Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1917-06-11
FOR SPRING CLEANUP.
Some Useful Suggestions For improv-
ina Civic Conditions.

fHJ OlsiS
Bruce Barton, editor OF the Buffalo
Courier, publishes some suggestions In
his paper that have more than a local
value and are rs follows.
There are two ways to keep Il man
out of the mud, SO some one has said.
One is to punish him IL he steps in.
The other Is to black his boots.
You. have read a great deal about
how man can change his environ
ment Have you ever stepped to think
how tremendously the environment can
change the man?
We think Of the Greeks as creators OF
wonderful statuary. 1t would be equal
" true in Il sense to say that it was
the wonderful statuary that created the
Greeks
1t was the influence of those statues
Of big, muscular men and beautiful wo-
men forever before their eyes that In
spired the Greeks to build themselves
up toward physical perfection.
Hypnotic man. dirty his face and
hands and dress him in ragged clothes
What happens?
Instinctively he sIouches: his actions
become furtiyc, sloyenly; his soul takes
Oh the color Of his hands.
Dress him in a soldiers uniform,
and with no other suggestion his shout
ders straightcn.
Dress him like a gentleman, and his
every movement betrays an increased
self respect.
What Is true Of men Is true also OF
organizations.
I know Il certain church that was IN
the duInps--no enthusiasm. no spirit,
no pride. everybody hopeless.
And some amateur psychologist with
little extra money determined to
make an experiment
At his own expense he treated the
church building TO two coats Of paint
The transforming influence Of that
paint was little short of miraculous.
Members for the first time IN their
lives began to feel n little pride In their
church, and. feeling pride IN It, they
wanted to do something for 1t. Out
Of the pride came effort, and ont OF
effort enthusiasm, and out OF enthn-
slasm new life for an organization that
was almost dead
| know town where the board of
trade never met except to attend IN a
body the funeral OF member. No
new industries came TO that town; peo-
Die went elsewhere to trade. II was
rolling down hill with the clutch
thrown out and both brakes broken.
And somebody started spring clean
M CAMPAIGN. Men who had never
done anything ut all for the town rot
out and worked together on the streets
Little children competed for the tin
can prize and swatied the fly with a
crusader enthusiasm.
Wien that clean M campaign was
done II had created a momentum that
simply could not be stilIed Citizens
who had cleaned street for the town
wanted to do something else. The
whole community began to be rcrre.
atcd because 1t had washed its face
and BACKED It's boots
For your own sake this spring 40 out
and clean up something, paint az
something anything.
Quit spanking the children for tramp
Ing mud into the house. Make the
house shine. and they will want 90
take of their shoes and enter In stock.
ing feet.
Quit scolding about your town for It's
lnck OF spirit. Get It clean for once
and see what happens.
Paint the fence In front OF your
house.
And surprising thing VIII occur.
Every time you pass II III the morn
ing on your way 10 work you VIII 10
10 pleased with yourself that the whole
'lay win go better.
would not be surprised II that feel
Ing of self satisfaction would actually
register itself IA your income.
II you want to lift yourself ont Of
the mud
Now's the time this spring. Black
your boots
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