The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1922-03-30


Club
1t is pleasing and gratifying to
note that the women of the Communi-
ty. through their representative or
ganization, are interesting themselves
in the matter of public beautifica-
ton; primarily because it is work
for which women, by nature and by
their peculiar artistic perceptions,
are eminently fitted.
Then too, it is a work deserving Of
your highest enthusiasms, and your
most earnest endeavors; and finally,
though this may not seem important
to you, it is a work which unlike
some of the newer activities of wO-
men. carries with it no suggestion
of any departure from those high
ideals of womanhood that are so dear
to some of us who must plead guilty
to the charge of being old fashioned.
I have no word to say against wo-
man suffrage. If I had such a word
/ would be too prudent to give it
voice before this large and lovely
majority But I have said, and if you
will pardon me I will say again. that
if woman is to rule the world, as
| heretofore she has DONE she must
still do so with the hand that rocks
the cradle rather than with the one
that Yields the ballot.
The opportunities for civic beauti-
cation in Lakeland. are. in a sense,
somewhat restricted, because of the
fact that there are so little nuhliclv
owned lands. 1t is not particularly
complimentary to those who presided
over the carrier destinies of the city,
that it should have reached this stage
owning so little property. Orr one
! little park is so thrOnged and
| trampled that it offers little encour-
agement for any efforts at adorn.
ment. The shores of our lake furnish
the most enticing field for efforts
along this line and on two of our
lakes much good work has already
been done, which calls forth admiring
comment from both our home people
and our visitors There is much
work. however. that might he done,
and in any scheme of Identification
the settings of our lovely lakes
should have first consideration.
1t being admitted that publicly
owned grounds in Lakeland are limit
ed. it follows that civic beantifica.
ton, like most other good things
must begin at home-at the home of
the individual. The time honored
principle of every man or every wo-
man sweeping in front of his or her
own door step. applies forcibly here.
It is easy to saw that the jewellers
in every home should beautify their
PREMISES in order that the general eff.
feet might be satisfactory; but it is
another thing to determine just what
to do in order to bring about this
satisfactory condition. Any move
ment of this kind will call for tact
and work-unlimited quantities of
both. It will necessitatate contin-
nous camDaign of education. sunnle-
mented with practical suggestions
and aid Most neOnle would nrefer
to have their premises look we'll and
this apnlies to the renter as we'll as
the home owner: but many peonle
Will not make the effort necessary
to bring about this result. Of their
own initiatives many others arc will.
ing. but do not know Just what to
do. Here is where it would seem
that concerted action on the part nf
the women Of tho community might
he hnlnful II has heen suggested
that the city he laid off in districts
each district heing apnortioned to a
committee which would have charge
of the work in that locality. The
neorle OF 2 block. or of several
blocks, might he asked to Join into
q general scheme of planting, to form
themselves into local Improvement as
sociations. it being always remem.
bered that the best way to get Deo.
pie to do ANYTHING is to enlist their
interest and have them believe they
are doing 1t Of their own volition.