i good deal Of work in connection
With IL, makes tic following practical
suggestions for Identifying towns;
civic Improvement is utllltarlan first
aud artistic afteryartl. There is little
Of ait for arts sake in city building.
our first step after mere utility ls
cleanliness, then'more utility and then
art.
Under our form Of government We
cannot make a city or town beautiful
by legislation. No one can issue an
etlict and proclaim that we shall have
elevated tracks. The will Of an inal-
yilual or Of legislative body cannot
rid us Of the smoke nuisance, eveniftt
be such simple engineering problem,
The personality Of mayor Of u city
or town counts forltttle without active
public support and sympathy. We caa-
not act within the rigid confines Of the
law, but will be forced to follow the
influence Of the most strongly express
cd public sentiment.
Active public interest in municipal
affairs means the expression Of u high
public conscience. \ public sentiment
in favor Of a more beautiful city or
town means a more beautiful city or
town, Tile moral assertlveness Of a
community must lie back of alllegisla-
tlon in order to make Il effective
through any executive.
Public interest born of public knowL-
edge Of the healtlful and normal be
ginnlngs is all that's necessary for the
proper development Of successful
park system. Inherently there is no
work less encouraging than that Of a
department Of public parks. Necessa.
rlly their work is slow, 1t is never I'M
ished. No park ever was finished. At
the same time 1t Is absolutely depend
emf upon the encouras cement and sup.
port which comes directly from the
people.
Many Of us have lost great oppor'
tunity in the neglect Of our yards aud
particularly our back yards, in which
we might have beautiful gardens. Who
Is it that may not buy seeds? WHO is It
that may not grow marigolds, nastur-
tIums, verbenas, mtgnonette, moon
flowers, bachelor buttons and many
others that It is a delight to think of
The cost Of these flowers counts for
nothing. The price Of theater tickets, a
beefsteak or few street car rides and
one may have the Joy Of flowers from
the seed or from slips for aswhole year.
Who will estimate the material or
commercial value Of civic art? WHO
will estimate definitely the value which
comes to surrounding property from u
well kept park? Aproperty owner In
vests few dollars in trees to so IN
front Of his house anl IN his yard. Lay.
ing aside the question of comfort and
beauty that has resulted from this OK,
pendlturc, who can estimate the mate
rial. the money vOIIe which he has
added to his property? 1t is reasonable
10 say that no other Legitimate invest.
ment will produce The same return In
dollars ana cents. to say nothing of the
aesthetic value. Beautiful bridges, well
kept streets, geneml cleanliness, all
have material us well us artistic value,
The alley fence must So. 1t is utter
Is without excuse. 1t is ugly, It serves
10 good purpose, and there is Il better
nnl cheaper substitute. speukIOf tile
hclge-the hedge for rear division and
alley fences. At or home we have q
hedge fence three years old. The rear
part, which Is oslgc, is avoided by
boys, dogs Nnl horses. Even the eats
10 around. 1t is Infinitely more pro
tectiye tllan tile old tight board fence
Too much cannot bosaitl for the hedge
for all back yard fences,
There is no excuse for ugliness. The
beautiful house, tllqOeautlful surround
lngs, need cost no more than the ugly
ones. lii no community with which
am familiar Is tile most expensive
house the most artistic. Beauty comes
! out OF the beautifulnind, the fine spIr'
It, and is not definitely rehlted to the
pockctbook. Nearly all Of us fail to
finish our homes BY neglectlng the
grounds. Tint which would yield the
most for tile least expense IL omitted,
Ten righteous men may save us, mol