The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-03-19
T say Gods Kingdom is at hand Right here; if we but lift our eyes say there is no line nor land Between this land and Paradise.
 JOAQUIN MILLER.

Right here; If we but lift our eyes
 l say there is no line nor land Between this land and Paradise"
 JOAQUIN MILLER.
 To one very lovely and very charm ing woman belongs the vision of beautifying the East Lake boulevard from the First avenue viaduct to the Roebuck Springs Country club perhaps the most widely travelled of all highways into Birmingham, ac- cording to statistics.
 Mrs. J. NJ. Hankins the accomplish ed wife Of pr. J. M. Hankins of Wood lawn, is the inspiration of the big movement which will be formally launched on next Tuesday the twen- ty-first, "Arbor Day" when all the way from the viaduct to the Roebuck Springs club. bands will play speeches will be made, trees will be planted. and a big wholesome, splen- did, civic effort will have It's inauGu- ration, the result Of which in future years will be of the greatest possible benefit to Birmingham and the en- tire district.
 Several years ago Mrs. Hanltins who was travelling in the Golden West was tremendously impressed with the famous "Oleander boule- varda in Fresno, and being dream CT of beautiful dreams for her home town" she at once pictured In hsr mind similar boulevard hereof Crepe Myrtle trees and beautiful spreading shade trees.
 'To help each of us to recognize the soul of God in the soul of man" is Mrs Hankins' motto in tho boauh- fying of our surroundlngs-thus en- abling us to see the glorious beauty of Gods handiwork in natures boan- tiful and lavish exuberance.
 q had always lived In beautiful country" Mrs. Hankins told me tho other day when she was talking about the splendid cooperation and the fine spirit of cordiality which she has seen manifested since her appoint ment as president of the East Lake boulevard and the Bankhead High way association, which Is to promote fhe excellent plan. for l was born in the Shenandoah valley of virginia- in the little town of Lafayette-where tho scenery and the natural sur roundings could not be surpassed. Ma ture in all her wondrous beauty has fraught with a rare hand the gor- geous foliage, trees. and flowers, which have made the valley of Viz ginia famous in song and story and coming here ten years ago-to make my home In Woodlawn-naturafly be- ing a new town and things In rather an uniformed state. I began to devise ways and means of beautifying our own property as well as that around me.
 "The result took active form two years ago when Saw the 'oleander boulevard in Fresno-and l saw no reason why Birmingham with all of It's naturally beautiful resources shouldn't have one even more beauti- ful and more famous than the one out west"
 Last fall when I was made presi- dent of the Woman's club at Wood lawn the question of the beautifying of the Bankhead highway came up and we decided to support it. and Mrs R. A. Clayton, now vice presi- dent of the East Lake boulevard and Bankhead Highway association was appointed chairman of the beautify- ing committed of the Bankhead high way. Her work was so efficient and so fine that MT. Asa Rountree asked for her plans and took them to Wash ington where they received such fla vorable comment from Headquarters that they have become quite famous. Encouraged by this we decided that the East Lake boulevard should re- ceive immediate attention and that beautifying it would mean a splendid thing for Birmingham, so we called a mass meeting of all the citizens of the eastern section of Greater Bir- mingham.
 sAt this meeting which was attend