Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-04-27
FUND TO AID CLUBS
| BEAUT|FY PORTALS
PLEDGED BY A. A. A.
Chairman of Garden Group
Gets Promise to Share
Landscaping Costs.
ASSOCIATION WILL PAY
ONE.TENTH OF EXPENSE
Ernest n. Smith Confirms Accord
at Conference in Letter Giving
Commentator of Work.

The American Automobile Associa-
ton has guaranteed a substantial con-
tribution to the program of the Garden
Club OF America and the Federated
Garden Clubs of Virginia and Mary
land for identifying the highway ap-
proacheS to the National Capital in
preparation for the Washington Bicen-
tennial next year.
The offer was conveyed in a letter
addressed by Ernest N. Smith, txecu-
tive vice president of the A. A. A, to
Mrs. Frank B. Noyes, chairman of the
Committee Of the National Capital OF
the Garden Club of America.
The promise of financial aid from
the A. A. A. followed a series of con-
ference3 between Mr.. Smith and repre-
sentativeS CT the Garden Club Of AMIR
lea and the Federated Garden Clubs OF
the adjacent States. Mr.. Smith in
formally pledged the cooperation ri
the A. A. A. in these sessions, and Of
ficially placed his organization on rec
ord, in his letter, to contribute 10 per
cent Of the cost.
Garden Clubs Give Funds.
The Garden Club of America already
has appropriated funds to pay for digni-
ned markers to be set up at the highway
entrances to the District of Columbia
The Federated Garden Clubs OF Vir-
GINA and the Federated Garden Club;
Of Maryland have pledged funds to pro-
vide suitable planting Of trees and
shrubs about these markers. not only
to beautify the markers themselves but
also to provide more suitable and attrac-
tive landscaping at the entrances to the
Federal City. The A. A. A. contribu-
ton Is TO help pay for this landscaping
In his letter to Mrs. Noyes, confirm
ing the verbal understanding, Mr.. Smith
said, In part
I'VE rejoice in the splendid work that
the Federated Garden Clubs of Virginia
and Maryland are doing, particularly
with respect to planning to beautify the
road approaches TO Washington for the
Bicentennial."
Commends Work Of Clubs.
Referring to what has been done by
these Rarden clubs, Mr.. Smith con-
tinued: May I, therefore, put in
writing the offer made to you some
months ago, in which ! said that the
District of Columbia division of the
American Automobile Association would
contribute 10 per cent of the amount
providing 30 per cent was raised by the
two garden clubs"
The A. A. A. executive expressed the
opinion today that from the standpoint
not only OF the Bicentennial but of the
future development of the city, the
work undertaken by the garden clubs
Is of the most vital Importance.
In contracting with and in routing
large numbers of motorists who visit
Washington during the Easter holidays
and the cherry blossom season." he said.
"oIr travel councillors were greatly i'm
pressed by the frequency of statements
volunteered by visitors contrasting the
beauty of the Capital with the ugliness
and down -at-the-heel appearance of
many Of the entrances to the city.
Ask Permanence for Scheme.
FIRST impressions count for a great
deal. No time can be lost in making
the entrances to Washington worthy of
the city itself. While the garden clubs
are interested primarily in the Bicen-
tennial, we earnestly hope that the
present program shall become perma-
nent feature Of any constructive scheme
for the development of the CITY,"
The Committee of the National Cap
ital of the Garden Club Of America
also has been vitality interested in. and
has been working in behalf OF, the cam
paign to improve further the highway
entrances to the city through elimina-
ton Of billboards.