ROADSIDE IMPROVEMENT 137 



such elements of beauty as are found desirable and feasible, after 

 a careful study of topographical, climatic, and soil conditions, econom- 

 ical first cost and, especially, cheapness of maintenance. Above all, 

 we must ever have in mind that a road is built for a very real and 

 a very definite purpose of use, a supremely important use; and we 

 must not in our work either take away or add anything which will, 

 in any serious degree, prevent the most free and the fullest use for 

 which the road was built, or interfere with the facilities which it was 

 intended to furnish. 



It is a fundamental principle of decorative art, perhaps the 

 fundamental principle, that any attempt to embellish, or to orna- 

 ment, or to beautify a thing intended for use, which results in render- 

 ing that thing less useful or less easily used, is bad art always and 

 everywhere. Confidentially, and "mentioning no names," the appli- 

 cation of this test of true art to certain buildings in a certain one 

 of the world's great universities, might reveal some art that is well ! 

 not good. But that's another story. 



The first line of work, the removal of unsightly things, is easy 

 to carry out. The greater part of the unsightly things are left or 

 placed in the highway or near it by thoughtless or careless persons. 

 Persuasion and the arousing of public sentiment will secure the 

 removal of the unnecessary and the repair of the dilapidated. The 

 expenditure of money in this connection will rarely be needed. 



Perhaps the most difficult of all the ugly things along the high- 

 way, to handle, are the billboards generally erected in the precise 

 location where they may destroy all pleasure in the finest view, or 

 most effectually exasperate the lover of Nature's beauties. The 

 National Civic Association is conducting a campaign against them, 

 and has issued bulletins covering the matter very thoroughly ; so that 

 nothing need be said at this time, except the suggestion that a drastic 

 license fee might be imposed, increasing with the size of the board, 

 and a little neighborly remonstrance exerted with the owner who 

 allows his land to be used, or his buildings to be defaced, for such 

 purposes. 



The growing custom of erecting advertising signboards, masquer- 

 ading as directing or distance signs, should be checked. It is entirely 

 within the powers of highway officials to remove them and to prevent 

 the erection of others. An aroused public sentiment is the remedy. 

 The rural mail box is a necessity, but the straggling groups of them 



