Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1907-03-21
WORK OF THE CIVIC LEAGUE
First Report shows Much Good /
Work bone During IN
The Year. m


The first yearly report Of the Civic
League was made at the yearly meeting
held in the reading room Of she library last
Thursday. Part Of she report Of Miss
Elizabeth Matlock, the president, is:
Our first petition Of City Council was for
three refuse cans to relieve the slitter con-
gested condition of our street. These have
so proved their usefulness that at the sug-
gestion Of the newly elected presidents Of
City Council, Mr.. Hampton Williams, four
more were asked for and granted to us.
Last summer at the earnest solicitation
of some Of the mothers, we tried for gen.
eral playground for our boys, as there is no
place in the town where they can have an
unmolested game Of any kind. This pro-
ject was not successful, as sufficient num-
Der OF contributors could not be found to
pay the rental We hope to be more for
tunate this year.
Our league has made personal and public
appeals TO our citizens that they aid us in q
cleaner and more sanitary condition Of our
streets. With the approval Of the chair
man of our Street Committee for 1906, DR..
H. H. Clark; the ordinance against throw
ing any litter on our highways was printed
and sent to those ignorantly transgressing
the law, with marked Improvements. Mr..
Storrie, she principal of our public schools
in 1906, at the request Of the Civic League
gave frequent talks to the public school
children on civic duties and cleanliness also
as our request the children planted on
Arbor Day, flower seeds about the high
school lot, which resulted in luxuriant
and refreshing hedge Of morning gloFies
beautifying an otherwise unsightly piece
Of ground.
Still in connection with public school in
terest, through the influence of the league
and the generosity Of some Of our public
spirited citizen, ten good pictures now
hang on the formerly bare walls Of our
school rooms and are important educational
factors in child life. Several more are
awaiting funds for framing.
By she Invitation of some Of our teachers,
three talks have been given in two OF
our public school rooms, one on Sir Gala
had and two on H. W. Longfellow, on the
celebration of his birthday.
The league presented to the City Hall
lawn large field flower bed which very
much enhanced the attractiveness of that
part Of our town. This year we hope TO
make still greater improvements on the
same lawn Several times during the
past year the league has given the corners
Of Broad and Cooper and Delaware street a
thorough cleaning.
In January last, the president of the
league invited the newly elected city
governments to meet the officers Of the Civic
League, in order that there might be cor-
dial understanding Of their mutual in
terests. At this meeting earnest appeals
were made by the league, for the abolishing
Of street and corner lounging and for legis-
Iation against sidewalk expectoration and
that our boys and girls might be kept at
home after certain hour in the evening, also
for the removal Of encroaching and unsight-
" dumps on Hunter and Cooper streets and
that there might be stringent laws against
using any localities within our city limits,
for such purposes. We asked for the estab-
lishment OF sewing GLASSES in our schools
and that the Board OF Education also con-
slider the advisability Of lectures pertinent
to the course Of studies in our public
schools.
A new and we hope a permanent inter-
est in civic life has been awakened in our
community, our eyes are being educated to
the beauty Of cleanliness and we realize
that in progressive town ambitious and
active legislation make for as high stand
ard OF living.
The following officers were elected for
the ensusing year.
President, Miss Matlook; first vice presi-
dent, Mrs. Samuel HI. Ladd; second vice
president, Mrs Horace F. Nixon; recording
secretary, Mrs. William 7. Cooper; cores
ponding secretary, Mrs I Hampton Will
Jams; treasurer, Mrs Edward Dillon;
auditors, Miss Lillian Durell and Mrs.
George d. Chenoweth.