The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1919-10-16
GOOD WORK OF CLUB.
The Civic Betterment Club, as Its
Name Implies, Labors for the
Good of Community.
Hereunder is Synopsis of the Work
1t Has Accomplished Since
It Was Organized.

In view of the fact that public
speaker in addressing an audience here
in Princeton a few days ago saw fit
to make slurring remarks about the
organization Of women known as the
Civic Betterment club of Princeton, it
seems advisable at this time to call
to the attention of the public some Of
the many things accomplished by this
organization.
While the people of Princeton quite
generally know and respect he-object
and work of this club, there may be
some who, knowing nothing about the
club, may naturally have gained an
erroneous idea of the work it is doing.
The Civic Betterment club does not
claim to be religious organization.
Each church has it's women's society
which, rightly enough, works for and
upholds the principles of it's church.
But in each community there needs to
be an organization which furnishes
common meeting and working ground
for all the women in the community
regardless of their differing faiths and
creeds.
It was for this purpose that the Civic
Betterment club was formed, and
surely in the work it has performed it
has always born out it's name.
The club has always, endorsed ana
worked for any health program, par
ticularly where it concerns the chill
dren. In the spring Of 1917, when
"Baby Week" was observed all over
the state, the club held a clinic for
two ys,-having fine exhibit which
filled an entire store building and
which it had taken much time. and
trouble to secure. It had also a baby
specialist to lecture and demonstrate
The club has been working for some
time to create interest in a public
health nurse which our Red Cross
chapter has just voted to secure for
the county.
When the County Health association
held baby meeting here two weeks
ago the assistants-aside from the
nurses-were all Civic club members.
An efficient charity committee in
vestigates all cases Of want brought
to the attention of the club which pro-
vides temporary help of all kinds I'M
til the cases can be turned over to the
proper authorities. The club has fur
nished clothes,-sometimes to an en-
tire fanily,-food and money where
necessary. 1t has paid to have wash
ing done in cases of illness. The men,
bers have even given baths to little
children and have otherwise helped to
clean up homes of want where filth
was a large factor to be combatted.
They have been the means of having
a number of little children receive
much-needed medical and surgical at
tention.
The club set in motion the ma
chinery of law that placed in a state
institution the unfortunate little chill
dren Of a mother untitled to care for
them. "
The club has labored to have the
truancy law enforced, supplying
clothes where that is found to be the
obstacle which prevents any child at
tending school. g..
The club stands back of any move
ment which makes for better movies.
It has financed number of purely
children's plays filmed fairy stories.
It has distributed seeds to the school
children and awarded prizes for the
resultant vegetables at the county
fair.
At the request of the club the
schools here last spring observed
Kindness to Animals Week." the club
furnishing the necessary literature.
The club supplied ten of the twenty
five dollars necessary each month for
the maintenance of our public library
during the first year of it's existence
and has given varying sums of money
for the library since that time.
For four years the club has superin-
tended the upkeep Of the cemetery
task that requires much time and en-
ergy.
It was at the request of the club
that the Great Northern railway COM
pany made cinder crosswalk and
parking place at the depot. The COM
pany has also promised further i'm
provements.
The club has not confined it's ac-
tivities to local affairs entirely. It
has upheld the name of Princeton in
state and national affairs wherever
called upon to do 80.
It inaugurated the campaign for