Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-01-12
IMPROVING THE CITIES
GREAT MOVEMENT IN WHICH
EVERYBODY MAY HELP.
Efforts to Make Town a Better Place
to Live In-Sanitation
and Beauty.
Jauuary

Charles Milford Robinson in tho Craftsman for
January.
What is the secret OF that wave of city
and town improvement effort which is
SO conspicuously sweeping over the coun-
try? Civic improvement has always been
a need-not less great at the beginning
than now, though only in recent years
has 1t led to energetic action. Today the
movement is continent wide and has en-
listed all sorts and conditions of people.
Has one business or industrial inter
ests? Civic improvement facilitates the
transportation of merchandise by street
and rail and water: IT lessons wear and
tear by the Improvement of pavements:
it broadens markets by the attraction OF
residents. transient and permanent: il
increases the efficiency of labor. by the
provision of a more wholesome environ
ment. and the opportunities for healthful
but inexpensive recreation.
Has one interest in sanitation? Pure
air, pure food and pure water are among
its objects: and better housing is one OF
its first desires. Public baths, clean pave
ments, clean yards are Included IN Its
propaganda, and 1t is one of the stanch-
est allies i'm the white plague" fight.
The Fairgrounds.
Has one love for little children The
child is the special ward of the civic inn
proyement effort. For him the play
ground is equipped, for him the school
is made healthful, efficient beautiful
without and within; for him are the
swimming holes in the parks. the skating
ponds and toboggan slides. the ball
grounds. the inter-playground meets, and
for the little mother" are story telling.
sewing and singing, the swing. the flow
ers. and for her charges the sand box:
Civic improvement paints out the sign OF
Keep OF the Grass"
Does one look back instead of forward
The worthy landmarks of the past are
preserved: the historic sites are marked
and the beauty of earlier architecture is
reverenced.
Is ones interest in sociology? The play
ground, the park. the better housing
make their appeal. The social center,
the recreation house with its evening
entertainments, the better factory sur
roundings. the folk dance. the many and
various activities which are included In
the growing social service of the parks.
even the civic club itself in its essential
democracy, all this is effort that will not
be denied.
Band Concerts.
Is ones interest in art and culture:
Suppose it is music. There are the free
band concerts in the parks. Or sculpture?
There are the public statues and foun-
tains Or painting? There are the gal
leries, for which civic improvement
strives. the mural decorations in the pub
lie buildings. the pictures in the schools
Or architecture? There are the mOnu-
mental civic centers. the noble bridges.
the encouragement of good design gener-
ally, the regulations imposed to protect
it, Or is the interest In landscape art?
There are the parks. the ornamental
squares and open spaces. the improve
ment of grounds surrounding public and
private buildings and the preservation
Of viewpoints and natural beauty.
Is one rich? To him appeal the drives,
the increased splehdor Of environment.
the great avenues. Is one poor? For
him are the public gardens. the vacant
lot cultivation and all that beauty and
comfort and pleasure which is proffered
to the citizens as common possession.
Does one love animals? The drinking
fountains on the street. the sheep on
park meadows. the birds and waterfowl.
even the zoo and aviary make him a re-
cruit
Is one a craftsman? There are the