The Better Community Movement of Illinois through its Art Extension Committee has undertaken comprehensive plans for beautifying the state, according to Dr. R. E. Hieronymous, community advisor, who addressed the annual meeting of the American Institute of Park Executives held in Detroit. The purpose of this Committee is to assist in making art a more potent force in the lives of the people of the state; to help the people to discover beauty in nature and to enjoy it; to recognize beauty in art and to enjoy it and to stimulate the production of beautiful things. In the carrying out of this plan representatives on the statewide committee have now been secured in nearly 100 communities including nearly all the larger places. It was soon found, too, that smaller communities responded quite as readily and in many ways the need is greater than in the large cities. In many places there is a local committee of three or five, the chairman of which acts as the representative of that community on the state-wide committee. This brings the art expression committee a knowledge of local conditions throughout the state and in turn gives to the local committee an opportunity of learning in a direct way what is done in other communities under somewhat similar conditions. As the plans have grown sub-committees of the state-wide committees have been formed to care for different phases of the work. These include at present committees on exhibits, on paintings, the landscape plans, industrial arts, city plans, community buildings and sculpture. There are also committees on community festivals. club activities, competitions, bulletins, speakers, state fair cooperation and legislation. The committee now has three exhibits in use: Exhibit of ers. The exhibit of oil paintings consists of twelve small canvases by some of Illinois' leading paintSmall paintings were selected so as to reduce the cost of transportation. They constitute a valuable exhibit for a small community that cannot afford larger exhibits. These paintings are especially suitable for hanging on the walls of homes of average size and it is very much desired that some of them be purchased during the season and kept where they may constantly give out their messages of beauty. Exhibit of The exhibit of photographs of the work of Illinois sculptors and of monuments in Illinois consists of fifty-seven carefully selected prints donated by Lorado Taft. They are accompanied by a manuscript which includes a section on information about the sculptors and their workers prepared by Mr. Taft. Exhibit of The exhibit of landscaping plans consists of twenty-three drawings, some large, some small, covering a great variety of subjects. One of the most important purposes of the exhibit is to show how small town homes and farm yards, as well as large estates; how country school yards as well as city school grounds; how town squares and odd corners of land as well as large parks may be made more beautiful through the application of the art of the landscape architect and the landscape gardener. The exhibit is accompanied by an explanatory manuscript. The cost of each of these exhibits to the community using it is $2.50 plus the transportation cost from the last place exhibited. Dates are usually arranged so that an exhibit may remain in a given town from four to six days. Other Activities of the Committee Special meetings of the Art Extension Committee are held from time to time and from place to place as occasion may require. It has many purposes in mind in urging its work. While it urges clean-up campaigns it tries to answer the important question: "What shall be done to beautify these places from which unsightly objects have been removed?" Artistic forms of advertising must take the place of barn and fence posters and objectionable billboards. Vicious street carnivals must be driven out, but artistic wholesome forms of entertainment must be provided in their place. Plays, pageants, masques, festivals and similar activities will develop home talent and at the same time provide recreation and suitable adequate community houses and ordinary centers become a necessity in carrying out any such program. At bottom these are community problems requiring for their broader solution the proper cooperation of all the people making up the community. Through it all art must come to have a larger place in the common life. Community Service of Nassau County, Long Island, maintained a tent at the Mineola County Fair last fall. The tent was open from morning until late afternoons and a Community Service worker was present all day to answer questions and explain the work. At least 200 people visited the tent seeking information and advice on recreation and dramatics. The exhibit which the tent housed contained the following: Stage Sets Two model stage sets-a curtain and a screen set-illustrating technically the cheapest and easiest set that may be made by an amateur group. A stage set illustrating the making of scenery with crepe paper and a set showing Pylon and screen, scenery made after the Gordon Craig theory. There was a cyclorama with this set. A stage model suitable for a Russian play and illustrating Russian architecture and furniture. Costumes A number of costumes made by the various groups with whom Community Service had worked formed part of the exhibit. While there was a wide difference in style and material in the costumes they were all illustrations of the feasibility of making artistic costumes inexpensively from cheap material. Each costume was marked with the name of the group and the price which it cost, ranging from $.50 to $1.10. Accompanying this exhibit was one prepared by Dennison's Manufacturing Company illustrating the making of costumes in crepe paper. It consisted of dolls dressed in crepe paper and a very complete scrap book of pictures and specifications and pamphlets for free distribution. Books One large table was devoted to a collection of books, many of which were loaned by the Queens County public library. This collection contains books on production, staging, pageantry, make-up and similar features. There was also a collection of plays. Pictures On the bulletin board and on the front and sides of the tent were displayed pictures of plays which had been given on Long Island and elsewhere, and photographs showing playground work throughout the country. Bulletins A large bulletin board with announcements of work in Nassau County and interesting events in New York City was kept outside the tent during the whole exhibit. In the conspicuous places inside and outside the tent other bulletins of information were posted. Information Pamphlets concerning the purposes and activities of Community Service were placed under the bulletin board. There was also a complete file of lists of plays and pageants provided by Community Service and various publishers. Other material included catalogs on stage lighting and fixtures; samples of materials and prices; samples of programs, fliers, and publicity for a production; gelatine slides to illustrate the cheapest kind of colored lights; samples of the best dramatic publications and of playground and recreational literature of various kinds. Special days were assigned to the different groups with which Community Service has been working. For example, Wednesday was devoted to Glen Cove and Sea Cliff; Thursday Locust Valley, etc. On these days people from these communities came to the exhibit, brought their friends and helped in giving the information. Belleville's Second Annual Ding Dong In the fall of 1920 a group of Belleville citizens conceived the idea that their city should get together to organize a big fall celebration a unique affair in which every citizen might take part. The idea grew. The success of the first Ding Dong celebration assured the permanence of these annual three days of play. Now the second celebration has been held and the imp of frolic has held full sway in the city. September 22, 23 and 24 were the days set aside. The attraction of the first day was the Ding Dong's own community circus, which pitched its tents in White Rose Park, and was preceded by a marvelous parade. The circus continued on the second day, which was also the day of the Manufacturers' and Merchants' Parade. On the third day there was a Kiddies' Parade, and the pageant, The Second Milestone on the Road to Tomorrow, was presented at the Lyric theater. Each afternoon there were free attractions and stunt shows on courthouse square, and each evening found the square thronged with merry dancers. The celebration is put on by Belleville Community Service. Community Service of Nassau County, Long Island, maintained a tent at the Mineola County Fair last fall. The tent was open from morning until late afternoons and a Community Service worker was present all day to answer questions and explain the work. At least 200 people visited the tent seeking information and advice on recreation and dramatics. The exhibit which the tent housed contained the following: Stage Sets Two model stage sets-a curtain and a screen set-illustrating technically the cheapest and easiest set that may be made by an amateur group. A stage set illustrating the making of scenery with crepe paper and a set showing Pylon and screen, scenery made after the Gordon Craig theory. There was a cyclorama with this set. A stage model suitable for a Russian play and illustrating Russian architecture and furniture. Costumes A number of costumes made by the various groups with whom Community Service had worked formed part of the exhibit. While there was a wide difference in style and material in the costumes they were all illustrations of the feasibility of making artistic costumes inexpensively from cheap material. Each costume was marked with the name of the group and the price which it cost, ranging from $.50 to $1.10. Accompanying this exhibit was one prepared by Dennison's Manufacturing Company illustrating the making of costumes in crepe paper. It consisted of dolls dressed in crepe paper and a very complete scrap book of pictures and specifications and pamphlets for free distribution. Books One large table was devoted to a collection of books, many of which were loaned by the Queens County public library. This collection contains books on production, staging, pageantry, make-up and similar features. There was also a collection of plays. Pictures On the bulletin board and on the front and sides of the tent were displayed pictures of plays which had been given on Long Island and elsewhere, and photographs showing playground work throughout the country. |