Evening star., 1924-05-25
COMMUNITY BETTERMENT
BY FREDERIC J. HASKIN.

Data are being compiled to show
the progress that has beep made in
the community betterment work un-
| der the direction of the federal coun-
| ell of citizenship training. which was
| created by President Harding ten
| months before his death. The report
is in preparation and will be pub
lished in the near future, after it has
been formally approved by the coun-
ell Of which ]. J. Tigert, commissioner
| of education, is chairman, and Mai
c. r. Mann of the War Department
| secretary.
1t will be shown that more than
| half the states are actively Interested
| in the work, and that the movement
gives promise of attaining the pro-
portions of a nationwide drive. An
immediate. tangible result, IL Is said
may be a large increase in the mum.
Der of votes cast at the November
elections, for the duty to vote is be-
ing emphasized as one of the first
obligations of good citizens.
President Harding created the coun-
Gil. II was announced. ito make con-
structive suggestions as to how the
federal offices may cooperate to Sc
cure more effective citizenship train
ing, both in their own work and in
cooperation with all other public and
private agencies throughout the
One of the first things it did was
to prepare q chart showing the activi-
ties of all the federal Offices with
respect to citizenship training and
bureaus to various groups of the pop
ulation. Next 1t prepared a "commu-
nifty score card" setting up general
standards by which any community
| can make a survey of itself and as
certain how it stands in the matter
of the public welfare. This score
card is merely suggestive and COM
munities that take up the work are
urged to modify it whenever 1t may
need of such surveys. as explained by
the council. lies in the fact that citi-
zens generally have indistinct and
inadequate knowledge regarding
many things which affect the life
and welfare of their communities and
make for either good or bad citizen
ship.
President CoolidEcs Appeal.
The council has no authority to i'm
pose anything upon individuals or
communities, and whatever is done
must come about through the efforts
of voluntary organizations that now
exist or may be formed in any COM
munity for this special purpose. 1t
was explained that no attempt was
or to limit the size of the community
to which the score card may be ap-
piled. but that it might be applied to
a rural or urban school system, to
city, county, congressional district.
state, or even larger unit. as might
seem desirable or feasible in any
given case.
To give the movement its second.
ary impetus, President Coolidge last
October addressed q letter to the gov
ernors of all the states, in which he
appealed to them to cooperate with
the federal council. he. ne suggested
committee, similar to the national
body, which should set up community
standards for the state ana work In
an advisory way with civic organiza-
tions in all local communities that
might be interested.
TO date favorable responses have
been received from some twenty-five
states. Wisconsin Is said to have
taken up the work n,p most agghessiyeiy :. we
any other state. A commission has
been named there that has worked
out a score card especially adapted to
urban groups and peter teri, cities it,s
contest
stantial prizes for the smaller city
and the larger city that makes the
best showing. This contest will be
opened in June and will run for the
period Of one year. AZ yet tit II Is s.i not
the competition, but the interest
manifested indicates that the spirit
OF rivalry is keen throughout the
state.
How to Score q Community.
Making a survey of a community,
or scoring it. is done by some exist
ing organization, such as a chamber
of commerce, or by a committee Gre
ated by the people interested in the
project The federal council suggests
only that there should be enough peo-
pie engaged In the work to make 1t
thorough and not burdensome to the
individual worker, and that the un-
dertaking be given the widest possi-
BILE publicity so that every person in
the community will know what Is go
ing on, and why.
&ha counodl,G Acore -cards,hRA ,heAp