The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1908-02-07

liens as a rule have been very uu
enterprising in these respects. Thi
is no temporary mining camp, bu
a city with a permanent future, 1
city in which the majority now re
siding here intend to make thei
permanent homes for all time t.
come. Why not have city beauti
full? The opportunity is here. Why
not scatter little sunshine az w
go along? Why wait decade, o,
until next year, or put it off until
tomorrow? Why not begin today!
Here is a city of 5000 or 10000 people
with no public parks, no playground
for children, few shade trees, fewer
lawns and flower gardens. Why
not stimulate interest in these mat.
tiers by Offering set of prizes every
year for the better flower gardens
and lawns. Why not encourage the
planting of shade trees and shrubs
by investigating the matter from a
practical standpoint, find out the
most hardy varieties for our soil,
the best method of planting, and 80
on, and encourage a regular tree
planting campaign? This is done
in other communities with great
success, and it can be done here.
Aid can be found for this work by
organizing a Ladies' Auxiliary to
this Club for the purpose of bring
ing about street and garden adorn-
ment.
In my view of the matter one of
the greatest needs along this line
is a public park and playground
for the city's children, and a start
should be made this present year.
Nothing 80 conduces to the health
fulness and growth of the child as
outdoor play, and at present there
is practically no place for many of
these except the streets, alleys and
vacant lots, neither desirable
places. l believe that not only in
the summer, but in the winter,
places should be provided for out.
door enjoyment for the young and
that among other things free ice
skating rink should be provided
for the winter months. A pretty
little park, easy of access, would be
a great attraction and besides af-
fording enjoyment for those who
live here, would be strong incen-
tive for other desirable people to
come to Virginia to reside.
Efforts should be made by this
club to provide some place of enter
tainment and amusement for it's
young men and boys-a clubhouse
of some kind, either under the Y.
M. c. A. or otherwise, fitted with
gymnasium appliances,, baths, and
so on, where young men can con-
gregate and find wholesome enter.
tainment and wise instruction. I
would not restrict it's use, either,
only to those who can afford to pay,
but would throw it's doors open to
every young man and boy, no mat
ter what his financial circum.
stances, if he be of good moral
character and decent aspirations.
The child of today is the citizen of
tomorrow, and that citizenship will
be measured largely by the influ-
ences that are thrown around the
youths of today. Public money
could be expended in no more
worthy cause than this, or one that
would bring better returns on the
investment, but as view it, if the
proper efforts we're made, it would
not be necessary to expend any
public money in the enterprise, and
that such an institution could be
easily supported by dues and pri-
vate contributions.
Virginia also needs public hall,
large enough for conventions,
which should be provided in some
way at the earliest possible mo-
ment. Such hall would encourage
the development of healthful sports
during the winter months, when
the rigors of the climate are too
severe for outdoor exercise.
HONE BUILDING.
1t is universally admitted that
the mos, desirable residents OF any
community are those owning their
own homes, and everything pos
sible should be done to encourage
home building here. There are
several elements that enter into
this problem of home building,
among them. the schools, churches,
public improvements, parks and
Fairgrounds, taxes, insurance and
cost of living. Every possible effort
should be made to keep taxation at
a minimum, consistent with econ
omical, but not niggardly, admin
istration of public affairs.
Every man who acquires home
on the partial payment plan, which
is the plan on which most of them
are acquired, is compelled to insure
his property, in sufficient sum to
cover the amount of money he bor-
rows. This places him at the mercy
of the insurance companies, as also
the man who is compelled to insure
his stock of goods in order to pro.
i tect his creditors, and it has been