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BEAUTY WITH UTILITY OX THE TILLAGE LOT. 345 



in development where the older settled sections of the state compare 

 favorably with those of any sister state. 



It gives the writer pleasure to state, that of the many small towns 

 visited during the year the one that impressed him the most favor- 

 ably and gave the best evidence of attractive, comfortable and happy 

 homes, with numerous well kept lawns, clean resident streets with 

 borders of parking strips of uniform widths on either side, and with 

 useful and ornamental shrubs, vines and trees, is the progressive and 

 beautiful town of Xorthfield, Minnesota. This speaks well for a 

 small town, supporting two institutions of learning, having for their 

 object the higher education of the young men and the young women 

 of the state. 



It is evident that useful education promotes the habits of industry 

 and £esthetic taste. High ideals are essential to the greatest progress 

 and the grandest achievements. That there has been much progress 

 in this state within a few years past is very evident to the careful 

 observer, but it is a fact to be regretted that many of our citizens 

 have not caught the spirit of progress, and are traveling yet in the 

 old ruts. 



This society has done much to better the conditions and to add 

 to the comfort and pleasure of our citizens. Its mission is not yet 

 fullv accomplished, and will not be until all enjoy the benefits of 

 delicious fruits, beautiful flowers, refreshing shade, well kept la\\Tis 

 and happy homes. 



Much is learned by observation as well as by experience. Ex- 

 perience is rather a dear schoolmaster, as many of us can testify. 

 It is well, therefore, for us to benefit as much as possible by ob- 

 ser\'ation and by the experience of others. 



In the village where the writer resides there has been marked im- 

 provement in the resident portion within the last year, and when 

 one person has by a little labor or a triflng expense made his home 

 more attractive and beautiful it has seemed to work a reformation 

 in the immediate neighborhood, and others caught the spirit of 

 progress and made their homes more attractive. It is fortunate that 

 so much can be accomplished by intelligent and well directed labor, 

 and that great results can be accomplished with but little if any ex- 

 penditure of money. 



It is a duty a citizen owes to a community, and a parent owes 

 to his family, to use his best efforts to make his town more attractive, 

 and his home more pleasant, comfortable and inviting. There are 

 places called homes that are destitute of anything pertaining to either 

 beauty or comfort and seem designed only as places to eat and sleep. 

 There is neither shrub, shade nor grassy lawn. The yard is tilled 

 with unsightly objects, consisting of old boxes, barrels, rusty stove 

 pipe, broken crockery, old cans, brush, weeds and rubbish of various 

 kinds, and there being nothing inviting in the surroundings the oc- 

 cupants find it more attractive elsewhere. When homes can be made 



