462 RURAL SOCIOLOGY 



and persuasiveness is the impelling force behind important 

 movements for the public good. 



One of the best evidences that beauty and good order pay, 

 is given by the action of railroad corporations throughout the 

 country, which have, by the improvement of their station grounds 

 and right-of-way, created everywhere a sentiment in favor of 

 village improvement. 



The United States Government is issuing numerous bulletins 

 that relate to village improvement work, and it recognized the 

 importance of the school garden movement by sending a special 

 representative, Mr. Dick J. Crosby, to the School Garden Ses- 

 sion of the American Park and Outdoor Art Association at its 

 Boston meeting. The National Educational Association also de- 

 voted a session to the same subject at its last meeting. Among 

 universities, Cornell has done great good in establishing courses, 

 and in sending out pamphlets on the improvement of home and 

 school grounds, chiefly under the direction of Professor L. H. 

 Bailey. Through this same agency "Uncle John" Spencer has, 

 by letters to and from a multitude of children, brought them to 

 learn much about the objects in their every-day life, by drawing 

 out their powers of observation, reasoning, and expression. 

 Quite as important are the newspapers and magazines. They 

 are giving much space to the movement, and offering prizes for 

 good work. The Chicago Tribune not only offered prizes in 1891, 

 but gave a page or more to improvement work for several months 

 in succession. The Youth's Companion has not only given space 

 to the work, but has sent out thousands of pamphlets on village 

 improvement of school grounds. Garden and Forest, during its 

 time, was a powerful agency of the highest order under the direc- 

 tion of Professor Charles S. Sargent, and with Mr. W. A. Stiles 

 as editor. Of the existing publications Country Life in Amer- 

 ica, Park and Cemetery, American Gardening, The House Beau- 

 tiful, House and Garden, Home and Flowers, The Chautauquan, 

 and others, give a large share of their space to improvement 

 work. 



Since the appointment of a Park Commission in New York to 

 make and administer a park for the people, nearly every large 

 city and many towns have their Park Commission and public 

 parks. States also are acquiring land to preserve natural beauty, 



