The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1914-07-10

paIities Built on the Old Lines-A
Proof of virilty, Not of Weakness.
BY CHARLES MULFoRD ROBINSON
[Author of THE Width and Arrangement
of Streets-A Study In Town Plan
ning."l
A famous English landscape archi-
tect has just been summoned TO Greece
TO make a city plan for Athens. The
explanation is that Athens has been
experiencing that growth which in re-
cent years has been so marked a fea-
ture of city life throughout the world.
She finds it necessary to provide am
pier facilities for her crowding traffic,
new and shorter avenues TO the sub
urban residence districts that are
growing up around her, more and
larger parks for larger population.
from whom the growing city has been
pushing the country farther and far
Their away.
Athens has been brought face to
face with the common, worldwide
problem. She could be no more ex-
empt from it than Is the railroad juno
ton on the prairie. the mining town OF
Wales, the clean industrial city of
Germany. She has had to send for
the city planner, as Topeka lately did;
as Calgary, Canada; as Houston, Tex,
and as staid New Haven did.
Everywhere the growing city has to
meet the problem of REIMBURSEMENT.
The boy putting on long trousers
takes thought as TO his future and is
better for doing so. 1t is equally well
and normal for the city TO do these
things. and all kinds of cities all over
the world are doing 1t.
SO it has come about that what is
called city planning has developed
into one OF those rare and epoch mark
ing world movements that are the
great milestones Of history and that
influence civilization.
For hundreds and hundreds Of years
cities had been cramped inside of en-
comprising walls The people were
hudded together for defense, and
growth of population meant an ever
closer crowding. There were no cleared
spaces then for Fairgrounds and parks.
The very streets were narrowed to the
limit. many becoming no more than
mere Sits between the walls. This WAS
possible because the towns, being OF
such restricted area and doing almost
no manufacturing. had very little We
hicle traffic IL a person rode any
where he went on horseback, but It
was not too far TO walk wherever one
wanted to 90, and there was little
freight TO be transported.
Then very suddenly there came Sc.
rles OF events that were dramatic IN
their cumulative effect upon the city.
The engirdling walls were taken down.
and the city could expand, At the same
moment there were a development of
manufacturing and building Of rail
roads that brought into the cities a
rush Of population that forced expan-
sion and choked their streets with
freight.
The cities had 20 expand, and the
more area they covered the greater. of
course. became the use OF vehicuar
transportation. necessltating new street
adjustments. The city boundaries were
pushed farther and farther outward.
and as fast as they went the means "
transportation improved. The slow and
numbering old stage. or bus. was fol-
lowed by the horse car. drawn more
swiftly and smoothly upon rails. Then
came the cable car and then the troll
ley. A point four miles from the center
OF town became rs near by street car
as n point only one mile out had been.
As the streets We're extended mile upon
mile they created need for parks and
open spaces. and these in their turn.
absorbing city land, FASTENED the
towns expansion. Now the telephone
and automobile have been developed
and are facilitating the outward march
Of the town. 10 has been well said that
there has been more change in urban
conditions in the last fifty years than
in the 1900 years preceding.
What wonder that such new and
strange demands have swampcd the
facilities Of cities built on the old plan:
whct wonder that the new and now Sc
riously studied science Of city planning
IS suddenly finding broad field OF use
fitness: what wonder that cities every
where are calling for readiustment and
calling the more loudly as they are the
more progressive. Ii is proof Of viril-
ity. not Of weakness. when a communi-
~ takes up town planning. In MasSa-
chusetts. indeed. the legislature has on.
acted n law requiring every community
OF 10000 or more population to have n
planning board.
"To make cities" said Henry Drum.
mond-"tlat is what We are here for.
for the city IS strategic II makes the
towns: the towns make the villages:
the villages make the country. He who
makes the city makes the world After
al. though men make cities. Il is cities
which make men. Whether our ma.
tional life IS great or mean. whether
our social virtues are mature or stunt.
ID. whether our sons are moral or
vicious. whether religion is possible ~
impossible. depends upon the city"
That is the justification Of city plan.
ming i