The Wenatchee daily world. [volume] (Wenatchee, Wash.) 1905-1971, 1906-07-20
CIVIC IMPROVEMENT
THREE GOOD CENTERS IN TOWNS
FROM WHICH TO WORK.
First Begin Mt the H0Ine-Turn Your
Attention to School Buildings and
Grounds-Urge Neatness at Railway
Depots-Never He Discouraged.


At Houston, Tex, the Post establish
ed department Of civic improvement
under the title Tile City Beautiful"
and one number was given almost ell
tirely to the report OF the Second ward
division Of the Houston club In order
to show what has been accomplished by
handful Of earnest and painstaking
women in improving one ward Of the
city. Az Mrs. William Christian, one
Of the members of the advisory board
of the American Civic association. Who
was appointed the head Of this depart
ment of the Post said, Whether the
actual amount Of work attempted
shows large or small balance Of
physical results, efforts such as report
ed are arousing greater civic pride
and daily developing healthy public
sentiment that ere long will be able to
successfully grapple with many Of our
municipal stumps."
Under the lead of Mrs. Christian. this
department Of the Houston CTeaJ Post
began a series of answers to letters,
one Of which answers is as follows:
Your letter says: Our club wishes
to take up some active civic work.
Where shall we begin? What shall we
do first?
''In our smaller towns there are gen.
orally three good centers to work from.
First, begin at home.
Let each member of your club
pledge herself to look carefully over
her own premises and add some i'm
prOvement within one weeks time to
her home surroundings.
This may take the form of careful
cleaning up of the back yard or the
burning Of the pile of debris thrown
into the adjacent vacant lot. 1t may
mean placing a pot Of ferns or gerani:
ums on the front porch in summer, and
it may result in spading up the flower
beds and taking up weeds in the spring
and summer.
IF the condition Of your town OF
club does not make this beginning of
civic work seem the appropriate one
turn your attention to the town
schools. Are the school buildings kept
In the most perfect order? Is an eff
cient janitor employed? Are the
grounds Uttered with the refuse Of
daily lunches? Perfect cleanliness is
the first step toward progress. No.
am mistaken; the first step is to con-
suit your school board or trustees and
never to antagOniZe them. Let them
see that you are not criticlsing their
methods, but. rather. deploring you1
own Indifference in the past to your
schools and their needs. Think out
what your schools lack in the way Of
cleanliness and beauty and use your
utmost tactfulness to persuade the
board to supply those needs them
selves
If your homes and schools represent
ideal conditions turn your attention to
the railway station. IT'S the link
which binds you to the outside world.
and the portion Of this world which
whirls by your door gains its first i'm
pressions of your progress and civic
pride from your depot environments.
Railway corporations are rapidly COM
ing to recognize the good business pol
fey of a neatly kept station. with a
pretty parklike Enclosure on one side
1t is refreshing to the passing travel
er's senses. and 1t impresses the alight-
ing passenger with the thought the
people Of this town are certainly up to
date. They must have got hustle on
themselves So he comes with a pleas
ant feeling into your midst and goes
forth to advertise you.
In many cases request from your
club, backed by the citizens. to the rail
way company will lead them to make
all these Improvements at their own
expense One more thought in regard
to your station Place a box or rack
In the waiting room and contribute to
it your old magazines and periodicals
for the use Of the public waiting for
the train. 1t will make the parting i'm
pressions of your town kindly ones.
and you CANNOT estimate the wide
spread influence Of this neighborly &C.
ton
with these hints and the original
suggestions that will arise from them.
think you can utilize a great amount
Of enthusiasm on the part of your club.
One parting word-never be discOur-
aged Just think when the work gets
hard OF how much good ii will do
think IL we have an abiding faith in
the work we are striving to push we
have consolation for every discour-
agement. You remember Bill says,
grh rice IL La armed that hath his aIla r.