The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1913-06-22
PROGRAM FOR Village BETTERMENl

The average village should have n good
engineer and architect go over the vii
LACE with a view to adopting Village
PLAN of some sort. Time should be
taken by the forelock and roads cut, open
spaces laid out, building standards adopt
ed, &C., before the village becomes the
town and the town merges into the city.
What crimes against municipal art and
beauty could have been saved this nation
by a few weeks-even days-of thoughtful
Village planning when our cities were
young,
Village administration is a one-man job.
IL there ever was one. Get n good village
clerk, pay him a decent salary, and let
him be at his desk all day long, every
day in the year. Half the inefficiency and
waste in village government is due TO
lack of information. following the part
time" evil. With a wide-awake. capable
administrative oficer keeping the village
books up to date and having a constant
eye on the community's affairs, the
chances for steals" slipshod finance.
&C., will be reduced to a minimum
The health problem in villages Is not
SO much the framing of new health codes
OF the adoption of the latest wrinkles in
public health work as 1t is in the enforce
ment of such rules as do exist, with ad-
dition of special regulations only where
odical testing of milk. the inspection Of
diaries and of food shops. sanitary dis
posal of garbage, and the screening of
stables can probably easily be read
into the existing sanitary code. The do
ing away with cesspools and privies de-
ponds upon sewerage facilities, and must
be a step contingent upon the extension
OF the drainage system.
Control I'm Recreation.
Above all, there must be instilled into
villages an appreciation of the dangers
which neglect of sanitary precautions and
careless living brings to all persons OF
all classes. The idea of the public health
standard as transcending the private
health standard must be developed, as
must likewise the habit of perfect and
absolute publicity of health facts. Health
maps, health lectures, bulletins, visits by
State authorities-all are needed to as
sist in dispelling this portion of the gen.
eral pail of village inertia.
Socially. the crying need of the village
is systemized, sane recreation. This Is
required primarily as a balancing
force against the village saloon. Athletic
fields and clubs, with contests free from
professionalism, are wanted here as no
where else; for. contrary to belief, the
nearness of the country does not appeal
to the average village youth, as he has
the delusion of sophistication, and is more
likely to haunt the poolroom than to ex-
plore the rural byways in his spare hours.
Recreation centers-free from sectarian
infiuence-are badly needed, and most OF
all a live" supervisor who can show
people how to amuse themselves. A mu-
nicipal moving picture show offers in
many particulars the best solution Of the
afternoon and evening problem.
In conclusion, the village problem Of
fers one further suggestion: Cannot the
State organize its villages. stir them into
active life, make them keep awake. clean
and efficient? Cannot each commonwealth
"standardize' village improvement in all
particulars-create a Village reference
bureau" il need be? Inasmuch as the
village is the recruiting station for the
city, the earlier the State teaches its
citizens the modern lessons of efficient
and enlightened self-goverment and pro-
gressive social action, the easier will be
the task when the larger units of gov
eminent are concerned. And the gain will
| be that OF all the citizens of the State,
] even those of the entire nation.