Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1910-11-18
BIG CROWD HEARS NOLEN
Cisie Associations First Offering Fills
High School Assembly Han,

High school Assembly Hau.
If the new Wauwatosa Civic Assoeia-
tion needed any justification for being,
it certainly received it in overfowing
measure when more then two hundred
Wauwatosa men and women filled the
assembly hall of the high school build
ing last Moneay evening To hear the
illustrated lecture of John Nolen, the
great American landscape artist, on
City Building The entire expense
of bringing Mr.. Noleu here was borne
by the Civic Association and President
Theo. Hammond in introducing the
lecturer stated the nature and object
of the organization.
NIr Nolen prefaced his lecture with
an apology in the nature of compli-
ments stating that he had concluded
that ne must speak to small number
but was most agreeably surprised to
find such a large and enthusiastic
assemblage.
As the lecture proceeded the interest
and enthusiasm increased. A number
of scenes from various cities, transfer
nations showing how unsightly spots,
swanps and garbage dumps, were
Transformed into places of city adorn-
inent and pride were illustrated and
the Photographic contrasts thrown on
the Screen elected applause from the
audience, When these were followed
by local picture illustrating the un-
slightly introduction that Wauwatosa
gives to visitors arriving by rail and
trolley the crowd saw the point and
greeted the exhibit with i'll concealed
disapproval relieved by an appreciation
Of its humor.
However, the local exhibit was not
all derogatory to our city by any
means. The lecturer called attention
TO our good fortune in having our
streets radiate from a center and de-
part from the straight line instead of
being plated on the gridiron plan, as
is Unfortunately the case with most
4
American cities, large and small.
Our high school building, public
ibmry aud some of our residence came
Ia for favorable illustration and criti-
eislns but altogether the people were
aront ed to the realization that great
impruvement could be made even in
the lest parts of the city, The con-
raS drawn between streets and
country roads of European countries
and those II our own land and imme-
diate neighborhood were painfully un-
favorable to our civic pride, and there
is no doubt that unsightly trolley aud
telephone poles aud neglected trees
along our streets now appear still more
unsightly to the people who were for
tunate enough to attend the lecture.
This first public entertainmentg given
by the Civic Association surely augurs
well for the future of the organization
and the civic progress of Wauwatosa.
When we are brought face to face with
our lack and our needs there can
scarcely remain "a doubt that we SHALL
as community proceed vigorously
towards correcting the evils and sup
plying the needs.
The membership of the Civic Associ-
alton should comprise every public
spirited citizen and the spirit of civic
pride and progress should be instilled
into every inhabtant of this communi-
ty. Our possibilities for city beauti-
flying are unlimited and once a consis.
tant plan of reform is proposed we be-
lieve that our citizens Individually and
collectively, through constituted auth
critics will support the civic betterment
movement with enthusiasm.