Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-05-01

The city-wide spring campaign o
ean-up-paint-up" is a practical AM
an ideal way of putting ones home anC
ones community on dress parade. a,
! it were
| 1t is campaign of preparedness
against disease, of elimination of rub
bish. trash and debris. and of beautif.
| ca ton as far as possible of ones home
surroundings.
| It is a modern educational campaign
| to show the value and beauty of clean
illness and neatness in ones home en-.
vironment
| The beneficial effects of such a cam.
paign are numerous and farreaching.
The moral effect alone is striking. for
| 1T engenders self-reSpect, a sense OF
security and a pardonable pride in the
results of ones own efforts.
AS apparel oft proclaims the man. SC
| likewise do ones home surroundings
oft blazon forth ones character.
If man let's his place run down. his
fences go broken. his yard and lawn get
Uttered up and his house go Imprinted
shows in the man himself. He takes on
a seedy. rundown appearance; he loses
caste among his neighbors: He no
longer counts in his community. He is
la ck1nS IN character. ne stamps
self failure.
But let his place be spick and span,
fences in good order. yard and lawns
neat and clean, shrubbery trimmed
walks we'll kept and house nicely paint
ed; the effects are reflected in the man
himself and are almost magical. His
own self-respect is enhanced. The COM
| munity looks upon him as superior
man, a man of character, with whom
| it is pleasure to do business
CO MI
| point of view. the clean-up-palnt-u up
campaign is equally important. 1t gives
one an early opportunity to get the
| jump on noXious insects and weeds and
to destroy them ute utterly J. before 'hes
1t aims to burn, bury or cart away
/ those rubbish heaps, the useless and
discarded odds and ends and letters OF
| all kinds that have accumulated during
| the winter months and that afford the
| finest kind of breeding places for flies
| and mosquitoes.
1t sees that sewer traps and garbag e
receptacles are properly screened and
cleaned; that water depressions are
| filled and rat holes blocked up, and that
windows and doors are protected with
screens.
OF course, the basic idea of the cam
| paign is to establish permanent and
systematic improvements rather than
to make sporadic efforts at improve
lnent.
In order to make the campaign more
| effective. some definite systematic plan
of action should be pursued This has
been done in Denver and some other
cities. where the clean-up-paint-up
week provides for definite construc-
tive work in cleansing and beautifica-
ton for every day during that week.
as. for instance:
Sunday: Civic uplift in the churches
Monday: Fire prevention day. Rid
ding the house of rubbish. rags and
waste paper.
Tuesday: Cleaning front yard.
Wednesday,: Clearing lawn of weed
pests. trimming shrubbery.
Thursday: Paint day-both for in
side and outside work.
Friday: Back yard day. leaning al
leys, repairing fences, sheds, screening
garbage cans, putting on screens for
windows and doors.
Saturday: Vacant lot day-cleaning
vacant lots and utilizing them for gar
dens and flower plots.
The economic effects of such cam
pagn are well worth considering. They
reduce to minimum dangers from
sickness and disease. They elminat tie
doctors bills, loss of wages and earn
ing power consequent on illness and
impaired health. They increase the
life and value of property. for as a
stitch in time save nine, SO, too. does
q coat of paint save the life and ap-
pearance Of property. So, 200, does a
little attention ada to the attractive
ness of the yards. lawn and walks.
The market value of such property is
greatly enhanced by it's attractive ap-
pearance. Every community where the
homes are neatly kept up, the houses
and fences painted and the grounds in
spick and span condition is its own
best advertisement. Homeseekers and
investors naturally drawn toward
It, They recognize that such a com
munity is progressive: that it is ac-
tuated by enlightened modern ideas
on the value of sanitation. cleanliness
and beauty in the home surroundings.
They recognize it an ideal place in
which to bring up family because the
environments are of the best. There is
no going backward in community of
that kind. Property will always com
mand a premium there.
From every point of view. moral,
sanitary, economic and artistic, the
clean up-paint-up campaign deserves
the hearty support and cooperation of
every citizen throughout the land.
The idea has already taken firm hold
and within the brief period when it
was first launched. two years ago.
more than 5000 cities and towns have
enthusia sticalIy adopted it. 1t is a
hopeful sign of the times. II means
progress. It means safety, it means
preparedness. In word, its benef1cent
purpose Is to aid in the living of one s
life under the most sanitary and agree
bIe physical conditions possible.