Arizona republican., 1919-11-05
ARIZONA OVER ALL
WORLD IS PUBLICITY
SAYS PRIZE THEME

a campaign for nation wide publicity
is what Arizona most needs according
to Raymond Blount, high school senior
who would have the people organize
and boost the virtues of the baby state
Young Blount was awarded the blue
ribbon for the best original theme on
What Arizona Most Needs The
theme judged from the standpoint of
composition, thought and appearance
of the manuscript follows:
What Arizona Most Needs
Although Arizona is greatly in need
of many things, the need of nation
wide publicity of her virtues is by far
the greatest. This subject of publicity
should be discussed freely in order to
get the subject before the people so
that they may organize and boost a
successful campaign. AS the general
idea of the west among eastern people
is erroneous, it is our purpose to cor
rect any such errors, and to give them
definite and pleasing impression OF
Arizona. In this respect Arizona is
somewhat behind other states; but if
such campaign is rightly conducted,
great results can be accomplished
The east does not seem to realize
that the west, at least that portion Of
it which has not been brought to their
attention, has advanced in civilization
as the rest of the country has. There
are many reasons for this, the creates,
being that the west is miserepresented.
The motion pictures misrepresent Ari-
iona. They feature the Wild and
Woody West" the bloody Indians, the
raid, the massacre, and the constant
| unrest of the pioneer. They never, or
the prosperous. Although people do
not believe what they see in the movies
their ideas are somewhat influenced.
Curios brought home by tourists
strengthen this belief, as they are usu-
| ally Indian curois, or specimens of des-
ert life. The tourist is apt to tell about
the characteristic Arizona desert, and
exaggerate the summer heat to the ex-
clusion of more pleasant things The
papers and magazines greatly exagge-
rate. The magazine stories are as
much responsible for misrepresenta-
ton as the moving pictures are.
The correction of any smisrepresenta-
ton that may exist, and the publicity
| of the various industries and oppor-
tunities in Arizona will produce many
| advantages. Such an advertising sys-
! tenn will let it be known that there is
agricultural land in Arizona. 1t will
publish the kind of land, the location,
the crops and the prosperity of the
community. This will bring in people
interested in agriculture. If the re-
liability of the advertising is assured,
it will bring in capital. Eastern men
learning about Arizona will finance ir-
r1gation projects and mining under
| takings, invest in stock and loan
money, thus aiding in the prosperity
OF the state. These people and their
money would be boosters for such i'm
provements as good roads and better
schools. The railroad officials in the
east would realize the need of better
railroad service throughout Arizona.
Tourists would be interested in the adj
vertising of the interesting points of
the state, among them the Grand Can
yon, the Petrified Forest Roosevelt
dam, San Xaxier mission. Casa Grande
ruins, Cliff Dwellings, and many other
scenic and historic centers.
| The campaign to put before the ma.
| tlon the facts concerning Arizona
should be conducted in every possible
manner. Every person in the state
should be behind the movement boost
ing. individuals should, when thew
write to their friends, mention new
! buildings, good crops, price of land
ana the prosperity of the country.
! They should send pictures of schools
churches, crops, and, in every way pos
sible help to let their friends know
what kind of a land they live in. The
various chambers of commerce should
! provide literature to be used by the
| public for mailing to their friends.
These organizations should advertise
to answer any questions by outside
/ people. They should aid in the bring
ing in of desirable people and money.
so as TO increase the prosperity of the
state. Newspapers should publish, as
| they do, unexaggerated boosting num-
oers which should be mailed by their
subscribers to outside people. Articles
should, when possible, be published in
national papers and magazines. See
! ing is believing; so one of the most
convincing methods of advertising is
the motion pictures. or picture slides
! to be used in the picture theater. II
producers would organize more com
pletely and market their products un.
der one brand which is highly adver-
tised, the benefit would be great from
both the financial and publicity stand
point.
II such campaign was entered into
by sufficient number of enthusiastic
people, the nation would soon know
what Arizona really is like. They
would know whether or not thew
wished to settle or invest in Arizona.
1t has been done by other states. 1t
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