The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1914-05-08
Success Of i the "studyA America"
Idea Proved.
LEADS TO BIGGER THINGS.
From Weekly Readings tho Members
Activities Grew Until Entire Local
Administration Was Enlisted Ia One
Case-committees Formed

Value distinct from ever the most per
feet theory it may be we'll to tell how
first the women and then the men and
women Of one town inaugurated civic
work. says iona Gale in a pamphlet on
town Improvement. This town is one
Of G,OOO inhabitants. and the initial
step was taken by a woman's club,
which gave over studying foreign
places and decided to study America
At first one hour OF each weekly
meeting was given to a paper and read
ings by a club member on some phase
of present day America. and twenty
minutes to a discussion Of the present
working out of some civic or social
problem looking to the future Of Amer
lea. The latter included news about
conservation and reclamation. the na-
tionaI fight for health. pure food. play.
peace. eugenics. equal suffrage. work
mems compensation laws. children's
gardens, tuberculosis prevention, uaod-
ern prison methods. public fountains
Then something became evident
which was a kind Of revelation about
civilization. 1t was found that as these
matters Of national Importance came
up for consideration most of them had
a distinctly local application.
1.-THE Playground al q Part Of the
Graded School Course of instruction"
called for a discussion Of the need and
expense of a local playground. Con
servation and Reclamation brought
on questions about curb tree planting
and parking and the local ordinances
about cutting down and replacing.
"Jails and Lockups' resulted in an In
vestigation of the local jail and Gala
boose bedding and the local. mode Of
procedure when boy offenders are
brought before a justice. 1.-THE Drana-
Modern Dramatic Aims and Methods"
was made to include 1.-THE Waters
Offerings In Small Towns and How to
Get Better Plays" and Local Nickel
Theaters." 10 "Women In Industry"
was added women In Local Indus
try-Hours. Rules. Wages" "Parks"
suggested the possible Development
of two local vacant triangles and theie
appropriation to the common 8
1t vas the incongruity Of a small
club with q limited membership coz
sidering alone problems which directly
interested O.OOO folk which led to the
next step.
The club called a general meeting OF
all the women interested in town de-
velopmemnt. Every wOman's club was
invited. and a general invitation was
extended through the papers. The
meeting was. held at the city hall, aud
these were asked to be present and tn
speak as follows: -
The city health officer, to explain the
vital need Of sewerage and the desira-
bility' Of a 'garbage disposal system
and what practical means could I've
used to get both.
The school superintendent. to tell Of
the advantages Of manual training and
domestic science in the local schools
The art teacher in the schools. to ten
how the local school grounds could he
i~nexpens've'y improved and made beaa-
tiful. II ~
"A woman who loves gardens. to teu
Of the JOY in gardens and In planted
spaces. '""
A club member to tell of the work
Of the American Civic association and
Of the work Of ebildren's gardens and
the penny seed. packages.
A woman interested in pure milk. to
tell Of the dangers of tuberculosis ex-
listing in ~uninspected herds and how q
town can 80 about securing the tuber-
culin test Of it's cows In order to know
of the purity Of its milk supply.
Organization was effected in March.
and in three months the following had
been accomplished:
The sanitary committee had inter
viewed the milkmen at a meeting ca1-
ed by the committee and had aNcer-
tained how to secure the tuberculin
test. The milkmen were willing to
have the test made and to pay for It
themselves. and the matter was pre-
cipitated hy the owner Of q large hefd
engaging a veterinarian to come to
make the test, and finding In the herd
three badly infected cows. All tie
large local herds were inspected. but
the effort to secure an ordnance N-
quirIng the test semiannually. % It
should be administered. was postponed
In the hope that this will soon be n
guired by statute. 4M
The streets and alleys committeeNhad
secured q Glenn up day named BY tho
mayor. previous to. which a subcommit-
tee was named ~to..report the Sidewalks
not cleaned Of snow.
The children's auxiliary COMMITTEES
had distributed 1900 penny packages
Of flower and vegetable seeds and had
offered s25 worth:o prizes to the cht-
dren for flowers !entered In a nower
and vegetable show announced foe
September.
These were mere beginnings. but q
them the work was launched and Efv-
en- an impetus that made permanencs
a certainty. 81.
aA 90 81 49, "a 10 80 81 REIa