Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1912-04-26
FIX UP LITTLE TOWNS.
Too Many Places GO Uneared For
Director Miller Says.

People are in the habit OF expect
ing to see beautiful streets and yards
and parks and parkings in large cities
but usually the forget the Importance
, OF fixing up" the small towns. 81
am going to collect a thousand photo
graphs of unsighlty things in our
small towns and show them all over
the state" said ]. H. Miller, director
of college extension, a few days ago
Why is it that in many counties the
worst roads are the small-towu
streets?
/ why is it that in some small
towns there are many streets without
a tree in the parkings?
why is it that in scores of small
towns, even in Kansas, there are
streets not graded, no parkingS, and
no parks?"
Every incorporated town should
provide from one to six small parks
of about quarter block, and at least
one park covering an, entire block
and then, while land is cheap, pro
vide at least one five-acre park. The
time is coming fast when every vii
lage win provide parks as naturally
as it provides streets and alleys, and
it will be found much cheaper than
JailS and juvenile courts.
Every incorporated town should
have i'm its council a committee on
identifying the Town. Mr.. Miller
continued. THE mayor should alsO
appoint a cooperating committee Of
three or five, not in the council
These committees should plan for
trees, shrubs, clean ups neighbOr.
hood contests, etc. This main com.
mittee should be required to walk in
body, at Least once a month, all
through the town and out On every
road, and then walk back into town
trying to imagine what the impression
OF the town would be if the commit
teemen were seeing it for the first
time.
] IF the railroad rms near or
through the town, this committee
should take in the sights viewed
daily by hundreds Of strangers
They should have photographs taken
of every badly kept place, front yard,
back. yard or alley, and exhibit the
same in. the post office until the plac,
is improved. 49,.
81 have often thought it would be a
good investment for every town or
city to buy, by condemnation if nee
essary, a considerable strip of land
On each side Of the railroad right-of-
way, and control the buildings to be
put on it; or plant trees, or in other
ways shut out of the picture the pig
pens, vaults, coal houses, stables,
manure piles and dirty back yards.
Why not try to present a better view
to the thousands OF people who pass
through town? know Of one town
that plans 30 subscribe $1,000, this
year to advertise its advantages. A
prospective visitor coming into that
town, now, on the rairoad, would be
almost tempted 10 buy a ticket on to
the next place"
II any mayor OF a small town OF
city IN Kansas Is wondering what he
can do, let him start a movement 10
beautify the town. Let him organize
a City Beautiful League" and get
the teachers and the children, the
w@en's club and the merchants, and
everybody interested IN better streets
better drainage, cleaner streets, grad
ed alleys, and cleaner alleys; more
parkhgs with Trees and shrubs, more
flower beds, finer and more produc-
tive back yards. more vines, more
vacant lots seeded to grass or plant
ed 10 vegetables, and the whole town
or city a more beautiful place for the
people who live there.
Every owner Of a vacant lot should