The Foble of the Window Box An Editorial

A lumber merchant with a bit of imagination and a little spare time, once made a window box out of some cull stuff, painted it nicely, and gave it to a neighbor.

The box was attractive and the neighbor put it in her front window and planted some flowers in it.

A friend saw the box with the pretty flowers and, learning where it came from, went to the lumber merchant and offered to buy one like it.

The merchant, not being ashamed to make a dollar sale when no big sale was in prospect at the moment, made and delivered another win-dow box just like the first one.

Those two boxeS-were seen and commented on favorably by twiie the number..of people. The idea caught on in the neighborhood and became popular. Window b,oxes became the fashion, and carpenters were called in to turn out more boxes to meet t?.r\demand. o

Floral decora$onb becamethe vogue, almost a necessity to insure proper.'scia1 standing. Someone suggested the idea of selecting f 'To*yn Flower, the local papers took it up, groups of ladigs, fo*ered.it,'and it was done.

A spirited coritest. decideit the official fower and then everybo{y startCd,. planting'it,, requiring more window boxes and, of cogrse, "rnore {tiretbr and paint.

Raising flowers orr this enlatgdd"scale, in yard and garden, as well as flower Qoxep, reVeahp^many unsuspected, ugly spots and cornei*in many yaid-S. These required cleaning out and beautifying.' Fences #tg6 needed where none were needed before. Moie. ltrmb€rc:- ::lgre paint. , ,o o ,r.-., a r".

Old fences were repaired and beautified. New walks came next. Then repaired porches and porch furniture which the improved walks led up to. So attention naturally led up to the main building itself-the home. The matter of repairing or modernizing the house was naturally next. Even new houses were indicated, and often built in that neighborhood.

Today the first little window box still looks down from its perch on the sill. But the view is different. It still holds its pretty flowers, but somehow it seems to wear what you might call a jaunty look-a look of pride for a job well done.

For cannot it say to itself that, after all, IT was the real cause of the start of many beautiful homes, of emerald, wellkept yards, of clean and attractive streets and street corners; of that general air of health, well-being, prosperity, and self-pride that impresses the passers-by?

Brave little window box ! You started something good and fine!

Huge Sfockton Housing Proiect

Stockton, Calif.-Approval for a $3 million low-cost housing project here.was announced October 30 by Allen R. Reed, director, San Joaquin County Housing Authority, following approval from PHA oflicials. It is planned for 300 units similar to the Sierra Vista development.

is being built in Santa city a major California

We're indeps6dsnf-flse to hqndle mony lines ony line best oble to do a betler iob for you. For 38 yeors, we've served the yords ond fobricotors of Southern Colifornio leorned their, problems ond supplied them well with complefe slocks of the best the mqrkel offords. This experience is yours to profit by.

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