The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1919-01-25
WOMAN's CLUB DEPARTMENT
Mrs. G. 7. Maughs, Chairman of the
Parks and Driveways Committee
We Must Make The City Beautiful
WRITTEN BY Mr.. F. E. HARRIS


The founding, building, beautifca-
ton and adornment of cities have en-
gagged the attention and excited the
ambition of the greatest characters
recorded in history for it has always
been considered that the building of
great cities and their adornments ap-
pealed to ones love of home and
country, thereby strengthening ones
loyalty and patriotism.
Alexander, surnamed the Great,
after his conquest of the nations con-
tending against him, employed his
wonderful talents In founding a city
that he hoped would perpetuate his
name for all coming time, and he en-
Ceavored to make it the center of art,
science, music, education and all the
reinements that go to promote high
state of civilization.
We are told in Biblical story thar
the pious Jew turned his eye upon the
holy city of Jerusalem with a love
bordering upon idolatry and this love
was shared by our Savior The pathos
with which he spoke of it has awak-
ened in all succeeding generations a
tender sympathy; He cried out pite-
ously:
80, Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that
killest the prophets and stonest them
that are sent unto thee how often
would / have gathered thy children
together, even as hen gathereth her
chickens under her wings, and We
would not"
1t is well known that the splendor
of Babylon, with her hanging gar
dens, excited the admiration Of all
historians of antiquits.
The name of Pericles came down to
US enriched as few others,Gnot so much
because of the conquests he made of
the enemies of his country, but be-
cause of the architectural splendor he
gave to Athens. He set the example
work to the unemployed and put them
to work under his direction in the
Identification of the city. He had
workers in wood, stone, brass. ivory.
gold and ebony. The arts and trades
that fashioned Athens into beauty
were smiths, moulders, founders,
bI aziers, dyers, stone-cutters, carpen-
ters, painters, embroiderers, turner's,
goldsmiths and hundreds of others in
carrying capacities. We are told that
the public works took form as exquis-
ite in shape, as stately in size and
that each workman and artifcer
strove to excel the others in the
beauty and splendor of their produc-
tions.
These works of art were of such
excellent and comeliness that Plu-
tarch says that they retained sort
of bloom of newness, preserving them
from the touch of time as if possessed
Of some perennial spirit.
For a long time these magnificent
works of art were the only evidence
that Greece's former splendor was
rot mere fable.
The student of history rembers
with what magnifcence Phidias built
the Parthenon to crown in harmon
ious beauty the Acropolis.
Then there comes to US the almost
r.agic story of Rome. Her ruins speak
her ancient glory. The palace of the
Caesars almost put our modern build
ings to shame. Her public buildings
and baths tell of the grandeur that
were hers. So wonderful was one of
her structures that one of England's
most famous poets. putting words
into the mouth of an ancient Roman
citizen makes him exclaim: "When
falls the Coliseum, Rome shall fall;
and when Rome falls-the world"
These ancient buildings, ornament
ed with their facades, turrets, towers,
sculptures and paintings, measure
the mentality of the people Of that
age as they do of all ages and of all
peoples.
How was it with this great con-
tinent of ours, especially the United
States and Canada, before the advent
of the white man upon its shores and
how is it with the continent Of Africa
today where the white man has no
!! foothold?
The very absence of houses of
wood, stone, brick and marble, meas
ure the scale of its inhabitants along
the lines of civilization.
How is it with us? Are we living
ur to our traditions?
Blessed with wonderful, soft, sa-
lubrious climate. occupying an excep-
tional location, midway between two
of our largest cities, equal distance
between the Atlantic and the gulf,
and famed by the soft breezes OF
both, long ago many of us were pos
sessed of the idea that here was a
favored spot for the building OF an
ideal city,
To this end cur newspapers with
the cooperation of few noble spir-
it's have labored incessantly for near
Ily half a century, but until this good
hour we have labored If not without
hope at least without avail.
Now that the good women OF oul
naturally lovely city have taken hold
and are lending their efforts to civic