The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1910-03-26
A PARK FOR SUMTER.
MIR. w. ID. Woods Advocates the Es-
lishment OF n Place of Recreation.
Editor Item!


The writer has read, with o great
deal OF interest, the remarks Of some
of Sumter's foremost business men,
at a recent meeting, as to the impor-
tance of having good sidewalks and
| paved streets. and other things neces-
sary TO advance the commercial in
terests of the city. to all of which
every patriotic citizen should give his
hearty endorsement and active sup
port. for without unity of action all
the plans for the building up of the
city will be very much retarded, or
rendered impossible.
The writer verify believes that in
proportion TO its population Sumter
has rs much business ability and as
many patriotic citizens as can be found
In the State, but there Is really an
element of danger In this mere fact
and II is against this special danger
/. that they need to guard. 1t would be
hard to imagine anything more un-
fortunate than for the citizens of a
town or city to become so imbued
with the spirit of commercialism as
TO lose sight Of or ignore those things
which tend to make the people hap
pier and better and which are, of
themselves. evidences of culture and
refinement. without which no city, it
matters not what may be it's COM
mercial advantages. can be made at
tractive az a place of residence. AT
the meeting. alluded to above, there
were many suggestions made looking
TO the business interests of the city,
but not one word as to the import
ance OF making Sumter beautiful
place, one I'm which its citizens could
take just pride, and which would
be taken by the visiting stranger as
an evidence Of the refinement Of It's
people. There are quite a number
of places that could. without a great
deal Of expense be converted into
charming little parks. and why no ef-
fort is made to secure these places
and beautifv them Is not capable of
explanation. Here we have q very
prosperous and growing city. with one
OF the best geographical locations in
the State. without single pretty pub
lie place to which a visitor might be
taken. II just a few influential ladies
would get together and resolve that
Sumter must have a park, there can
be no question of the fact but that
the park would soon spring into exist
ence.
So far from park being en- ex-
ponse Il would be one OF the very
best investments that sumter could
make. for II would most asuredly pro-
mote the growth Of the city by max
Ing IL attractive and beautiful and in
this way promote it's commercial
growth also.
A good many years ago the writer
was very much impressd with the
motto or the head OF a newspaper,
: Iedited by the late poet, N. P. Willis
I'VE must do our utmost to encourage
the beautiful. for the useful encour-
ages ITSELF" and II would be we'll IL
the people of Sumter would take this
as their motto and let their acts cor
respond with Its teachings. The in
Fdividual or individuals, who will in
augurate the movement for a park
and carry II to successful conclusion
VIII leave great work behind him.
one that will make the generations
that come after him hold his name in
grateful remembrance.
w. ID. WOODS.
Sumter, s. c., March 21, 1910.