BEAUTIFY OUR TOWNS The Town is a Home

Lake County Mail, Issue 44, 7 April 1948, Page 4

BEAUTIFY OUR TOWNS The Town is a Home

It is not only a place to make money in; it is a place to live in. Hence why not have it as homely, cosy and attractive as we have our homes? Within our district, with its sparkling lakes, lofty mountains and wooded park, we have something of renowned beauty. BUT WHAT OF OUR TOWN?

We lack the civic feeling. We are living in the fag-end of the world movement of competition. The problem of the twentieth century is to get together. We cannot go back to medieval times. But we can go on to a new solidarity and the unity of democracy. And the thing most to keep in mind is that the real charm of a town is not its proud public buildings, but the beauty of its common houses and back streets. Above all, let us have some “ crooked streets ” so that we may imagine we are at home and not in a penal colony.

Our streets are ugly blotches on the landscape, instead of being the acme of art and beauty, the triumph of human joy and loveliness. The charm of some of the old towns of Europe consists in that they look as if somebody lived there and loved them. There are crooked, narrow ways over the river in Paris that look homely, and funny passages and nooks in ancient London that have character and charm. Why not get back to this, at least to the best that there is in it. Why not begin now to plan the town to come, and build something beautiful for our children’s children?