Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1901-05-11

Cleanliness 4 Helpful Movement
For Mans Bctterment.
Free public baths was the subject Of
paper read recently by Il. +. Tilling-
hast, editor of The Democrat, before
the Contemporary club of Davenport.
Ia, Mr.. Tillinghast said:
According to all the light | have
been able to find, the world and the
particular part of it we live in is al
most if not quite as much in need Of
baths as of books, of water and soap
In liberal quantities, as of art CALLER
les, of swimming pools where all may
plunge as of parks which are available
for use but half the time.
Il am not Indifferent to any institu-
ton which makes for the public good.
1t is not easily possible to Ovcrcstmate
the value to community of free libra
ries and reading rooms, of public parks
with free concerts In them, of all the
expressions that show the kinship of
the people. They are all worthy and
absolutely essential to the higher social
balance.
But who would think of building n
museum before provision had been
made for an abundant supply of pure
water or of putting the peoples money
into q driveway before the establish
ment of fire department? SO when it
comes to paying out the revenue dcriv-
ed from municipal taxation there must
be discrimination between necessities
and luXuries. 1t does not follow, how
ever, that all neccsSitics-thoSc of the
more practical sort, l mean-are to be
acquired before considering the cul-
tural, the ornamental and those which
look toward the cheerful side of life.
A symmetrical city is like a well bal
anced man. 1t is not given to one sided
development.
"In further explanation of the posi-
ton taken in this paper it should be
understood from the first that the pub
lie bath advocated Is not summer
plaything for children or a winter char
ity for their elders. 1t is given the dig
nifty 1t deserves, that of an educational
institution, one which may properly be
made n part of the public school sys-
ent or homogeneous if brought under the
same roof with library. The ultimate
as well as the immediate aim is the
public health and its preservation. If
any municipal function transcends this
in vital interest, l must plead igno-
rance of it."
Concerning the needs of Davenport
Mr. Tillinghast said:
"The population of Davenport today
nears $4,000, and the growth is not less
than 1000 annually. We are advancing
beyond the country town period and
entering the progressive city stage. We
want to increase materially, but not by
fakir methods. How can it be done
best and most permanently?
by providing those means which
make for better citiZenship-by i'm
proving the schools, by enlarging the
parks, by building and using the libra
ry and so conducting it that it will be
increasingly patronized. To these edu-
cational and recreative advantages let
us add n free public bath in the name
of health, comfort and content. Let it
be open every day in the year to men,
women and childrcn-to the young wo-
man who works for her living and can
not afford the necessity she is often de-
prived of, to the mechanic, the artisan
and the workingman of every class.
1--WE have thousands of tOilcrs who
spend their days in the shops and fac
tories. They live in modest, too often
not the most cheerful, homes. a bath
will uplift them, make them more self
respecting. A plunge after the day in
their dingy working places will be an
inspiration. 1t will invigOrate, it will
stimulate ambition. All this can be
demonstrated beyond any question. 1t
has been proved as often as it has been
fairly tried,
''The well to do citizen in building
his home provides for his bath. This
often comes before the library. But it
is fact that here in Davenport, with
an abundant supply of pure water,
there is nothing better than the pri-
vate tub. This is inadequate even in
however well appointed, cannot have
the swimming pool. And this city is
poorly supplied with the simplest of
bathing facilities. The best are utterly
unknown. The exact number of build
inEs in Davenport is not material, but
the board of health gives II as 1893
and the number OF families as 1851.
The number of houses taking water is
3.jTI. onc-half the dwellings without
the public water supply and cOnse-
quently without any but the most
primitive bathing facilities. The total
number Of bathtubs registered is but
l,l3i, aud the total number using these
bathtubs. estimated very carefully, is
b.Gasi. or less than 10 per cent of the
population. This more than sustains
my contention and shows a condition
not at all crcditable so far as sanitary
opportunities 20. The need of i'm
proved conditions Is urgent. Thou.
sands among us suffer the personal
discomfort and moral degradation of n
want of Cleanliness, at the same time
rendering themselves the more liable
TO disease. So | put my claim on the
fourfold basis Of wise public policy, of
health. OF physical development and OF
wholesome recreation.
Nothing more appropriate TO cut in
stone over the entrance TO such an in
stitution as Davenport ought soon to
have can he found than this. which
appears above the archway OF the
ideal bath at Brookline: The Health OF
the People Is the Beginning of Happi-