Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1919-01-09
COUNTRY COMMUNITIES SCORE
THEMSELVES FOR SELF I'M
PROvEMENT.

people themselves, for their homess |
churches, schools, and neighborhood |
activities.
And then imagine such a commu-
nifty calling in each rural organiza-
ton specialists to judge it, to COM
pare its condition with that Of the pre-
vious year, to show wherein it has |
improved and wherein ithas comeback |
ward, and finally to write out pre-
scription for its next years efforts
toward the goal of sflore satisfy
ing country life.'
The idea is not only new but full
of promise. So far as is known
nothing so definite along community
improvement lines had ever before
been attempted until it fell to the lot
Of West Virginia under the auspices
of the farm bureaus and the Agri-
cultural Extension Department, Nor
gantown, to blaze the way. West
Virginia already has three such COM
munities; one at Grangeville in Mar
ion County, one at Saltwell, Harrison
County, and the other at Martha,
Cabell County.
These communities have commu-
nifty score card and the recent visit
of the organization experts showed
gain of IL points for Grangeville, II
points for Saltwell, and loss Of Z
points for Martha over their scores
Of last year. That they still have q
good way to 60 is show by their
scores Of 734, 620, and 742 respec.
lively on q basis Of 1000 as perfect.
How some of the improvements were
made is not only interesting but sug-
gestive to other communities inter-
ested n rural improvement.
Grangeville at its annual meeting
of community leaders was awarded
two points for the absence of gaudy
and ugly advertisement signs, whe'.
after Investigation it was shown that
a committee from it's community club
under the leadership of w. 7. Sturm
had been vigorously and effectively
discouraging the establishment of
such eyesores within the community
| limits.
Two and-one-haf additional points
were allowed for the improvement of
the school course of study, including
the use of Focusing in the Commu-
nitl" as text book in civics; one for
| better housekeeping resulting from
the activities of the farm women's
club; one for new silos built; one
for extension and Improvement in
the rural telephone system.
| Saltwell community gained one
point because of better lighting and
lheating in the church; four points
from the increased use of the school
building for regular school work and
as social center; one point from the
installation of bathrooms, running
water in kitchen and other home con-
veniences; three points for better
farming; two points for the develop
ment of community club, and two
for increased activity of young peo-
pie in high school work. But all was
not gain. The community suffered a
loss amounting to two points brought
about by the citizens through neg
ligence in matters of government
and lack of interest in elections.
To say that the people of these
communities are wide awake to the
value, of community development
work is to repeat common place
They go after community improve
ment to get results. The commune
,, ties have now in active operation def.
initely organized activities for doing
, still better things during the coming
year and thus earn still larger scores
when surveyed again in the fall Of
/, | 1919. They are not trusting to gooc
: luck and the weather to improve then
!, respective situations but have taker
matters in hand in a characteristic
and businesslike manner. That theil
activities will result in making theil
respective communities better places
: in which to live cannot be doubted.
On January first the partial de.
mobilization of the Food Administra
ton will very materially reduce the
working force at state headquarters
! E. w. Oglebay, Federal Food Admin
istrator for West Virginia has beer
asked by the authorities at Washing
!. ton to dismiss all paid workers al
state headquarters, but to retain The
services of the voluntary workers in
GLIDING County Food Administrators
: and as skeleton organization to con
: tinue the enforcement of price reg
ulations and to prevent profiteerine
in food products, ad to form a basi.
OF new organization should futur,
requirements demand it.