Milford chronicle., 1913-11-28
SOCIAL SERVICE IN MILFORD.
(READ BEFORE THE NEW CENTURY CLUB
BY MRS JAMES p. LOFLAND.)


/ BY MRS JAMES p. LOFLAND.)
If the town in which one lives fails to
awaken a certain essential amount of
/ civic pride in its citizens, that town will,
perhaps, endure; but it certainly cannot
| flourish nor become beautiful and attract
i've.
We must progress even in order to
stand still. Lack of effort and interest,
and even too easy a sense of satisfaction
in what already exists, will eventually
spell stagnation and deterioration
The desires of the townspeOple put into
action manifest themselves in the town.
| Milford, in a business sense, has no rival
or close competitor in the State south OF
| Wilmington The representative men
| here are ambitious and successful money
makers, and for that very reason, If for
no other, their town should be well or
dered and suitably equipped with the pub
| lie buildings and institutions that one
would naturally expect to find here.
! Before considering acquisitions, how
ever the daily mistakes and weary Gus
toms should be eradicated or rectihed.
| To be concrete and specific, the annoy
! ing custom of burning leaves in the pub
/ lie streets should be done away with. l
mention this, because it has been done
/ for weeks past, this season, on such
! large scale that scarcely thoroughtare
/ has been free from the sitting odOr Like
everything in nature these falling leaves
may be put to good Use. When possible
to leave them undisturbed, they promote
the growth of the tree or plant from
which they fall-when this, however, IS
impracticable they may be removed
mixed with soil and used to benefit vege-
tation elsewhere.
The sewerage system, l am told, IS IN
a most uuhygienic state. 1t goes with
out saving, that this should be promptly
corrected.
The Dernicious practice of hitching
teams on either side of the principal
business streets on Wednesdays and Sat
urdays should be strictly prohibited.
/ aside from forming grave annoyance
to those unfortunate enough to have their
| homes in the business district, they are
serious incumbrauce to traffic and not
| infreq&ently Jeopardize life Suitable pro-
vision should be made for these teams
and the fabmers should be compelled to
avail themselves oft.
| A public library is certainly an urgent
and vital project, and the absence OF one
/ is really a disgrace to a town OF Milford
years and population, In the calm en-
! iovment of our own well equipped II
| braries, we should most assuredly not
ignore the needs of those who are less
| fortunate Public schools and libraries
are ear-marks of civilization. No town
is allowed to foregO the privileges OF the
! former, and the latter, toot Will prooa-
bly, become a compulsory institution IN
the march of progress.
I feel in a measure apologetic and pre-
sumptuous in calling attention to ms
takes made and improvements needed IN
/ Milford, as you are all perhaps Detter
aware of them than I, But my atten-
ton has been called to the incumbent
necessity for a hospital here. When we
are we'll we dislike the bother of provis-
ion sor a time when we are not. Only
when confronted by expediency for ac
tiou can our interests and efforts be
brought to bear upon the matter. Where
could a stranger in this town attacked
bv a contagious disease be accommoda-
ted and cared for? How can the poverty
stricken negro recover from illness IN
squalid unsanitary quarters? And the
sick negroes when not properly cared
for are a menace to all of us, being IN
most of our homes and forming / am
told about third Of the population. We
wish to elevate theyn to a certain extent,
and it is Imperative that we should have
healthy bodies to experiment upon. we
cannot expect the habits of people
taken from Vo,1iooism and Canabalism
hut a few centI5lies ago to coincide en-
tirelv with our Heas. They are a charge
and as such A'hst be looked after II Tor
no more ,vort-v motive at least for self
protection. M
Emergency cases arising from serious
accidents G., hr more frequently in Mil
ford perlsr,S, than in any town on the
Peuinsuls,, and it is unfair to cast what
should b. he burden of the many on the
few. The hdigent poor are human beings,
and thosl of us better supplied with TINS
worlds blessings, should make 1t our
busiues)eo render life more comfortable,
and at oYeast possible for them when we
NAV. X hospital would be an incentive
for tho9e wishing to make medicine their
profession 10 specialize. And without
specialization, there can be but little COM
petence or success in this day, Opera
tions( badly needed could be performed
for The people in the surrounding coun-
trv.{ where now the expense of removing
these patients to distant city accompan-
led jbv physicians and friends, deters them
aud fhus causes unnecessary loss OF Life.
Milford is a town noted for its beautiful
laId attractive homes, which implies, at
least. a beginning of the proper civic
shirt II we are able to prevent calain-
ities and promote the growth of the town
i've should exert ourselves to do 1t.
\ It is exceedingly proper that charity
{ should begin at home, but it should moi
} be confined there.