Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1911-09-22
CIVIC AFFAIRS IN ENGLAND.
Interesting Letter Tells of Advance
From a Model City Across the Sea.

Interesting Letter Tells of Advance
From a Model City Across the Sea.
OF the many interesting letters
received, telling of the influence OF
the work of the American Civic AS
ISOLATION, one of the most appreci-
alive was received recently from B.
X Goddard, of Winchester, England.
la part, Mr.. Goddard wrote:
ut is very interesting to me to
find that you select this good city of
Winchester as model OF civic beau
ty. Natural beauty, indeed, Win
chester may claim, set as it is among
its green meads beside a clear, swift
river, but we, its citizens, are in
clined to curse its dull streets, its
idle and disoraarly rassl &c e-d is
Incompetent and reactionary city
council whose sole concern is to keep
down the rates as we call the city
taxes.
yet | suppose we have much for
which to be thankful Although we
proudly boast that we spend less on
education than any town in England,
and though the effects of this judi
cious economy are very noticeable in
our general average of manners an;
Intelligence, we have something for
which to be thankful. Our sanitary
services are efficient, our death rate
is very low, our lighting, paving and
water supply are excellent. Most of
the nuisances against which we so
calamity agitate do not exist here
"Billboards are few and improve
In artistic qualities year by year.
though | wish we could emulate
Frankfort on-the- Main and insist that
all posters must pass an artistic cen
sorslip and must be framed in brown
Or grey mounting stipulations which
make boarding there a feast for
the eye. Our electric light wires
ire under the footwalks and little by
little the telephone and telegraph
wires are being transferred to con-
iuits, even along the country roads.
Within ten years, when the tels-
phones are 'nationalized,' there prob
ably will be hardly an overhead wire
visible.
There is no need to suggest that
house fronts be adorned with win.
low boxes as business houses, banks
and hotels realize that blossom
covered front like that of the old
bank in the very center of this lit
lie city is Il good advertisement. AS
Tor the little corners of waste land
that SO often serve as places upor
which to throw refuse, the council
rails them in and plants hardy shrubs
)r naiive wild flowers upon them
with admirable results. Nor are we
quite forgetful of the claims of archi-
lecture. There is now a kind OF tn
cit agreement that the style we call
Queen Anne (your ColoniaD is most
suitable for the city. The barracks,
he high school and many private
houses are in this style. Their deep
red tones with white facings amid
The green trees produce a delightful
effect of harmony and restfulness.
Nor has the grouping you advo-
cate been entirely forgotten. Upon
Castle Hill stand the chief buildings
If the county government Two of
,hese, the County hall and the West
gate, are fine thirteenth century
structures of grey flint. The modern
buildings, the assize courts, the
county council chambers and Offices,
he armory of the territorial troops,
ire built to harmonic and grouped
around a plaza with an admirable
effect of continuity and complete
ness.
so | must thank your delightful
pamphlets for Illuminating my insu-
ar ignorance in supposing that the
Misunderstanding of the city (Which
stands CALAMITY in the utmost rear Of
Drosress) is rather relatively than
absolutely bad. We've got many of
he things for which you strive
.hough in this backward spot we've
got the one thing necessary for the
'reation of the city beautiful-the
municipal ownership of the public
Utilities and franchises And that, !
1ote, you don't advocate, possibly
because it might entangle you in
)arty politics.