Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-01-17

Plans of the Fine Arts COMMISSION
for great portals ut sixteenth street
massachusetts and Wisconsin ave
nues. Maryland avenue northeast, and
possibly. in the future. at other points
are interesting III connection with the
Tact that the little sisters of the Ma
IiOnal Capital throughout the country
also are taking steps properly to wei
come visitors.
Main street, he it known, is repre-
scented in these United States by vii
lagos and towns to the number of tens
of thousa nds. with a total population
Al around 10000. 900. Spurred on by
modern methods of communication
and transportation. which are opening
up the hidden places. these smaller
communities are hloSsoming out, and
the fact is Of both economic and so
cial interest.
In addition To representing approx
matelv one-fifth of IN" population OF
tho I-ni'ed States. these little cities.
il has been pointed out are the serN-
ice stations of more than 10000. 600
farming people for the purposes of
business education. religion. health
and social well being Expansion
and improvement. therefore, on the
part NJ communities which are the
renters of interest for around 10000
600 people of the United States must
lac Of material concern to the 10000. 900
other residents Of the country.
Evidence that the old order chang
eth * To be found in the records of the
Post Office Department. which show
that today close to | 900 of the smaller
population CenterS have village de-
livery. a mail-SerViCe distinction which
Is 10 BE had only when the community
has met certain hard and fast re-
quirements of the department. When
village delivery service is authorized
it means that the urban center has
annual postal receipts of $4,000 or, in
lieu of that, a stable population of
1900 Still other requirements are
hat the village thus gaining reCog-
milton must provide electric lights.
concrete walks within the limits of
the proposed delivery service, num-
hers cor the houses, mail reCeptacles
at each house to he served, and con-
spicuously displayed street names.
X 4
INQUIRY at the Post Office Depart
ment az to what, in the opinion of
it's officers. was responsible for the
tendency on the part of so many of
the villages and towns thus to put
their best foot forward brought this
prompt response:
in part, out of the increase in the
number of good roads and automo
biles which cause a natural desire
on the part Of the villages to dress
up for company; the influence of sci
entitic inventions, such as the tele-
phone and the radio, and the catch
ing of the expansion spirit so preVa-
lent throughout the country. 1t
means that the urban population is
irdi n
OF new conditions"
The Federal Bureau Of Agricultural
Economics calls attention to notable
results which have followed intelli
gent village planning on the part of
numerous small communities, espe-
Cally since the rapid increase in urban
population, and comments as follows:
What of the millions who live in
our thousands of villages? What are
they doing to make their living and
social conditions more healthful, COM
Portable, attractive and effective and
to provide for population increase?
Villages do not always have the bene
III of detailed town plan prepared
by an expert. but rural community
effort has already accomplished nota-
hle results in many instances
Wayne G. Mason. assistant agri-
cultural economist, who has given
intensive study to the improvement
of physical features of urban centers.
in a bulletin on the subject answers
many of the questions which would
naturally arise in connection with
practical steps looking to that end.
Commenting on the fact that these
people Uhe 20,000.000 villagers and
the 100000 living Immediately
around them) Classed as rural by the
census produce practically all Of our
food supply, send leaders into nearly
all walks of life and are the chief
conservatOrS of our national ideals"
he continues:
Villages should he easy of access.
Approaches should he direct. durable
and enjoyable. Physical layouts
should he based on naturalness,
haalthfulness and convenience: hous-
ing conditions should be sanitary. con-
Venient and economical: dwellings
should he satisfactory to the eye and
set in pleasant surroundings. There
should be clean and we'll kept lawns,
ee-bordered streets and good archi-
lecture"
While sesquicentennials are the
order of the day. with a natural pride
on the part of the participants in such
ceremonies. some enterprising little
communities in the eastern section of
the country have gone other possibly
more historic communities one better
by the initiation of some specific civic
Improvement In connection with CEN
tennials. sesquicentennials and even
bicentennials.
A FEW examples of what is being
done in the way of village plan
ming, not only in the East but also
in the South, Northwest and Far West,
are pointed out by Mr.. Mason from
among many which have come under
his observation.
The illustrations furnished by Mr..
Mason have to do not alone with the
towns and villages of great age, but
as we'll with those of fewer years.
The language used in the descrip-
lions is in great part that used by
Mr.. Mason.
Falmouth. Mass. for example, has
given special attention to the treat
ment of its local bridges. While rec
ognizing that durability comes first,
yet its citizens agree that a bridge
may be beautiful as we'll To that
end shrubs and vines have been
planted and trained to grow over the
abutments and approaches, Softening
the appearance of the structures in
he town and redeeming them from
severeness and in some cases usli-
sress.
A space opposite the two churches
Of LIE Roy, Ohio, was selected by pub
lic-spirited citizens and business in
terests of that village as the site of
an attractive park. The latter is oval
in shape, surrounded by electric
lights and planted with shade trees
and flowers. The center of the park
was the intersection of the two cross
roads where the village had its be-
ment, citizens of LIE Roy are going
aheed with a far-reaching campaign