Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1908-05-11
CARE OF HOME TOWNS
Importance of Building the USE
full and the Beautiful.
HOW A SCHOOL CAN BE USED
Should Be the Very Heart Of Public
Effort and Thought-Need Of Tree
Planting Societies-VaIue Of Com
bined Effort.

Planting Societies-VaIue Of Com
bined Effort.
The ambition Of good citizen should
be to create Il completely furnished
town. In this way the civic and po-
litical unit is kept sound. In fact, ev-
cry town in the United States should
be made not only beautiful by its citi-
zens, but wealthy as q political organ
ism, says the Independent. If wealth
is scattered or donated to an institu-
ton at distance the donor cannot as
sociate his benevolence with the home
sentiment. The town is the home and
should be as sacredly considered as
the smSller homestead.
What can one do for his own town?
He can certainly do something far bet
ter than fighting evil-he can build the
useful and the beautiful. Among the
farmers best proverbs Is. Hoe the
corn, and the weeds will take care Of
themselves" Prohibition has no value
beside permission and encouragement
A good ball ground donated by kindly
spirit and looked over by the donor
can be made the very expression Of
manly sentiment among the boys Of
the town. We know one man who Is
called the town father, although he Is
not yet In middle life. He gets his title
from his determined effort to give the
young people what their youthful spir-
its call for, while by his kindly zeal he
Is able to suppress the evil associa-
tone ,o,NIx fnd I, On I'M.
ing fields. That mans spirit quietly
governs and educates all the young
people of the town. He is force by
himsel6-a sort Of superintendent Of
education without being q nominal
teacher.
A town school, gathering to itself all
the forces that have heretofore been
scattered among dozen district
schools, has fortunately become the
rule all along the pioneering path Of
the Pur1tans westward. Such build
ing, If placed in the center Of several
acres Of ground, where the garden
school idea can be developed, does for
the town what the old school system
was incapable of accomplishing. 1t
not only develops new sort of spirit
in the young people. making them
workers as we'll as thinkers, but the
commodious building becomes a CEN
ter of town thought and effort. Those
who create town libraries should in
variably associate them with the
school. 1t is unwise to duplicate ex-
penses, but 1t is still worse to fail In
creating a town center. The school
building should be the very heart Of
public effort and thought.
A town tree planting association is
needed everywhere. The first organi-
zation of this kind on record was in
Clinton, Conn. This was followed by
a second In Clinton, N. Y. These or
ganizations have been in existence for
nearly fifty years, and they have done
a vast deal in the way of making their
towns centers of refinement. They are
constituted Of the more enterprising
and cultured people, who meet once a
month, rotating in succession to their
several homes. After luncheon upon
such fruits and vegetable products as
the season affords and after discussing
these the afternoon or evening Is occu-
pied in consideration of town improve
ment. Both Of these towns have be-
come notable not only for their ad-
mirable avenues, but for their well
planted homesteads. The best methods
Of culture and the Introduction Of rare
trees and shrubs are always prominent
topics. An association Of this Sort If
composed Of men only, should be sup
plemented by a cooperative associa-
ton of women for household improve
ment. The annual fee should be small.
but It should be sufficient to make
possible the testing of the value Of
new plants and trees. The town should
turn over the care of street trees en-
tirely to such trained band of citi-
zens or, more properly, to that one who
is selected by them as best qualified.
Town authorities are rarely qualified
for judicious work Of this sort.
The creation of town park, invOlv-
ing the evolution Of love for nature,
can be greatly advanced by individual
effort. Seize on every waste public
spot for the creation of the beautiful
Individual members Of the Clinton
Rural Art association were stimulated
to promote the planting of the village
green and later a smaller park for the
display Of flowers and shrubs. The
association itself planted around the
railroad depot a welcome to strangers,
and an unsightly canal bank now ap
pears as fine wall of Norway spruces.
The appeal is not SO much to the mil
llonaire as to those who can only give
to the people modest share in the re-
membrance Of prosperity. There should
be combination Of effort, so that
while one man gives the school park
another constructs the building and
third contributes the garden and or
chard. We know village brought to
the front rank as a residence home by
a man who transformed a wild glen
Into thing Of beauty and Joy for
ever. The idea caught, and all about
him the farmer folk began to cultivate
the beautiful. That town today Is
known throughout the land for its
loneliness
At all events. cultivate the town
spirit. 1t is our social home. State
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