The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1910-04-15
From fridays Daily.

Mems club, held last night ut the Bel
grade Avenue Methodist church, was
given over entirely to the discussion
of "How North Mankato Can Be Made
More Attractive" A paper was rc1'i
by A. Anderson Enthusiasm for civic
improvement was aroused and a move
ment started that will do away with
unsightly spots and beautify the
town.
A great many ways of accomplish
ing this result were brought up by
those present
Action was taken to hold a mass
meeting a week from tonight at the
lantern slides to show up work that
can be done.
standing committee of five mem
bers of the club was appointed This
committee will act as sort of out
guards to plan for line of action in
identifying the village.
II was also planned to personally
take in hand with the permission of
the owners, the cleaning up of GER
tain vacant lots for parks and play
grounds. All who desire to take part
should report at Rohdes corner early
Monday night prepared for work.
The paper read by Mr.. Anderson
follows:
what viii Make North Mankato
More Attractive?" A government is
good or bad as the people governed
are good or bad. A community is
attractive or unattractive as the homes
not.
So it seems to me that it is up
to the individual citizen to do his
part in the compaign TO make his
town more attractive by making his
home attractive No man is eXcusa bic
for neglect in this important matter.
A shabby looking home gives one Il
bad impression of the owner or occu-
pant He must be a careless man or
one lacking in that true virtue, love
of home and family ties. This home
love is nothing less than patriotism,
for how can we love country without
love for home? Then why should
we not make that home the center
of attraction about which all our in
, terests circle?
In North Mankato / do not know
of residence which is not worthy
the name of home We have good
, lint no 10 bo ba
grounds are not always given the care
in laying out and improved that ought
, to be given them.
The real question then is, how can
enthusiasm for civic pride be aroused ?
! The question which is occupying the
attention OF civic Improvement league
| throughout our country.
We cannot 90 to our neighbor and
tell him to plant trees and shrubs or
perhaps to tear down an old fence,
etc, but we can by tact reach him
! in other ways.
| A good example of a home well
laid out and well kept viii often stir
the entire neighborhood to action for
improvement.
SO to start with, if every member
OF this club went at his premises to
improve them, it would no doubt mean
other improved places.
A mass meeting would be the means
of encouraging civic pride, or if q
speaker could be secured, together with
/, lantern slides, showing work done by
civic improvement leagues, it would
start interest.
We all delight in seeing an attrac-
tive home, it matters not about the
cost of the house, but when an en-
tire street is lined up on both sides
with such attractive homes it becomes
a succession Of pleasure to all who
walk along that street to and from
their work, tired and often worried
with cares. The tried feeling and
cares are soon absorbed by the pleas
ant surroundings.
This pleasure in beauty of nature
is one of our Creators greatest gifts
We are often blinded by our greed
mess for gain by turning our backs to
the beautiful in nature
The passerby enjoys the sights along
a beautiful street. What pleasure
is reciprocated, it is true socialism
of the right kind.
What is beautiful home? Oh
course this should be left to indivi6,
ual taste, but there are general fea
lures about the planting of trees and
shrubs that conform with common
sense and beauty. In the first place
the ground for lawn must be smooth
and seeded with blue grass and white
clover. This seed is recommended BY
the United States government depart
ment of agriculture. The grounds
should slope trfe in all directions
from the house. Trees should be
planted in view of their mature
growth from thirty five feet to fifty
feet apart. Ems, Eastwood and hard
maple trees are considered desirable
trees to plant.
The trees in the boulevards in MANY
places are planted by the town Off
GERS. 1t is practically the only way
that uniformity can be secured. 1t is
not necessary that all streets should
be planted with one kind of trees mo
notony would be the result if thi;
were done.
1t is pleasing to see some streets
/ planted with ems, another with ma
|