University Missourian. [volume] (Columbia, Mo.) 1908-1916, 1915-03-02
HAVE GOOD TIMES HERR.


The civic center idea may be said
to be complete to the back-to-the-
farm movement. The latter has for
its object the making of farm life
more attractive for the farm boy and
girl.
The civic center idea has for its
object the development of strong
civic pride. It is means OF beaut-
flying the town, Of making the city so
attractive that young men and wom-
en- will want to continue to live there.
There is no reason why a neighbor-
ing town should offer better advan-
tages to young people in business
way than their own. In many in
stances the towns advantages are
overlooked for purely psychological
reasons. The young people have
grown up with nothing particularly
binding them to the town. Many are
under the impression that they must
go somewhere else to have a good
time.
II life is made 81 attractive that
the young people from boynood and
girihood would plan what they pro-
pose to do in a town when they are
grown, instead of planning how soon
they can leave, it would be one way
to increase the city's population.
/One phase of the civic center idea.
Which can be applied to Columbia. is
fthe grouping of the public buildings.
Three buildings have been proposed
at various times: city hall, libra
ry and a convention hall There is
no good reason why these should be
scattered over the city.
Columbia is a growing town and
will continue to grow because of the
University. But there are other rea-
sons for growth, both commercial
and geographical. So the city should
not only build for the present but for
the future. If Columbia would pur-
chase a block of ground and build
there civic center it would add much
to civic pride.
Let us assume that the block of
ground south of the courthouse was
purchased. Using the courthouse as
a hub. would not three imposing
stone buildings add much to the
beauty of Columbia? True. It is an
expensive piece of ground. It Is
worth possibly s1S0.000. But forget
the price for minute, and imagine
three large buildings of white stone
on this block. four. including the
courthouse. on two blocks in the
heart of Columbia's business district.
Suppose three-story city hall was
on the south end Of this block next
to Broadway. Let it have three en-
frances facing Broadway, Eighth and
Seventh streets. And as you pass
this building of stone-a monument
to your city's progressiveness-
would not feeling of pride surge
through you, as you remarked to your
visiting friends. "our city hall"
Now as you pass around to Walnut
street, opposite the courthouse. there
is another white stone building, with
many persons passing to and fro. As
you look through the windows you
see others reading. This. you inform
your wondering friend. is "our libra
ry."
Now you go to the largest building
in the group. 1t is between the city
hall and the library. As you enter
the east entrance, you see the large
floor space crowded with playing
children You pass up to the second
floor and show your friend many
rooms which are used for social en-
tertainments: the room in which
your daughter made her first speech
and down the hall the room whers
your sons debating club meets. Down
in the basement you show him the