PARK AND CEMETERY. 
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THE STORY OF FRAMINGHAM— A RECORD OF VILLAGE IMPROVEMENT 
By Frederic A. Whitmg^ Chairma?i Editorial 
Committee of Framingham Improvement Association 
“DO IT NOW!" 
If only Someone would do this, 
We say; 
Someone assume that other care 
We say; 
Someone with aims that rarely fly amiss, 
Seek out the duties zvaiting everyzvhere! 
So much of Use and Beauty might be won 
If only Someone were more quick to see 
That Good Intentions lead to something Done; 
But — should not I that willing Someone be? 
“At least,” said a few inspired citizens of Framing- 
ham, Mass., “let us get together and talk it over.” 
And this was the beginning of effort toward the vil- 
lage bea utiful. Any village, anywhere, 
can do this, and who can foresee what 
may come to pass from such a modest 
beginning? 
The first recorded real estate transac- 
tion in what is now the town of Fram- 
ingham, in the Commonwealth of Mas- 
sachusetts, bears date more than two 
hundred and three score years ago. And 
yet the village improvement idea took no 
organized form until less than twenty- 
five years ago. Since then there has never 
been a time when a few public spirited 
men and women — and “women” should 
be in capital letters — have not made more 
or less persistent effort in the cause of 
town betterment. But for this founda- 
tion the present association might never 
have been born, and the present endeav- 
or never have materialized. 
Framingham is one of the circle of 
towns that makes the environment of 
Boston famous for its charm and 
beauty. Its three villages have a population of about 
thirteen thousand. The “Centre Village” is the seat 
of the present improvement effort. 
About three years ago, a few members of the origi- 
nal society, feeling the need of a stronger and more 
aggressive organization, met and formed the new as- 
sociation, which was in effect an enlargement of the 
parent society, which became part of the newer effort. 
The association chose its officers and became duly in- 
corporated under the laws of the Commonwealth, with 
power to hold real estate, to receive bequests — not yet 
an active branch of the association’s work ! — and to 
act as a business institution. 
The officers were wisely chosen. The president was 
and is Dr. Frank Wallace Patch who has the entire 
confidence of the town, as a man of high 
civic ideals with the art of seeing that 
his ideals are rational and adapted to 
every day use and friction. The com- 
mittees are Finance, Public Grounds and 
Streets, Editorial (or publicity). Mem- 
bership, Railroads and Entertainments. 
It is easy to appoint committees. It is 
difficult to secure the right chairmen to 
guide and stimulate. Men and women 
with the magic quality of initiative, with- 
out which a chairman is a figure-head 
and nothing more. The committees ap- 
pointed were determined to commit 
something. To carry into effect the final 
“object” named in the leaflet issued by 
the association': 
“To not only create a more beautiful 
Eramingham, but to promote all the high- 
er interests of the town.” 
A concrete example of things actually 
accomplished, is often the most in- 
spirational word that can be sent 
A BEAUTIFIED 
GUIDE POST 
