I02 STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



Maine's beautiful seacoast, her towns and villages, are the resort 

 of thousands, yea, tens of thousands of the wealthy residents of 

 other states, for many months of the year. As a sure commer- 

 cial investment, this beautifying of our State is one of the best 

 arguments in its favor. No town or city can afford not to live 

 up to its greatest possibilities in this respect. A beautiful, well- 

 kept town, with clean streets, homes and public places well cared 

 for, well shaded and well watered streets, goes far towards 

 attracting permanent residents. 



Civic improvement was the theme of four discourses Sunday 

 in as many churches in Orono and a meeting of the citizens is 

 called for Saturday to form an organization which shall 

 co-operate with the town authorities in seeking the improve- 

 ments that even the best villages in Maine constantly need. Let 

 the good work go on ! 



Miss Rebecca S. Clark, the beloved "Sophia May" of juvenile 

 literature, has given the brick building at the end of the bridge 

 to be used for library purposes and as a home for the "Village 

 Improvement" society in Norridgewock. 



These are some of the things which the Civic Improvement 

 Leagues are trying to accomplish to arouse a public sentiment 

 which shall demand a better grade of municipal housekeeping. 

 It has an imperceptible effect on the citizen himself. He respects 

 his city or town where his surroundings are elevating and takes 

 more pride in his own personal property. I received a letter 

 from a friend traveling through the length and breadth of the 

 United States who says of the laboring man in these newly beau- 

 tified towns, that every one of them has the manner and bearing 

 of a college president. 



But I was to speak of some things that have been done in 

 other states. I hardly know where to begin, but with the won- 

 drously beautiful old town of Stockbridge, Mass., to which 

 belongs the honor of the first village improvement society, 

 organized fifty years ago, last August. Although this was 

 before the era of women's clubs yet this society owed its origin 

 to a woman, and to the summer visitors, who were so shocked at 

 the unlovely, untidy condition of this favored village, as regards 

 its natural advantages that Miss Mary Hopkins formed this 

 society, to improve local conditions, by better roads in place of 

 the muddy, uneven streets, reclaiming waste places, securing 



