The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1913-09-12
THE OBSERVATORY.

From my elevated outlook | have
observed that there has been a com
motion in Cleveland, Ohio, and Viii
lard y. Price Of the Survey Press Bu-
reau supplies an explanation.
The city has gone swat the fly
one better and carried through an
early spring head 'em off campaign,
with results that are nothing less than
sensational. Cleveland has already
been proclaimed 'hyless city 1t is
hardly that yet. But thousands OF
householders have found it possible
to dispense entirely with screens at
doors and windows, and lone fly
creates more excitement now than a
swarm OF flies would have few years
ago. In a recent inspection OF the
city markets, where quantities of meat
and provisions are exposed, only two
tieis were found. Two years ago
there were myriads. The head 'em
OFT campaign was tried last year with
such good effect that this year, with
improved methods and a notable mar
shaling OF forces, the war was still
greater success.
The present attitude Of the COM
munity is pretty well expressed in
this sentence from letter by Mayor
Baker to the city council: The antlhy
campaign is movement of more tar
reaching importance, and more prom
ising OF prolonged life and freedom
from disease than perhaps any other
single activity going forward in the
community From the beginning the
movement has been under the leader
ship OF DR.. Jean Dawson, professor
OF CIVIC biology at the normal school
"a h,1 II
elimination OF breeding places. TO
be sure, hundreds of thousands of flies
have been 'swatted'; but countless
millions have been prevented, which
is better. Miss Dawson began with
the claim that 5000 OF houes flies come
from unclean stables. Owners
throughout the city were forced to
clean up their stables and keep them
clean. Public opinion focused SEN
timent, the board of health passed
rules and the junior sanitary police
saw that they were enforced
The Junior sanitary police are
boys recruited from the 9th, 9TH and
9th grades of the city schools. In
each school district the force is Of
hcered by chief, an assistant chief,
and four inspectors. The principal
OF the school appoints the entire
force. Needless to say, it is consid-
cred no small honor to be appointed
member of the junior sanitary po-
lice. The official badge is priced
highly. The girls have a part, too,
some Of them being made sanitary
aids The school district is sectioned |
OFT, and each member OF the force is |
made responsible for one section. HI
must make regular inspections When
he hnds dirty stable, a rubbish-lilled I
back yard, heap of fermenting lawn
clippings or leaking garbage recep-
tacle he has, of course, no power to
compel the owners to clean IN; but
IN nine cases out OF ten he can per- 1
suade them to do SO. And the chill I
dren are proving splendid educators. /
Now and then persuasion fails and the
abuse is uncorrected. Then the case |
is referred to a boy inspector, and /
later to the boy chief. Ii the cour-
teous efforts of these high officials
also prove unavailing, the report goes
to the board of health, and a threat
OF suit brings the offender sharply
to time. He discovers that the alert
consciousness of whole city is back
Of these badged children. The schools
were further utilized as distributing