The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-07-25
HOW ENSLEY LAND COMPANY ASSISTS
 CITIZENS IN BEAUTIFYING THEIR HOMES
SOCIAL SERVICE APARTMENT
 By MRS. SIDNEY NJ UIINaN

By MRS. SIDNEY NJ. ULIMAN
 On July 2i. 1s15 pr,zes were awarded to the residents of Ensley. whose home surroundings. outside the house. were most attractive. To encourage the peo- pie to this end. the Ensley Land com pany last April offered valuable money prizes to the persons in that suburb whose home surroundings showed the cleanest and tastiest arrangement and who had best taken advantage of the natural opportunities This was not in any way to be judged on the amount of money spent the smallest cottage in Ensley was as possible winner of the first prize as the largest. most preten- tious home
 The offer was by no means extended as philanthropy. The idea was entirely to beautify Ensley and make if more desirable place to live in. Ensley IS known far and wide as one of the great industrial eenters of the south. but the Ensley Land company wants it to be more than that. They. want to make 1t. garden spot
 Nothing could do this better than re- ward. and that reward must be worth while to make people stly for it So bllLtS were otitT0u amounting To ASol. The first prize to be S100 the second $50 and four prizes of $25 each. Notice in writ ing had to be given to the office of the Ensley Land company of those who would like to have their places entered for the contest.
 On Wednesday afternoon committee was appointed by Commissioner George Ward. consisting of Mrs James Hard, chairman of the city beautiful commit too. .of ha Gix,i,. 1,n. ,.1. say, MT. IT. C. Wood. MT G. c. Wealth. erbee. After careful and intelligent in- spection of the 90 homes entered the fol- lowing persons were awarded prizes:
 First prize. Mrs l.. Myers. 1905 Ave- nue ].
 Second prize Mrs Erslin McNamara 2S00 Avenue E.
 Four s25 prizes: Mrs NJ. P. Dodge. i7s7 Terrell boulevard Mrs. c. R. Bard. 2l1S Park avenue Mrs. R, P Noble 17s7 Jef- ferson avenue; Mrs. c. F. Cooper, 2Ss4 16 Court.
 Honorable Mention Mrs ]. W. Brig man, 1923 Avenue Fl; Mrs W A. Por- ter. 26o7 Avenue I: l.. C. Burk 2222 Ave- nue ]; W. NJ. Saver, 2S09 Sixteenth ave- nue; Mrs. Wallace Given sooa Twentieth street: J. l.. Parker. 25o9 Seventeenth street
 Often it was extremely hard for the judges to reach a decision. One point would little outbalance the other-the back yard would show more care; the porches were more tastefullv arranged. but with mathematical accuracy the com mittee went conscientiously on.
 The parties winning the first prizes lived side by side on Avenue J. in two attractive little white cottages, and. strange to say. were almost overlooked by the committee. After finding what was supposed to be the place the com nittee inspected a home that was any thing but attractive and wondered how people could ask three busy men and one busy woman to come out and look it over. However someone suggested at the last moment that the cottages across the street looked lovely they should have entered when the list was consulted and it was found these were the ones contestlng. The Mrs. Myers are sisters in-law. All the work in the homes is done entirely by them every available space in the yards is used with suc- cess and judgment. The committee found it impossible to decide which of these two home-makers should have the first prize. There wasn't enough difference to war rant giving one of them the $50 prize and the other the s0o, so it was decided to split the first prize to give to both.
 At Mrs. Ers<in McNamara s. again. it was hard to decide here. Everything was clean and sweet It looked so appetizing even out in the alley, the committee never in it's widest dreams expected to find any thing so clean. 1t was actually swept as clean az a floor-if not dusted.
 The four last prizes were awarded for various reasons of merit. One home, for instance was not only delightfully."- at tractive, but the most charming baby bloomed forth to greet the party on tho porch and at once both the home and the baby were tagged a winner.
 The home of Dr. Noble is situated on high terrace tastly arranged with ferns and porch boxes-one man was lazily heard to say ,as he climbed the many steps that this was certainly 'uphiil work"
 One of the honorable mentions that really deserves special mention was the home of MT. and Mrs. Brigman. Here the back yard was abloom with multi colored zinias and luscious purple grapes and Mrs. Brigman proudly told the com mittee that she and her husband, a one armed man had done all the work alone
 One old-fashioned garden held all the flowers grandmother told of, from the sassy snap-dragon to the short-lived fou. o'clocks.
 That the Ensley Land company has done all of this with an eye to business is undoubtedly true, but that business should take form in this way is highly commend able. No pride can be a higher asset than pride of home and home is not only the four walls of our dwelling nor our front and back yard but the street on which we live. the town of which that street is a part and the state in which 1t is located.
 We cannot in our civilization be units, standing alone Is entirely out of style. But working for any object with an idea of hpfferinp tS always uybi1 With the city's stress staring us in the face, such a contest and it's results as