The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1919-09-10
IDEAL CITY EXPANSION.

IDEAL CITY EXPANSION.
How are the evils that go with crowdng to b
wooded in the face OF the increasing congestion o
american cities?
This, says bulletin from the National Geo
-raphic Society. is one of the major civic question
4 the time. and it will become even more apparen
when house hunting begins in the fall.
One answer to the question. the bulletin states
given in a communication from Charles w. Eliot
Who is quoted follows:
In order TO cure the destructive evils of
present urban life and the factory system. 1T
will not be enough to restrict the vices to dimin-
ish the pressure of poverty, to prevent destruc-
tive diseases, and prolong the average human
life. The human environment must be not only
negatively but positively improved; SO that the
whole people may have the opportunity to Gull
tivate healthy tastes and interests to acquire
just ideals of pleasantness and beauty. and to
learn the value toward tranquil happiness of
that living with which city congestion
has within a single generation made almost i'm
possible for nultitudes-
While the exclusion of bad influences needs
TO be unremtting, the good influences-fortu-
nateIy for crowded urban populations-need not
all be necessarily in action. An occasional holi-
day in a city park or garden, a weekend in
the country now and then, or a fortnight's va
cation in may make deep and lasting
and adults with wholesome material to fill the
mind and direct it's energies for months and
years.
Hence the Importance of better city and
suburban planning. of public reservations OF
all sorts in city and state and in national parks
and monuments All these modes of public
ton tell not only the physical well-being of
both urban and rural populations. but on the
mental training of children and the cultiva-
ton in the whole population of thoroughly
s-fttr fw.tn~ ard inqr
ments. both individual and social
The present evils of city life and the fac
tory system-bad conditions which civilization
has itself created-have developed their de-
structive forces in this country in spite of the
schools and churches and of free political in
stitutions, and in spite of many happy influences
from art, poetry, music, and the drama. Clear
ly society needs to develop a and better
environment for the general Hfe-an environ
ment favorable TO both bodily and mental
health and the attainment of genuine hap
piness--not of mere momentary excitements
pleasures and qualifications, but of solid con-
tentment. and the lasting satisfactions of life
enjoyed in quietness and peace What the
means OF comprising this end?
The readiest means is good planning of
city, town. and landscape-first applied
areas already occupied in undesirable ways
The planning must take into account
interests OF the whole community as well the
interests OF individual owners, the social col
lective interest always prevailing
The. immediate objects be sought are
more light and air for dwellings, offices. shops
and factories and thus a spreading OF
cities: the transfer of factories to suburbs and
to country sites along the lines OF railway the
multiplication of Fairgrounds and open decorat-
ed areas, and above all the attachment of a piece
OF arabic garden ground to every family
dwelling
Tho collective force of the community must
further supply the means of making rural and
and landscape pleasures occasionally accessible
to city populations by means OF parks and gar
dens which illustrate all forms of open-country
beauty and permit the occasional enjoyment
by city families larger urban groups of the
outdoor pleasures which woods strawberries,
gardens, and broad fields give. All city
dwellers greatly need these occasional. delights.
and Americans more than any other people;
for they have become accustomed to rely
electricity substitute for sunlight, and
air.
In providing for the further growth OF Pensa
cola this idea of DR.. Eliots is easy of accomplish
ment here we have well planned city. wondel
I'll rark system and numerous desirable location
of beautiful bays and bayous and rol
Ing landscape make this naturally of the mos
attractive cities in the world.
THIS JOB NOW INCLUDES FATHER.