The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-04-04
|DR. ZEUbL|NONT TIE NEW CIVIC SPIRIT Some Recent Results of Social Evolution AT THE HIGH SCHOOL Main Idea Now in the Ascendent Is to Improve the Cities-The
 Homes of All
 People
AT THE HIGH SCHOOL

l Dr. Charles zeublin. publest. author lecturer and editor of the Twentieth Gen. tury magazine, pleased large audience at the auditorium of the high school build ing last night in the seventh number of the Lyceum course Dr, zeublin spoke on "The New Civic Spirit" and his Ideas and theories were gathered from long ex- perience and service along the lines of public life.
 l pr. zeublin said in part; Social evolu- ton may be imperceptible to the partici- pants, and yet the social ideals of the new generation may be incomprehensible to the passing generation This Is notapiy true of the new civic spirit
 Twenty years ago there were but three avenues for the citizen who wanted to pc 1 of social service-the church, the school and charity These were dismal to the man who really had a love for his fellow men. Respectable people % years ago were not supposed to be interested in politics. But today no rightminded person feels l that stigma Is placed upon him by en- l tering politics. one who wishes to serve his fellows most effectively should go into l too good to go into politics Is not fit to l go into the church. Today there is new civic spirit also in the church and 1t Is beginning to talk about the vital things of life.
 'gn 1853 a woman, of course, organized the first village improvement society Tn l Stockbridge, Mass. Today there are @Oo of them. In 1857 Central park, New York, was established amid wild protests. Now the city without a park and boulevard system doesn't lift it's head. In 1S65 bath ing in the ocean at Boston was no longer prohibited and not until 1889 did Milwau- kee establish the first public bath in the country In 1872 Brookline, Mass, estab- lished a play ground, but Boston did not hear of 1t for 10 years Now every city has them. In the same year vacation l school was recommended in Cambridge, but Boston established the first one sev- eraI years later In nearly every case the original impulse was dormant for 20 years and only within the last 10 or 15 years has fl become a living and dominant force. The pressure has been from the masses l of the people and it has had many express 1 sions.
 Already the social settlement, univer- sity extension and scientific charity organ ! izatlon have been transplanted from Eng fish to American soil and flourish. The school house open day and night and free lectures for the people are inevitable growths from these institutions, and the professional beggar and the pauperization' of the independent are DO longer popular, for science has put the good samaritan out of business. These are all results or the new civic spirit. II is from diversity l idleness and discontent that we get our 1 thorough going reforms. Anything that will bring the people together in com mon bond has it's use, for the hearts or the masses must be stimulated before such can be accomplished.
 eff social reform comes from below, civic progress comes from the top To it are necessary prosperity, leisure and cul- l ture What a democrat wishes is to democratize these three, giving them to everybody. Among the greatest achieve ments of democracy is the conception of the building of the city, which will be ac~ complished when the American citizen IS inspired by the new civic spirit.
 "The main idea now in the ascendant is not to improve the poor or the house or the poor, but to improve the cities, the home of all. With this physical improve ment will come aesthetic and spiritual im- provement, deeper knowledge Of the needs and rights of the masses and dem ocratic sympathy and organization which 1 will be irresistible
 While in this city Dr. Zeublin was a guest at the banquet rendered Vice Pro ] yost Penniman of the University of Penn sylvania by the local Alumni association