Evening star., 1924-09-17
Vandalism i'm the
Public Parks
To the Editor OF Tie Star

TO the Editor or Tie Star:
None of US would like to be called, Or
to be, Huns. Is it any better to be a
vandal? While all other civilized ma
tions keep their parks as beautiful as
possible all the time we have such
parks, pay officers to put them in order
and then allow them. or at least our
smaller ones, to be daily turned into
rear gardens. Only very early visitors
can have the benefit of their beauty.
We allow the mass of our people to ruin
it daily, and so be confirmed in habits
that infringe on the rights their neigh
borS have paid for, instead of training
them to respect them and to appreciate
beauty and order. We never see such
vandalism in other countries, but here
only here. we see lunch refuse, Tapping
papers, which frighten horses and may
cause tragedies, and unSightly litter of
every kind to be strewn over lovely
green lawns. pleasant paths, etc.
In the parks in Europe such beauty
as they have is always there to be en-
joyed by all; presumably laws, or or
dinances, forbid it's desecration, but the
habit of enjoying without marring has
been formed, no enforcement seems
needed.
Do not our people especially need to
be educated to appreciate beauty. to re-
spect the rights of others and TO learn
the difference between liberty and
license? Our public parks and buildings
give opportunities for teaching these
important lessons. Why do we allow
ourselves to sink below other nations in
such important matters? Women will
have to take this up all over the Union
to get such laws passed and to have
them enforced, not only for the protec-
ton of our parks, but for the educa-
tion that it involves This will be no
ence as to respect for the rights of
others and for appreciation OF beauty
cannot be measured; beauty Is refining.
uplifting and refreshing. Let 1t no
longer be ruthleSsly destroyed, let il be
obligatory to preserve it We have parks
to be proud of, great and small let us
end the shame of their dissertation and
the spread of lawless license Let our
taxes be no longer wasted in laying
out and keeping up these beauty spots
let the opportunity for this greatly
needed education be no longer wasted
let this education begin in any little
town and the whole country will be its
debtor.
But our Capital City should lose no
time in setting the example. Bad habits
are contagious and spread rapidly; let
good habits be enforced, where the gov
enments, Federal, State and municipal,
have the right, the power and the duty
OF enforcing them. We need such en-
forcement at once, license spreads germs
of many evils to rob our neighbors of
any of their rights.
Should not our public schools teach
this respect for the rights of others, not
but by taking their pupils
in groups two or three times a year
through our parks. pointing out their
beauties and the care taken to preserve
them. dwelling on the wrong. vulgarity
and bad citizenship Of desecrating them
with trash and refuse and arousing
pride in them and responsibility for
their right use? Do we not waste
precious opportunities of teaching good
practically, as we'll as waste
our taxes In thwarted care, in allowing
this vandalism to go on?
SARAH NEWLIN