The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1907-11-15
METHODS OF IMPROVEMENTS.
faper Presented at District Fedora
ton of Women's Clubs by Mrs.
JAS. Redman of Montpelier.

The first step toward Civic i'm
pr0vement must be determined b
the condition of each individual towr
The simplest and most obvious need
should receive first attention.
There are good many ways il
which practical work may be don
by Village Improvement Societies
Beautifying should not be overlooke,
while we are cleaning. This can be ac
complished to a large extent by enlist
ing the aid of the children, who will
respond more quickly than grown
people, by furnishing them with seed.
and giving them information in thu
culture of flowers, much can be &C
complished in beautifying the home
surroundings. This was tried by oul
Society last summer and the results
were very gratifying. When is was
known that seeds would be distri.
buted free and prizes would be given
for the most skillfully arranged and
best kept flower beds, we were great
iy surprised at the number of chill
dren that called for seeds. The cost
to our Society was only about $500.
That this experiment awakened an in
terest among the children of our town
and some older folks, too, was evil
denced by the announcement of many
that they would compete for the
prizes next year.
We belive that Village Improve
ment Societies can obtain no better
results in their efforts to cleanse and
beatty the residence portion of the
Villages and small towns, than by
awakening an interest among the
children in some way. A boy or girl
who once takes an interest in MAX
ing flower beds, or keeping the lawn
clean and tidy, in the hope of win
ming a prize, will work with amazing
zeal. To help this along I would sug-
gest the organization of Children
Clean City League"
individuals working alone can ac-
complsh great deal, but they in
varibly need help, for there are many
things which must be done by united
effort.
No better work can be done than
the work of investigation and publi-
cation. The mass of voters in this
country are in the dark as to what
is going on in public affairs, and are
compelled to listen to the politician.
If they could have authoritative in
formation from time to time, they
would take an interest, and there
would be an improvement in Mu-
nicipal affairs.
1t is safe to say that no Village |
will lag behind, if there lives in it
one person who realizes how much |
better it might be; who has the cour-
age of his own knowledge. 1t is SO
easy, so inexpensive to begin to i'm
prove the Village, that there Is no
excuse for not doing it. A Village
Society with one mem
Ser, is better than no Village I'M
brovement Society at all. If there Is
a live improvement society Of any
kind in your town, it iswell, but II
tn ere is a dead one, it depends on
YOU to see that something is done,
and that right away, to get life into
it.
From the standpoint of cleanliness
in the principal streets OF a town,
we would recommend the establish
ment of trash boxes at prominent
places. People soon get into the hab-
It of depositing waste paper and other
trash in the boxes, that they had be-
fore thrown in the street. We had
trash boxes made, or rather bother
ed the City Council until they had a
of them made. The result
has been very satisfactory, as our
and cutters are much freer
from trash than they were before I
tho hoyes were made. Our Society
keeping them cleaned.
The abolishment of the unsightly
.pi,, BOARD" is another matter Vii |
l.. 90 Improvement Societies should
+ake m "The Bill Board must co.
IS the cry all over the country. IN
he January number of the Village
Journal devoted to the improve
nents of villages, there was pub
isbed a timely article against "Blll
BOARD" and we feel that we can 90
10 better than to quote the, artlcle
n full.
It is as follows:
The Campaign Against Biiiboards
It appears evident that very WIDE !
;nread and determined effort is max
no to abolish or regulate the bill c
,oards From every part of the coun- i
nv tbere come reports of more or S
49, oooipct fhpm | L