to correspond--so after
the house, the lawn; after the lawn, the boulevard. Then the work
spread. Streets needed cleaning, unsightly billboards had to be removed,
perhaps an adjoining vacant lot had a careless owner whose pride needed
pricking. So the need of a civic league grew, and now it has become a
vital spark in many cities all over the Union. Minnesota has over thirty
civic clubs doing specific work. Is it entirely the work for women? No.
Is it entirely the work for men? No. It is a work for both. It is a work
that is very contagious and a contagion that needs no quarantine.

Civic league work envelopes many lines of improvement. Streets and
alleys sometimes need to be reported to the proper committee of the city
council; the disposal of rubbish and garbage has confronted many civic
societies. There is nothing so conducive to unsanitary conditions and so
disfiguring to a beautiful street as glimpses and often broad views of
alleys and back yards that have become dump piles and garbage receivers.

Besides the effect on one's love for cleanliness and beauty, it breeds
disease--and so public sanitation was added to the civic league work.

In some cities the societies are taking up the work of smoke abatement.
I might say that we have a few offending chimneys in our own city
beautiful. Every member of the city council should be a member of the
civic league, for much more could be done by co-operation. There is
great need of the civic improvement league and park board working
together, for their aim is one--to make the city beautiful.

The work that gives the most beauty to the city after the good
foundation of cleanliness, public sanitation and removal of public
nuisances is that done in the parks. I am glad cities are making larger
appropriations for parks, and I hope our city will have more in the
future, for there are great possibilities of making our city not only a
city beautiful, but a most beautiful city. Parks should be well lighted,
playgrounds for children are almost a necessity, the river banks should
be kept clean--but most of all the natural beauties of a place must be
preserved and trees should be planted. Shade is needed as a good
background. There is nothing that will enhance a beautiful statue,
fountain or other park ornament like a setting of good trees.

If possible to have it there is no more attractive spot in a park than a
lily pool. The old idea of laying out parks according to some
geomet