The age-herald., 1898-01-29
Neatness and Health.

The village improvement associations are increasing in number in North Alabama. Florence and Huntsville have them in full and successful operation. and the Gum
 tersville Democrat brings news of the formation of such an association in its town. In each town the good women are foremost in organizing and conducting the associations, man or two coming in as a helper. The plans are all made by the women, and so are the steps taken to carry them out. But in every case the men stand ready to second the efforts of the women
 The beautifying and cleansing of the towns in the state is neither small nor an unimportant task. It is not only a benefit to every resident, but it will prove an attraction that will secure more resi- dents. A town in which the paint brush and whitewash brush are freely yielded, in which fences are kept in repairs. and yards, both front and rear, are neatly kept, will be preferred, other things being equal, to one-well the other kind can be seen almost any. day. The less said about the latter the better. They are not pleasant to look at, or to talk about.
 In North Alabama, 1t is plain, senti- ment is arising among the women that promises to abolish slovenness in the towns. The village improvement asso- citations will promote neatness and sanf- tation in both public and private property in streets and parks and. schools as well as in private premises. They employ, not so much the force of law, as the force of good example, unselfsh endeavor and moral suasion. The Age-Herald is the firm friend of village improvement asso- citations, and it hopes to see the day when every town in the state will have one as efficient and as helpful those of Hunts vile and Florence unmistakeably are
 Other states have such associations, mo- tably states near large cities. New Jer- sey, for example, is full of them, where they are usually called Town Improvement Associations. Some of the towns do not like to admit that they are vollages. But that is neither here nor there. In Cran- ford N. J., they have an association, and Cranford does not contain more than 2,00O people; yet in less than a year the ladies have organized a garbage-removal system which takes away ashes and other unsight- ly refuse at small cost to the householder. It has also induced the town council to prohibit loungers from standing about the street corners and at the depot It has also placed baskets in the postoffice and at convenient points in streets, for deposit ing papers and refuse. It has beautified the little parks of the town with grass and | bright blooms. It took in hand the | drinking fountain, and straightway abol- l ished the mud-puddle about it. It caused the railroad company to renovate the sta- tion, and dringing water was placed in it. It purchased snow plough, and neglected sidewalks were kept clear of snow. The condition of the school houses was given close and careful attention. And still they declare there is much to do.
 The New Jersey associations are edu- eating the children of the town by organ lZlnS cnliuren duAiidiieS' aiiu ehcy oic giving some attention to household econ- omics by giving a course of lectures, free to the townspeople. The experience Of New Jersey towns Is that such work Is successfully inaugurated and followed up by women only. Associations formed by men have invariably resulted in little or no improvement. The women of town can be trusted to improve the place in which they and their children are to spend at least a good part of their lives.
 African flccunafi0n.