The Republican journal., 1910-06-16
BELFAST IMPROVEMENT SOCIETY

The tenth annual meeting of the Belfast I'm
provement Society was held Monday, June 18th
in the vestry of the Universalist church, Miss
Maude E. Barker, vice president. presiding
The routine work was carried out according t,
the call and was followed by the reports of tn,
secretary and treasurer, which were accepted
and by unanimous vote ordered printed in the
local papers.
| sECRETARY'S REPORT.
| To the officers and members of the Belfast
Improvement Society:
| We look backward today not only in review
of years work. but upon a decade of earnest
organized effort on the part of the few to make
| our city cleanly, tidy and wholesome, and to
interest our citizens in purposes closely allied
| to the common good. Unhappily some of the
things most desired and needed have not been
reached, but the society has worked well in the
face of many obstacles, and we note with graft
| fcation the results accomplished.
| Year by year we have reduced ugliness to
beauty, discomfort to comfort, and through
| some of our efforts we have insured to the
denizens of our little borough, beauty and con-
venience for a long term of years.
We have been at times severely criticised,
| we have often lacked sympathetic unity of
| even our own forces and we have faced the ap-
they have any duty or part in making their
home city healthful and beautiful, center of
culture and refinement; yet the majority of
| the workers have at all times done what to
them seemed wisest, and no one can visit our
city at the present time, contrasting it with
earlier years, and not realize the effect of the
| influence and work of our society.
We might go on through the long range of
| different objects accomplished, but it has all
| been faithfully reported, and we know that
not only the loyal members of our society but a
| large proportion Of our citizens have Just
| pride in the marked improvement in the as
pect of the city, in the beautiful park already
| spoken of with admiration by visitors and
townspeople, and not only in the progress
| made along these lines, but in the agencies
employed by the society in developing love
of culture and refinement in music, lectures,
art in the schools, which signify as we'll the
fundamental principles of the organization.
Despite all adverse criticism, all misinter-
pretations of our efforts, We have as our con-
stitution directs labored generally to promote
the beauty and welfare of the city"
During the past year we have, as customary,
aided in giving our people clean streets by fur
nishing, at considerable cost, good substantial
Cunningham, street commissioner, for the prop
er care of these, and for his readiness to assist
US in everything within his province.
The pavilion and oven at the park were kept
in condition for use during the summer and
free to all parties. This work was done by H.
M. Bennett, Park Supt. without expense to us
and he has our sincere gratitude. He also de-
serves commendation for the faithful, intelli-
gent care of the many shrubs bought by our
society.
1t was not deemed advisable to open the
bathhouses to the public in former years,
owing to the great expense and small income
therefrom, but one or two were leased to pri-
vate parties for the season.
We have continued to add to the ornamental
tlon of the park SO far as our means would al
low, other statements to the contrary notwith-
standing, and our interest and pride in this
picturesque spot secured, mainly through our
efforts, and which promises to be of much value
in coming years, has not waned, but we wish to
state emphatically that in what we have done
| in this line as well as all other work we have
held the best good Of the city paramount, dis
tinctly separating it from individual prejudice
or political preferment. We have never ceas-
ed to be grateful for any CO. operation of the
city governn ent in making it possible to carry
out plans, particularly relative 10 the park, and
our thanks have been heartily given for every
appropriation for the park from the first 500
granted by Mayor Dunton and his council, to
the 500 recently given by the present council
in response to a petition from our society.
Early in the season we purchased ten metal
markers for shrubs at the park at cost of
$3.50 and later paid $50 from our treasury for
moving the cement tank, so kindly donated by
| Mr.. and Mrs. Thos. E. Shea, to living spring
and piping the same to the pavilion. 1t is hoped
to build attractive rustic house to cover said
/ spring and for convenience of visitors in the
near future. =
We have recently had set on the southeast
| side of the main road at the park bed of sc
peonies of rare variety, gift to the society
from VIM. F. Bean, and it is proposed to add
another to correspond, on the opposite side
| August IL, 1909. fine stereopticon lecture
upon the Grand Canon was given by Mr.. Ed
ward R. Pierce Of Cincinnati, gratis to the So
| ciety, and from which we realized a neat sun,
for our treasury. Our sincere thanks are re-
corded for this generous act.
very satisfactory course of lectures was
| given under the auspices of the society during
the winter season and was SO ably managed by
a committee of our members, with Rev. Adolph
Rossbach chairman, that for the first time
| In years all expenses were paid and small
| surplus deposited as nucleus for another
| course, preparations for which are already in
| progress. This may be rated as the most tel
ling work of the year and is duly appreciated
| by the major part of the intelligent public.
| We have recently made an appropriation OF
| S25 for repairing the bandstand, which was
built by our society in the first year of its ex-
| istence, and has been kept in good CO .dition
| since by funds from our treasury. In the time
we have contributed $50 toward expenses of the
| band.
| We have 21 regular meetings during the
year, with two by special call. This does not
| include the numerous committee meetings
We have rs members paid to date. We cannot
| report the total member as all dues have not
yet been received. The estimate is IS. One
has removed from the city, and two have with
| drawn from membership. We have in our duty
| as collector, met with universal cordiality and
in the majority we find just the same interest
and sympathy in the direct object of the asso.
citation as over, while yet regretting circum.
stances that have proven fatal to the advance
SO earnestly desired
| 1t is safe to assume, however that the true
working force though small. will continue to
| labor for the improvement of our beautiful lit
tie city, believing that its interests public and
private, are too dear to be neglected
| We recognize the fact that every individual
| in our community should be interested in this
work and we trust at this meeting some sug-
| gestlons or plans may be made to awaken an
enthusiasm that shall lead to marked success
the coming year.
AS your secretary for the ten years since
our organization, can truthfully say that the
| duties OF the office have never been perfunctor-
| lily performed, but always with love for and
interest in the work, and have never lost my
faith IN the ultimate success of all our efforts,
though other hands may chronicle it.
May We not open our hearts and minds to the
inspiration coming from the wide movement
| for civic betterment by the intelligent men and
women of our great country, and ignore, il
possible, all the petty, disagreeable hindrances
| in our own precinct This would indeed signif,
| Improvement in all ways.