The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1910-05-31
CIVIC IMPROVEMENT.
Address By DR.. 0. B. Mayer Before Woman's
Club Of Newberry on Thursday At
ternoon.
@asa~ y
ternOOn.

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DR.. o. B. Mayer addressed the Wo-
mans club of Newberry at the resi-
dence of Mrs. W. H. Hunt on last
Thursday afternoon. His address is
both timely and valuable. He said:
Ever since man ceased his nomadic
habits, and began building himself
places of permanent abode, he has en-
deavored, with varying degrees Of
wisdom and energy to improve the
community in which he lives by MAX
ing it more healthy, more useful and
more beautiful.
It was as natural as could be for
him to build near the springs, thus
providing himself with primitive wat
er-works, and that he should beauti-
fly his home with the trees and flow
ers he so much enjoyed during his
wanderings from place to place, and
thus develop his love for the beauti-
full and his talent for providing the
useful.
There is no more interesting or
more beneficial study than that Of the
ancient cities that man has built,
wherein is shown his efforts at civic
IMPROVEMENT. The city of Petra is
one that shows this to a remarkable
degree. This city was literally hewn
OFT of solid rock. Its dwellings, it's
streets, and it's theatres, as well as
the beautiful arches that spanned its
streets, commemorating no doubt
some worthy historic event connected
with the city or the nation, or i'm
perishable monuments which the civ
ic pride, and skill of this people cary
ed out of solid rock, and today many
of the beautiful fronts to these hous-
es looks like canoes carved On the
solid rock. It's lack of sanitation no
doubt had much to do with it's de-
population, for no decay could take
place. These stony structures are
still there, preserving the place where
this wonderful city once stood. Near
it is the famous place where Moses
smote the rock to obtain water for
the children Of Israel.
Another very remarkable effort at
city building is the city Of Venice.
Here no doubt the idea of usefulness
and he%althfulness In the form of sew
erage and transportation was the con
trolling power in the building or this
wonderful city. It is located on 157
Islands near the coast of the Adria-
tic sea. The water channels by which
these islands are surrounded make a
splendid system of sewerage as we'll
as afforded a most excellent means Of
transportation by gondolas. A city
possessing such remarkable civic i'm
urovements at such an early period
in the worlds history was certain to
have them reflected in the civilization
and mental growth of its inhabitants.
Venice soon became one of the great
cities OF its time, not only in it's size,
but in the culture of it's people, as
well as their advancement in the arts
and sciences.
Possibly the most remarkable illus
tration of civic development was
shown in the building of the city of
Babylon. This city contained an area
of 100 square miles, nine-tenths of
which "a devoted to parks and gar
dens. 1t was enclosed by two walls
Of great height, which were decorat-
ed by paintings done by the great ar
fists of that city. Think Of 400 miles
nof walls 40 or so feet hig hdecorated
and painted by the master artists Of
those times. Besides this wonderful
exhibition of work and art the city
among the 90 square miles
@of parks and gardens "the hanging
gardens" one Of the seven wonders
ot~the world. These gardens we're 400
feet square, and were supported by
beautiful brick arches Is feet high.
(The beauty Of these gardens was
produced by trees, and flowers, and
yines).
The commerce, the schools of arts
and sciences, the military power, and
world prestige, were such a would
naturally follow the growth and de-
1selopment of people under such IL
spring and ennobling environments,
1t is surprising how far reaching
In their effects, and in how Gnexpect'
ed a direction the results Of civic I'M
provement go. The French govern
anent and De Lesseps failed to finish
the Panama canal, bringing upon the
government disgrace and financial
ruiz, aid Imprisonment upon DeLes7l