Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1906-01-08
IMPROVEMENT CLUBS
EASILY ORGANIZED AND A POWER IN
TOWN RETIREMENT.

!.
Americas First Association OF THIS
Kind and what 1t Has Accomplish
ell The Society's Work Increases
value of Property.
Every town should and could have Il
village Improvement society When
properly handled, they are productive
Of excellent results The good that Il
wide awake ANA thoroughly in earnest
village Improvement society can &C.
complish can only be appreciated where
1t exists.
1t is an exceedingly simple matter to
organize one of these societies.. The Of
Acers usually consist of president,
vice president secretary, treasurer ami
executive committee. The meetings
are usually he'd monthly, with an an
cial meetings may be called ut any
time by tie president, and the annual
dues vary from 81 to 50.
The first Incorporated village im-
provement society in the United States
is said 10 he the Laurel Hill association
Of Stockbridge, Mass. 1t was organ
lied by IL Stockbridge woman, and her
untiring efforts to rouse the people re-
suited in public meeting where the
subject was discussed and society
was organized. AS Il result the Stock
bridge of today stands out In marked
contrast with the Stock bridge Of the
past. The main street, nregularly laid
out and unevenly graoed, with deep
pools of standing water, with few trees
and fewer sidewalks, The green" with
out trees or any semlilance Of Orna-
ment, loaded wagons making deep ruts
almost to the church door, the cemetery
with broken down wooden fences and
full of bralnbies and weeds - these
were 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
$1,30G. The number Of trees planted
the first year was 1913. At this meeting
Cyrus w. Field and Il. ". Pomeroy to-
gether gave $50 to be Used for prizes.
Fifty cents was given for every thrifty
tree planted of kinds specified; $40 or
a silver cup Of equal value to the plant
er of the best fifteen trees; to the Sec
Ond best. So; to the third best, 81. All
the trees were to be planted within
certain specified limits.
Another prize of $40 was offered for
the largest number and 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 dnd another SO to the per-
son who made the greatest improve
mcnt in the grounds around his dwell
ing anywhere III the town. a reward
Of $40 was offered for evidence which
should lead TO The conviction of any one
injuring The trees and footbridges un-
der the care of the association.
When $4,000 was given for free
town library by a single benefactor
this amount was nearly doubled by in
dividual contributions. The library
building. fine stone edlfice, with read
ing room and lecture hall, costing $685.
600. was the gift of the late J. z. Good
rich. Mr.. Cyrus W. Field gave $4,000
for park, and David Dudley Field in
the last year Of his life gave to Stock
bridge fifty eight acres Of land, includ-
ing the romantic Ice Glen, for noun
tain park. together with $1,000 for its
Improvement.
The Laurel Hill association, with an
offer to pay one-half the expense. In
duced the railroad company to add an
acre and half to the grounds about
its station and to erect an elegant
building. This association has beauti-
fully adorned these grounds.