Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-06-07

The little Long Island town of
Hicksville has won Nationwide pub
lcity and much good will by refusing
TO change it's name for something
more euphonious. From miles away
comes the chorus of approval. Some
observers suggest that the result OF
the referendum in Hicksville marks
turning Of the tide away from a
modern tendency To adopt "gaudy
names for settlements which attract
commuters.
Two sides to the question are re-
cognized however. by the Pittsburgh
Sun. which finds parallels in other
American communities. The CON
sentative group" says the sun.
which consists of the older residents.
clings tenaciously to the original
name. Sometimes this name has a
historical import. as in the case Of
Bloody Run. which. as the judge re-
minded the petitioners for A change
of name in his court. marked the site
Of one of the fiercest encounters with
the Indians in the history of the
state. IIicksyille commentaries the
name of one Elias Hicks. whose fol-
lowers settled there in 1886; it is per-
sOnal or biographical rather than his
torical in it's reference. But AS the
town has borne it's present desiSna-
ton for 80 years, some reason should
he demanded for the proposed change.
On the other hand the newer resi-
dents. mostly commuters, do not want
to be known as 'hick from Hicks
ville.'"
In support OF the latter class the
Lowell Evening Leader remarks:
They may seem representative. but.
As one of them points out. there are
practical objections to he considered.
The name prevents possible new
corners from settling there. This
would seem TO constitute a real bar
rier to the growth and development
to which the town is fairly entitled.
AS a general rule there is little sym
pathy here with the tendency to
change names that have historical
significance. but the plant from
Hicksville will seem much more rea-
sonable If we picture ourselves in the
position of these people"
Still there is another remedy. IF
the anti Hicksites are not satisfied"
declares the WATERFOWL Daily Times.
there is one thing they can do. They
can pull up and leave the hicks In
Hicksville and seek a living place in
Z town Of more euphon!Ous name. Let
them go to Bellechair. Brookhaven.
Malden-on- the HI dson or some other
place. a place of which they will not
he ashamed. We admire the Hicks.
ties who stood pat. Elias Hicks
founder Of the town. was a man of
parts. lie must have been well
thought Of or the place would not
have been named after him.
"A historical background, a treas.
ured tradition" fires the imagina ton
Of the Baltimore Evening Sun. which
exclaims: Thank goodness, there is
one community deaf. to the strident
whoOpings for gaudy names. Hicks
vile is. not particularly euphonious.
Current slang might well give it's in
habitants an inferiority complex, But
to the everlasting glory of Eiicks
Williams, they have decided to cling to
their history and tradition rather
than masquerade under any such
mea ningless blumage as Bryn Manor
ties or Nassau Parkites. Perhaps
the action of Hicksville is the begin
ming of a revolt. The people Of
that town had sense enough to real
lie it would outlive the comic impli-
cations Of hicks and Hicktown of
humorists' invention. 1t ought to be
patent to the people Of any com
munity that. elegance cannot be inn
parted to neighborhoods or their in
habitants by yainglorious nomencla-
ture. The hicks in this world are the
people who fall for that sort Of
thing
I'VE do not believe that any desir-
able development will be checked by
such conservatism" states the Brook
1yn Daily Eagle. The Eagle records
that the change Of name was defeated
by vote of 994 tn 81. and proclains
that it does mot believe that any de-
sirable residents among the 400 com
mIters will move away. Indeed. set
thing in Hicksville.'' adds the Eagle,
fought to be encouraged by the dem
onstration of loyalty and local pride
involved in this spete. In the list Of
a community's assets local pride. Just