CHArTER V 



THE BEST TEACHERS EXAMPLE AND EXPERIENCE 



THERE is no text-book for the people of a garden 

 city so good as successful example. The foun- 

 ders of such communities owe it to themselves 

 and to their followers to see that this mode of teaching 

 is provided at the outset of the undertaking. 



The ideal demonstrator is the man who has been 

 through the experience himself, for the purpose of sat- 

 isfying his own hunger for a home-in-a-garden. He 

 must be both believer and practitioner — even a devotee, 

 if you please. He must be possessed by the conviction 

 that of all the jobs a heedless civilization has left un- 

 done the biggest and most vital is the job of making 

 it possible for every ambitious, industrious family to 

 insure itself against hunger and want, as prudent men 

 insure themselves against other risks. 



Find such a man — there are many to be had, and 

 there will be many more in the future — establish him at 

 the very beginning in a demonstration place fitted to 

 stand as a model for others to emulate, and the standard 

 of a thousand garden homes is set up, just as the flag 

 of our country is raised on the Fourth of July. This is 

 the first constructive step in true community-building. 

 It is worth all the books that could be written. The day 

 will come when such demonstration places will be as 



263 



