The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1907-06-27
PRACTICAL IDEAS
Paper Read Before Woman's
Federation Meeting
ON CIVIC IMPROVEMENT
Valuable Suggestions Relative to
The Betterment of Conditions
of Young Boys

The paper on Civic improvement,
read at the recent meeting OF the
Sixth District Federation of Woman's
Clubs at Park Rapids by Mrs. G. L.
Atwood of st. Cloud, was especially
interesting and full of practical
suggestions. Mrs. Atwood said in
part:
"Civic improvement is my theme,
a term used to cover so wide range
of activity that it gives but little idea
of what ones real subject is. In the
American Civics Associations ma
tional organization-the aim is the
promotion of beautiful America not
only in the country but in every city,
village and hamlet. 1t has directed
the campaign for the preservation OF
Niagara, for the great forest reserva.
ton and seeks to make clean, beauti.
full and attractive places in which to
live, to have more public parks
children's Fairgrounds and re.
creation clubs, and to abate nui-
sances. This association has to do
mainly with the betterment of mate
rial conditions.
"The General Federation Civics
Department is broader in it's scope,
declaring not only for the City
Beautiful and city sanitation but the
City Social. This last phase of the
work is more in harmony with
-civics as a science which treats of the
duties of citizens to each other
socially and politically. The past
few years have witnessed a most
marvellous awakening to that great
truth so profoundly set forth by
Herbert Spencer that:
Life Is a continual adjustment Of
inner relations to outer relations
"The things that surround us can
be good or evil just the same as
persons. If they are false, vulgar,
dirty, ignoble, the inner life of the
person surrounded by them absorbs
these impressions and adjusts itself
to them.
"We all believe, and act upon it,
that to make our town clean, whole
some, beautiful, makes an environ.
ment the response to which is higher
and more beautiful living. The
work Of the ST. Cloud Reading Room
Society, of which I. am a delegate,
has long done effective work in this
but last winter our attention
was turned to the other phase of
civics, "The City Social" and an
effort has been made to furnish good,
recreation for the boys OF
our town. This last endeavor to
modify the boy by his environment
in his leisure hours is fraught with
the most stupendous potentialities
and one in which there cans be no
doubt as to its necessity and wisdom.
.'All over our state are lands lying
breeding malaria because
not properly drained. The work OF
productive these great areas
has now been undertaken on d
gigantic SCALE. It means millions to
the state. May we not say literally
hat all over the land are boys grow
ing up with low tastes, unproductive
citizens breeding vice and crime,
InSlr leisure nOure 0eDaucn1ng them l
more than school or home can undo.
"The work of furnishing elevating |
for this great neglected
lass should be undertaken on .
yigantic scale. 1t means more than
Millions TO the country. II means
l0nest homes and happiness. But
exclamation is q difficult process.
foung men are young boys started
vrong. Boys, young boys, are most
asy TO reach, most susceptible tc all
Influences. Our work should begin
nth them and We may hope that