The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1907-04-26
VALUE or PUBLIC SPIRIT.
How Massnchusetts Town Has
Profited by u.

mcnt can do Is shown by what the VI.
lag improvement association Of Fran
I2gham. Mass. has accomplished.
Then there was the experience with
the hencoop IN the common says Tue
Boston Herald That i charming
piece Of ground in birmingham Cen
Ter, with the old town hail At one end,
i high school ~ IL. side. TWO chUrche
at the far end AMI we'll planned houses
on the fourth side For years there
lad ban Decorating heuconpS and
poultry yard IA front Of the high school
The association attacked al that Il
WAS 4 >mHll :uatter-so small that no
body 1T first seemed TO have interest
enough 10 act. Then one morning BE-
town set 10 work. tore down the &c =.
pIowed UP the hen yards and began
improving the common. The school
committee, which had been somewhat
apathetic in its attitude, spoke glow
ingly in print soon afterward of the
good that had been done by taking
away the coOpS. The improvement az
ISOLATION smiled and did not charge
anybody with having stolen its thUn-
der
Then, again, there ia the case OF tho
Old town hall. i center of activity when
the business was in Framingham Cen
ter, "A il * in South birmingham at
present The building was going ~
pieces. The Improvement association
set out tn get il. 1t took time. bur
finally by an almost unanimous vote
tho association WAS given charge of tnt.
Id white building at Il nominal rental.
1t is going to he an expensive piece ~
business too The members Of the az
.ociation have pledged $1,000 already
Tor improving the exterior and the i'll
terror arrangements of the building
and there will be all ultimate expense
Of about 5000. The return; Simply
the belief that good has been done AMI
the certainty that there will be Il con
venient place for dramatic and other
entertainments. lectures. social gather
ingS. clubroOmS. dining rooms, kitchen
in fact, as one member puts il. n
complete center for the improving aud
strengthening of the SOFIA! and edu-
catiOnaI life OF all
Now thar rhH association il custodian
OF the place II is Il question merely Of
time when there will be pretty i'm
proyemeuts on the common side OF the
hall, now not very artistic and the
common will be framed all around in
excellent style.
Take even another instance OF accom-
plishment Soon after the association
was formed lightning not only struck
and damaged d Sir christopher Wren
spre of one of the most beautiful
churches IN Frdmingham. but dehed
precedent by striking it again. There
were signs that the undertaking spirit
would Improve" the damaged 5pire.
The editorial committee OF the asS0cia
ton became active at once and today
the spire il on the church in all its
original grace.
There is pretty hill In Framingham
Center wooded with pine trees. Some
time ago rumor was spread around
the town that there was 4 plan TO buy
the land and cut or all the trees. Near
the knoll lives 4 member of the aSSOcia-
ton, not wealthy person "a wealth
goes even in Framingham. The place
appealed to her on account Of its nat
ural beauty. and rather than see the
trees cut down she bought the plot.
Near the house OF this member is
little triangle where roads meet and
| cross. There was an old wooden sign
post there. 1t wss said that somebody
proposed to buy up that little tract and
put some building or other on IT, The
member bought that place. The old
wooden sign went down, a substantial
column with a pretty signboad went
e), and climbing vines were planted
10y the msubsr at the foot Of the col
umn. In midsummer or early autumn
the sign 10 nothing IL not an architsc-
| tural cameo.
II was In recognition OF the work
done BY the Improvement association
that the South Framiugham board Of
trade appointed a special village I'm
provement committee. and 10 was 10
| aid the association that town meet
! ing. attended by 1900. not only ap
! pointed a park commission. but made
! Or. +. W. Patch the president OF the
! association. chairman.
1T was a perfectly safe appoint
! ment." comments one member, "rOf
/ everybody knows that DR.. Patch has
/ no ak 10 grind and thar be would not
know how 10 do the grinding il an Ak
were handed 10 him
| II is hard IN put the finger on the
! cause or the causes OF the remarkabI
/ success OF the association in every
! thing il tackles. For one thing, there
/ is an activity which shows boyiSh
+ enthusiasm in going ahead and doing
/ things. II isn't sporadic alertness.
/ IL has come 10 stay.