The San Francisco call., 1906-09-30

THE annual meeting Of the Ameri-
can Civic Association in Milwau
kee next month will attract much
attention. When the civic i'm
provement movement first came into
national Importance the fact that it
made the home grounds the unit of
its campaign for a clean and beautiful
national life gave many persons a mis-
apprehension as to the purposes of the
civic propaganda--and the funny men
had their say about back yard poll
ticians" and such things.
Today America stands hat in hand
beside the way if the civic improve
ment people choose to take a day off
from the work that they have under
taken to do and march up and down
the land, figurativeiy speaking, to see
how things are coming on here and
therefor all America has learned that
simply because no problem of clean
public life is too small to receive the
attention of these workers, none is too
large to engage their effort.
Locally the civic improvement asso-
citation is known by almost as many
names as there are communities in
which it exists, but these local bodies
are welded into one strong national or
ganization-the American Civic Associ-
alton It's headquarters are in Phila-
delphia, but it was quick enough to
smash the plans of the commercial pi-
rates who sought to destroy Niagara
Falls, and it has been about ''on time"
in good many similar instances.
The association has its convention
annually and there has come to be
big scramble for it among leading
cities Last year Cleveland was the
fortunate town, and this year the con-
vention goes to Milwaukee The con-
vention will be held late in October.
1t will be in session three days. be-
ginning on Wednesday morning. The
first morning session will be devoted
to the addresses of welcome the annual
review of the secretary, Clinton Rogers
Woodruff, who win describe The
National Impulse for Civic Better
ment." the report of the treasurer, the
nomination and election of officers and
miscellaneous business.
The associations work for the year
will be covered in brief reports from
the departments, which are as follows:
Women's Outdoor League. arts and
crafts, children's gardens. city MAX
ing. Libraries, outdoor art, public recre-
alton, press, public nuisances. parks
provement, rural Improvement school
extension, social settlements. The fea-
lures of the Wednesday evening session
will be papers and addresses on Wis
consin's Contributions to Civic Prog
ress" Special attention will be de-
voted to the work in Milwaukee. Madi-
son, Racine and Menominee and also to
the travelling library system of the
State
There will be paners on San Fran
cisco's Opportunity and How She Is
Using 1t" by ex-Mayor. James d. Phe-
ian, a vice president of the association.
The programme covers addresses on
Architecture and Civic Progress" One
afternoon will be devoted to What
Women Are Doing for Civic Improve
ment under the general direction of
Mrs Edward l. Upton. chairman OF the
women's outdoor art league depart
ment of the association. Arrangements
have been made fer papers by Mrs.
William Christian OF Texas, Mrs NJ f.
Johnston OF Indiana and Mrs. c. B.
Crane of Michigan. Additional speak
crs Will be engaged before the con-
vention meets.
The greatest general interest in the
convention will doubtless center around