The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1908-03-31
CARE OF HOME TOWNS
IMPORTANCE OF BUILDING THE
USEFUL AND BEAUTIFUL.
Should BE the Very Heart of Public
Effort and Trouble-Need of Tree
Planting Societies.

The ambition Of good citizen should
be to create q completely furnished
town. In this way the civic and po-
litical unit is kept sound In fact. ev-
ery town in the Uuited Stats should
be made not only beautiful by Its clti-
Zcns but wealthy as political organ
ism, says the Independent. If wealth
is scattered or donated to an institu-
ton at a distance the donor cannot as
soca1e his benevolcnce with the home
sentiment. The town is the home and
should be as sacredly considered US
the smaller homestead.
What can one do for his own town:
He can certainly Go 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 bail 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 vet in middle life. He gets his title
from his determined effort to give the
young people what their youthful splr-
its cali for, while by his kindly zeal lie
Is able to suppress the evil associa-
tions commonly connected with gam
ing fields. That mans spirit quietly
governs and educates all the young
| pcope Of the town. He is q force by
himself-a sort of superintendent OF
education without being 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 oi
the Puritans westward. Such Dulld-
ing. If placed in the center of several
acres of ground. where the garden
school idea can he developed, does Tor
the town what the old school system
was incapable of accomplishing. 1t
not only develops new sort of spirit
iu the young people, making them
workers as well as thinkers. but the
commodious building becomes n CEN
ter of town thought and effort. Those
who create town libraries should in
variabIy associate them with the
school. 1t is unwise to duplicate eX-
penses. but it is still worse to fail IN
creating q town center. The school
building should be the very heart or
public effort and thought.
A town tree planting association Is
needed everywhere. The first orsanl-
zation of this kind on record was IN
| Clinton, Conn. This was followed Dy
n second in Clinton, n. Y. These or
ranizations have been in existence Tor
nearly fifty years, and they have done
vast deal in the way Of making their
towns ccnters Of refinement. They are
constituted Of the more enterprlsinS
and cultured people, who meet once
month, rotating in succession to their
several homes After luncheon upon
such fruits and vegetable products as
tho 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-
..e a+,,,,lo no, ,uIr for tber adj
r,,;r,h,o o,.,n,os Inf for their we'll
n,o,,+o1 bomostoods Tho hest methods
nf cnltnre and tbe Introduction Of rare
+roos ond shrrls are ALWAYS prominent
+onics An association of this sort, If
comnosed of men only. should be sup
nla,rontod hv co-opcrative associu-
tion or women for household improve
,,on4 Tbo auuuol foo should be small,
h,t T. ,hor,a no sufficient to make
..;,.,, ,hn .oc,;ug or the volue of
no.',,,, ,,,,,t. .,,d ,rnos rho Town should
,,,r,, ovo. tho caro- or street trees en-
t;roIv to vuc, = trained band Of citi-
y,ns or more uvorcriv, to that one who
!. so,actnl lv thrm MS best qualified
Tow, authorities nre rarely qualified
for i,lirious work of this sort
rho creation of q town park, lnvolv,
irr thr ovoIu,ion Of Il love for nature
con ha rrnotly advanced by Individual
effort Sciyn on every waste public
.not for fire creation of The beautiful
In,iividuoI members Of the Clinton
Rural Art association were stimulated
to promote the planting of the village
green and later smaller park for the
,iisplay of flowers and shrubs. The
association Itself planted around the