Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1915-06-11
SOME MORE BACK YARDS.

Some weeks ago one of the Tribune
Staff happened to "snoop" around
other peoples back yards and what he
saw set him to moralizing on that
theme. Common place as it may
seem it still remains true that "a
thing of beauty is joy forever" even
though it may be only back yard,
and the writer is almost ready to risk
the responsibility of issuing the die
tum, "Take care of your back yard
and your front yard will take care of
itself" Of course the patient reader
will recognize that there is nothing
original about this, it is only parody
on "Take care of the pence and the
pounds will take care of themselves"
but just the same we believe there is
a whole lot of good solid truth in it
and we are enclined to sit up and take
notice of the back yards of our friends
and neighbors. 1t might prove en-
barassing to US if some of these
friends and neighbors who have chick
en- parks located in their back yards
| should miss some of their poultry just
| about the time we are saying things
about their back yards; but we are
willing to take the risk and chance to
be able to prove an alibi, so far as the
poultry is concerned.
We have discovered some more back
yards that to say the least, are worthy
of inspection, indeed, are good to look
at: These backyards are located on
Clinton street and are attached to the
premises of Messrs Graham Lyon and
| o. c. Standish. Whether these gentle
men themselves or their wives de-
serve the credit for them we cannot
| say, but we can say that the back
yards in their present condition are
a credit to the people that live in
| front of them and as well to the town.
Why shouldn't the back yards be util-
| lied? One of the real essentials for
| the development of a well rounded
and beautiful character is a pleasant
environment, happy the man, woman
or child who can look out upon back
ward, pleasing to look upon and rest
| full to the eyes; a few old fashioned
| flowers and shrubs are more conducive
| to high thinking and noble aspira-
tions than old tin cans, ash heaps,
broken crockery and kindred rubbish.
| There is another line of thought to be
considered under this theme: In these
days of "The High Cost of Living"
every foot of ground should be made
to produce something; few cents in
vested in vegetable seeds and little
time spent in caring for the garden
patch, may save dollars for the fami-
ly purse in the course of season.
We are glad that there are SO many
in this community who take pride and
interest in their own backyards and
we trust that the Backyard Improve
ment Movement" may grow in favor
and popularity until improved back
yards in Wauseon will only be tradi-
tions of past generations. Back of all
| this there seems to us to be fun
damental principle; the principle of
doing something that is not required
for immediate show. We fix up our
front yards because the general pub
lie will see them and very likely judge
US, in part at least by them. We fix
up our thoughts for presentation to
people but the thoughts we live with
and keep to ourselves, too often are
like some backyards, unimproved and
neglected.
It is a good thing for US to sit down
in our own backyards and consider
whether or. not they mean all they
ought to us and whether we should
care to have some one else looking
over the fence into our bacyard.