28 MINNESOTA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



TOWN, VILLAGE AND COUNTRY IMPROVEMENT. 



MRS. ANNA B. UNDERWOOD, SKC'Y, 1899, LAKE CITY. 



There is a movement abroad ia the land, with which it behooves 

 us to fall into line, not only because of its own worth but because 

 the Minnesota State Horticultural Society is naturally qualified to 

 be of great service to it by virtue of its long experience. This im- 

 provement, if lam not mistaken, was inug-urated in Minnesota by 

 the State Federation of Women's Clubs. The federation has accom- 

 plished great results through its systematic efforts, especially with 

 those questions in which women are most interested. Annually 

 they are drawn together to talk over the work of the past year and 

 to form plans for the future. So far their attention has been mainly 

 directed toward the educational features of reform, not alone con- 

 sidering courses of study to be pursued in the school room but 

 weighing carefully the results of school-life as pertaining to and 

 influencing the future manhood and womanhood of the children. 

 All realize that something is lacking in the discipline that is 

 brought to bear upon child-life. Perhaps it ia the fault of birth, of 

 acquired surroundings or imperfect instruction in the school room. 

 Whatever it is, it must be brought to light, and a remedy found and 

 applied. Men and women in all conditions in life are striving to 

 solve the problem of unrest that seems to bid defiance to all law and 

 order. Many are the plans advanced and tried for regulating the 

 various evils, and when one part of our world seems to be well reg- 

 ulated and in good running order, lo! our hearts are torn over the 

 miseries exhibited in another part. 



The club women of Minnesota are banded together to guard and 

 preserve the essential requisites for true home-making. Their 

 homes may be all that heart could desire, but they know that there 

 are many in which inharmony with its attendant miseries reign 

 supreme. They have assumed the task of tracing to its source the 

 cause of unhappy conditions of home, town, village and country life, 

 to be followed up by strenuous efforts to establish a new order of 

 things. Here is a feature of their educational work: to gain an 

 entrance into these homes, and by instruction, accompanied by co- 

 ercion if necessary, bring the occupants into the folds of right 

 thinking and right living. "Am I my brother's keeper?" Yes, in so 

 far as being responsible for his unfortunate condition is concerned* 

 and responsibility does not cease until every home is brought up 

 to the highest standard possible. 



Discontent in the smaller towns, villages and country, gives rise 

 to a general exodus to the larger cities, without conditions being- 

 changed for the better. We have heard this aphorism for years, 

 "Make the home pleasant and attractive, and the children will love 

 it and be loth to leave it." Let u& change the words and have it read 

 this way: "Make the town, village and country beautiful, and the 

 inhabitants will love them and be loth to leave them." It is as true 

 as the other. 



Acknowledging this fact, the constitution of the State Federation 

 of Women's Clubs provides for a standing committee, known as the 

 Town and Village Improvement Committee, the object of which is 



