Belt Valley times. [volume] (Armington, Mont.) 1894-1977, 1922-11-30
PRIDE.

CIVIC PRIDE.
About ten years ago there awakened in the citizens OF
of great things. For two years the movement made progress, or
dinances were passed governing the disposal of garbage and ashes
varded at reasonable cost. Houses were painted, lawns were start
ed, improvements Of many kinds were made and the city was thor
oughy cleaned. The city park was cleaned, the buildings were
built and painted, fences erected TO protect the ball ground and the
a re Of the park board board . neat sum- was turned over by them
to the city al revenue derived from the park above the expense of
The park board attempted to keep the park a reputable place
of amusement and they succeeded, but the restrictions they placed
their term of office expired they were not reappointed, nor was
any one else
lected every year since but the major portion of this revenue has
been diverted to other uses. Please take a look at the park when
you pass through. The buildings are shabby from need of paint
the grandstand is sadly in need of repair, the fences around the
Iapidated, SO that even the children have lost their pride in the
park or on Halloween they would not have tipped over the stands
and outbuildings-.
This is simply one of the examples which go to prove that
during the war and the dry years succeeding, our people lost inter
est in the appearance of their city and that condition persists to
There is q city ordinance against dumping ashes in the
streets, yet some of our reputable citizens seem to think the thor
oughfares a dump ground. There is a city ordinance against driv-
ing across sidewalks with coal wagons or farm wagons or any
other kind of vehicle, but evidently we have forgotten it. The
city park is getting to be the favorite dumping ground for all
sorts of refuse because it is so much easier to dump it there than
it is to haul it to the dump.
unmoested along our sidewalks until the one using the sidewalk
must walk very carefully in the center of the walk in order that
the weeds should not transfer a load of dust to his garments.
Along the curb in front of business houses we have noticed weeds
growing luxuriantly. We have noticed business men and others
dumping reIuSe on vacant i0LS. we nave watched w boys IN
front of the K. P. hall carefully gouging the mortar from between
the bricks. We have noticed the splash of tar across store fronts.
all colors.
The first thought is one of anger toward the needless youth
who are guilty of these msdemeanors, but when you come to
think of it, can you blame them!
Is there such a thing as civic pride in Belt? There is but it
is as sleepy as a alternating bear.
1t is not the right of anyone to point his finger at another
and say there is the guilty man" for we are all guilty, else why
would our young people have such a disregard for property and the
appearance of our city?
Experience teaches us that children are influenced chiefly by
their parents attitude IN matters of religion, politics, and civic
pride.
1t might not be a bad thing for us to look at our own homes,
at our streets, at our buildings to see whether we cannot see our
selves as others see US. During the winter is the best time, for
then the leaves are gone, the green no longer hides the dirt, the
neglect, and the disorder and if we care to see, it will be a revela-
ton to us.
Public money spent with lavish hand never beautified any
place, there must be the spirit of civic and domestic pride in the
individual householders to gain the desired results. Down in the
Galatin there is a small town, Manhattan, in which there exists
In no unmistakeable way this pride. Manhattan, Icing on the
level stretches of the GaIatin valley had originally nothing but
the distant mountain. to make it beautiful but now she possesses /
souteIy the most beautiful school grounds in the state. What
did it? Civic pride and citizens who believed in it and never once
forgot it. t
If during the winter we try to see our own homes, our streets, t
our fences as they appear to others, when spring comes there will
longer the generally neglected appearance of our city. You may s
think these are unkind words, awful things to say about the town
much better in times past that we think it possible for us to bring e
back to its former neatness.. Not all the ordinances in the n
world, not all the talk in the world, not all the money in the world n
can accomplish as much as the welLplanned efforts of the house t
c
amount of money, will transform a weather-beaten shack +
into a cottage pleasing to the eye of the passerby and an amending t
source of pride to the occupant. III
When our children get so imbued with the idea of keeping d
things at home tidy. wel-kept and attractive, then we need no 8
longer fear the DETACHMENT of our most pretentious buildings. @
What about that coastins hill for the young foIks' Every r.
BOY and girl in Belt is appointed a committee of one to recommend :"
suitable place Ii
IT Is THE CAME. Z
The rise of football to public favor has been very rapid in the
few years, due probably to the fact that is it essentially .