The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1907-11-29
Methods of Improvement
(Scimitar)

The Idaho Republican Of Black
foot publishes in its issue of Novem-
Der Is, a paper presented at the re-
cent meeting of the First District
Federation of Women's Clubs in that
city, by Mrs. James Redman of Mont
pelier, which covers very completely
and ably the field open to the women
of Idaho for civic improvement.
In opening her subject, Mrs. Red
man points out that the first step In
such work must be determined by
he conditions of each individual town
and that the simplest and most OBJ
vious needs should receive first at
tention. She then urges that beau
tifying shall not be overlooked while
cleaning is going on, and in this con-
nection points out the Importance of
interesting the children in the work,
suggesting the organization of chill
dren's municipal improvement
leagues in the various cities and vii
lagos. The establishing of trash box
es in convenient places is mentioned
as one of the first steps toward clean
er cites and villages, and the abol-
ishing of bill boards as first step
toward beatifying them.
Mrs. Redman also recognizes the
need of publicity in such work and
points out the fact that live i'm
provement society can work wonders
in any town where it is given the aid
of live newspaper. After speaking
of a number of much needed i'm
provements she says: '"To do any of
these things requires the united and
determined efforts Of the society,
with such outside help as can be en-
listed. The first and and we believe
the best help for any society to secure
is the home newspaper. 1t is said, you
know. that the pen is mightier than
the sword and the pen of your home
editor, If directed in your behalf, will
accomplish results that can be obtain
ed in no other way"
Public parks and public libraries
are mentioned by Mrs. Redman as
among the more important improve
ments that women can work for in
their respective communities. In con-
nection with the parks she speaks of
the gact that they are usually over
looked by western towns until 1t Is
too late to get good location at a
reasonable price, and suggests that
in such cases the next best thing to
do is to improve the public school
grounds until they are as near like
parks as possible. She adds, however,
that it is much more to be desired
for towns to have both parks and I'm
proved school grounds.
Touching upon women's work in
connection with matters of special
interest to parents, Mrs. Redman
says:
Idaho has a compulsory educa-
tional law, which is not always en-
forced and no club could do better
than to take up this work. Most
towns have curfew law, and If all
children found on the streets in the
evening without respectable over
sight, oculd be asked for name and
address, noted to the police. or fol-
lowed home, it might be possible to
enforce it. Many who approve laws
forbidding children to labor in foe
tories, or compelling parents to seRd
them to school, oppose curfew law
because it seems to interfere with
the rights of parents. This is a mis-.
take. Instead of interfering with
any inherent right of parents, it as.
sists parents, in discharging their du.
ty to their children and the COM
munity. The curfew interferes only
with the wishes of those parents who
ignore their duty"