Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 19??-1918, 1916-03-23

10 Guard tho Tress and Flowers Of
Park and Street and Should Form
tabi. Of Keeping surroundings Neat
and Clean. Ff
By CLINTON ROGERS WOODRUFF.
Secretary National Municipal league
please pick up that Newspaper you
have Just thrown away" said one man
TO another at Jackson and Biddle
streets. ia Milwaukee, one morning,
"whyf'
III you don't pick II up l VIII"
The man who had tossed his morn.
Ing paper Into the gutter near the
courthouse thought moment and then
retrieved the tightly twisted paper from
the street. He thought a moment and
then put Il Ia his pocket.
again ask why you made this re-
quest" he said.
II ask II OF you as one citizen has a
right TO ask OF another citizen Of our
city," was the response. Have you
not seen the articles In the newspapers
about this being the first OF three
cleaning daysT'
The man who had tossed his paper
In the street admitted that he had. but
declared that no thought one more
newspaper added to the thousands
blowing around the streets would
make but little difference. Then the
man who had requested that the paper
be picked up introduced himself as the
health commissioner OF the city. The
two men shook hands, and the com
missioner obtained warm ally In the
clean city" movement,
"wednesday IL 10 be children's
day" said he. according 10 the report
In n lmal paper with the aid OF the
children we win attack the loose paper
problem aud make that special issue
on "Wednesday. Through the pupils
Of the schools we hope to gather up
every bit OF loose paper flying around
the streets aud end Its power OF doing
damage to the health and beauty OF
our city.
when we have the city thoroughly
cleaned we must NIL assist constantly In
keeping It clean. Papers and rubbish
must not be tossed into the air TO be
blown into our neighbor's yard. be-
cause the next change OF wind may NOT
only give back 10 us all the old stun
we have thrown away. but much more
for good measure"
| II, however the health commissioner
had stopped with his plans for a "cleai'
up day" he would have done n piece
OF work Of only moderate very moder'
ate. importance. for spasmodlc Efforts
ut cleanliness are soon over and soon
forgotten. II Is the habit OF cleanli'
ness that counts. and II Is this which
farseeing social workers are trying II
inculcate. Carol Aronoyici formerly
director OF the bureau Of social re-
search Of Rhode Island and now sec
retary Of the Philadelphia Suburban
Housing association. with the coop
eration OF the state department Of eiu
cation, has sought to accomplish this
end through the organization OF the
school children as 'civic guards"
Il Is the legal duty Of the teacher t.
instruct pupils in moral conduct This
Is the idea at the basis OF the effort
as described by the Philadelphia com
missioner Of public schools. Walter u
Ranger. and In his Judgment TO no 9th
or instruction are they more respon
sive. Az a practical example Of sucf
trimming, children may well be taugh
to help guard the trees and tlowers o.
park and street and keep places clear
for the sake OF public health and beau
ty. II is In such service that th,
school may bc accounted a civic guard
In oil activities Of the school II should
be remembered that the school ~ al
ready organized for public service
Each school Is q unit Of town or cit,
system and part Of civic institu
ton. II cannot be made a subordinat,
part OF any private organization, how
ever beneiicent. II owes its frst allie
glance TO city state and nation. Al
every resident Ia a citizen OF his towi
or city, 80 every pupil, as citizen o
bis school. In entitled to an equality o
opportunity In the life OF the school
For these reusons the formation o
clubs and societies among pupils, no
directly by the school and tending 4
disorgonize the school itself. seems I'm
necessary
Let the school. ns whole. nssum,
Its civic duties. cooperate with othe
public agencies and let every pupl
share IN ts civic nims. For spccia
ends the school win properly have u
groups or committees Of pupils. bu
they viii serve IN the name Of III
school
lloys and girls are not always care
ful about the schoolyard, nor are the,
careful about the streets which lea
from their homes to school. Pcrhnp
they would not he 40 careless u the
realized TINT the street Is the halwn,