West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1908-08-20
HOW ABOUT
YOUR TOWN.
What Are You Doing to I'M
prove lt7
DON'T BE BEHIND THE TIMES
Splendid Example Of Community Bet
terment Get by Civic Club Formed
by Women In a Pennsylvania Town.
Active Work In Several Lines.
What arc you doing for your town.

AetiNe Work In Several Lines.
What are you doing FOR your town.
What Is the personal service contrib.
uted 10y YOU TO your home community
Are you cooperating Arc you inter
cstcd In your streets. I'm seeing that
they are swept. sprinklcd and kept free
from rcfuse2 DO you visit the school2
Are you encouraging tho growing OF
howcrs on the school playground8
IL not IL is TO be feared YOU are be-
hind tho times. Throughout the whole
land nm aroused civic interest has been
manltcstlng itself I'm the bcttcrmcnt OF
communities, no matter how small.
Tho "Spotlcss Town" idea has taken a
firm root, aud the energetic citizen IS
working Tor the town beautiful.
Women's clubs have been formed for
the distinct purpose OF improving Bcv.
cral large communities I'm Penusylva-
MIA. In smaller towns numerous clubs
have been formed for tho purpose OF
community bctterment. In towns, too,
where there aro no societies for tho
explicit purpose OF conducting this
work notable improvements have been
made by the womcn's clubs. Indeed,
much polishing up has been done by
tho busy hands OF the women, and dc.
pnrtmcnts for civic Improvement aro
carrying on active work.
II was Just about ten years ago that
number OF women of Carlisle. Pa,
met TO consider matter OF Importance
that OF town cleanliness.
What did they do2 Well, n club
was formed, and before six months
had passed the membership exceeded
100. or course the matter OF town bet
termont IL personal one. Everybody
must do his share. So the ladies' OF
Carlisle got after housekeepers and
janitors OF public buildings and asked
them all 10 make tho places I'm their
charge examples OF cleanliness says
the Philadelphia North American. Peo-
pie who kept street stands and the
renters OF market stalls were visited,
and soon things took II different ap.
pearanco. An ordinance forbidding
tho throwing OF litter on the streets
was prepared. introduced I'm the coun-
cil ana passed
Five years rolled away, and Carlisle
had changed its appearance. An anti
splitting ordinance had been prepared
by the ladies and passed by the town
council. Billboards. public dumps and
many Objectionable business signs had
been removed. An obscrvant stranger
would have noticed that. whereas
meats and fruits and various foods I'm
stores and on street stands had for
merly been exposed to tho files, they
now were covered by netting. And
through the streets during the warm
seasons one could see huge sprinkler,
with the name OF the Civic club paint
ed on it.
Soon the Children's League OF Good
Citizenship was formed. The member
ship ran near to the 1000 mark One
half hour month was given I'm all
the schools 10 the members OF the
educational committee OF the club.
During this period they addressed tho
children, and their interest I'm the town
and It's welfare was aroused.
To stimulate an interest I'm trees and
flowers the club gives premiums each
year for shade and fruit trees that
have been planted one year. The va
cant spots OF Carlisle bloom with flow
ers. Along the stone walls of yards
during the summer one can see clam
bering nasturtiums and other flowers.
Upon the lawns OF the public schools
the club hns placed flowers. vines and
hedges.
For four years n savings department
was conducted, where savings from
cent upward were received. Substa-
tions were established I'm four stores,
and during fits existence thousands OF
dollars were cared for. The depart
ment was discontinued with the open
Ing OF savings department in tho
town bank.
Perhaps ono OF the most prominent
features OF town life IS the lack OF en-
tertainment Well, there IS no such
lack, thanks 10 the ladies', I'm Carlisle.
Under the clubs auspices during the
summer open air entertainments are
given. During one summer n series OF
concerts was rendered by the band OF
tho Carlisle Indian school
And then there IS n kindergarten, a
beautiful. cheerful, sunny place where
parents may send their little ones for
early instruction.
The membership OF the club now ex-
cecds 800. Mrs. Edward w. Biddle,
the president, has been active I'm in.
augurating similar movements I'm other
communities.