86 
THE GUIDE TO NATURE 
is a mere matter of method. The effect 
was the same. The first plans of that 
building called for a real estate office 
with an enterprising promoter of 
Sound Beach community interests 
working in co-ordination with the ex- 
tensive publicity facilities of The AA. 
These plans are now for the first 
time made known to the public that 
saw only a new building standing 
against that little post office and re- 
garded only as a natural history estab- 
lishment. It was that and more. Let 
realized beyond the most optimistic 
imaginings of those who were in the 
secret of the original plans. All these 
dreams and plans have never been lost 
sight of for a moment. W e are now 
more than we ever even hoped for the 
promoters and builders of Sound 
Beach. We are as a community cen- 
ter more than we there could have been 
and we point with pride to our tall 
community flagpole and to our delight- 
ful Little Japan and commodious, rest- 
ful Welcome Reception Room. 
SOUND BEACH BEGAN A NEW ERA OF PROSPERITY WHEN THE AA OFFICE CAME ALONG- 
SIDE THAT LITTLE OLD LUNCH WAGON POST OFFICE. 
us repeat in a little more definite form. 
The prime purpose of The AA in com- 
ing to Sound Beach was to be, as it 
was definitely and emblematically ex- 
pressed, a light for this little commu- 
nity and a light for the greater com- 
munity of the world that looks to The 
AA for guidance. 
It w T as to be a community center not 
only for nature but all sorts of com- 
munity interests, churches, schools, 
civic organizations, etc. 
It was to be a real Arcadia or, in 
common terms, a picnic ground, and 
the plans included trees, shrubbery 
and flowing fountain with goldfish, 
lilies, etc. 
It was to be a nature institution, a 
bureau of free information for people 
at home and far away. 
All this threefold dream has been 
Breathes there a Sound-Beachite 
with soul so dead who does not take 
pride in our rapid growth during these 
ten years and in the present favorable 
prospect for the future. Sound Beach 
has its own telephone exchange, and 
work is now in progress for our own 
bank. We have our factory, The Dal- 
ton Manufacturing Company, that 
gives every indication of bringing good 
things with increased business and sup- 
ply with none of the objections often 
so prominent in some manufacturing 
enterprises. We are proud of it. 
We note with satisfaction our real 
estate office and think of the days ten 
years ago when there were plans and 
plans of such a center of real estate. 
The only difference between plan and 
fact is that in the early plans the build- 
ings were to be south of the post office 
