The Point Pleasant register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, W. Va.) 1909-1939, 1909-09-15
State Of West Virginia.
Department Of Free Schools,
/ am convinced that the work Of

am convinced that the work of
our schools IS seriously discounted by
the bad physical conditions in and
around school houses. It's a lament
able fact that an ideal school house
grounds is really hard to find. An
inartistic building, dirty and uncom-
Portable, with an inadequate and neg
lected yard is the rule. It's small
comfort to argue that other states are
no better ofFin this respect than we
are. The time is at hand when it
viii be our shame if We allow these
conditions to continue. Shall we not
have concerted effort among all the
people of the state towards cleaning
up and beautifyins West Virginia,
our home, land bountifully blessed
by nature but devastated by man:
To this end have designated Fri
day, October /, 1909, as clean up
and beautify day to be observed in
all schools of West Virginia and by
every civic federation, improvement
league, woman's club or other socie-
ty that will join US in such bene-
ficent and patriotic movement. This
exercise will take the place of the
fall arbor day and while the folks in
the country are scrubbing windows
and floors, cleaning away debris,
planting vines, building walks, erect
ing flag poles or putting up pictures,
the folks in town may be washing
walls and desks, planting shrubs or
trees. or organizing crusades against
filthy alleys and back yards, unsani-
tary cars and indecent billboards,
noxious shows and vulgar language
on the streets. We live in the school
house, the car and on the street.
These places-Ghould then beas clean,
wholesome, attractive and beautiful
as we can make them. How shall
we go at all this: Any way so we
go at it in earnest.
A young girl reporting her i'm
provement work two years ago said:
THE stick weeds on one lot were
so big that to cut them off would
leave stubs to mansle the children's
feet at play, SO got the larger pu-
pills to help and we pulled them up
by the roots with our hands. The
same teacher went to the road over
seer and by her entreaty compelled
him to remove the public road out
from the front of her door steps.
This shows what can be done where
there is a will.
If you live in the city have the
Mayor issue Clean up proclama-
ton for October /. Enlist the actiy-
tiles of every child by the use of a
badge or button or other means.
The press will lend you great assist
ance if you tell them about the move
ment. Have the ministers preach a
sermon on the subject on the Sunday
preceding. Join in with every posi-
bic civic improvement club and do
as many of the hundreds of needed
things as you can do.
If you are in the country get the
boys and girls, their fathers and
mothers, the trustees and boards of
education, the ministers, everybody
else, and go to work, first on the
school house and grounds, then on
the roads and fence rows, then the
springs and streams, then churches
and cemeteries.
All this can be done by will with
little expense. 1t is not abundantly
worth while and shall we not join in
the movement with spirit and thus
bless the soodly country we call
home: Respectfully,
NJ. P. SHAwkEy,
State Superintendent.
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