Detroit tribune. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1933-1933, 1933-08-19
The Aims And
Achievement of The
w. S. Improvement
Asso c iati o n

The West Side improvement
Association Is purely civic or
ganizatior. non-political and non
denominati0nal. established in
April 1926 by group OF the Race
who saw the need OF such an or
ganization on the west side OF the
city which was al that time rapid
ly undergoing an increase In its
Negro population. AZ first the AS
sociation confined itself 10 the
purpose OF exhorting the new
neighborhood representation to-
wards either improving their new :
ly acquired property or, at least.
maintaining the property in the
state in which II was purchased.
In this direction the Association
took an active part ir the annual
Clean Up and Paint Up Week
and in various other campaigns Of
a property Improvement character
With the accruing years bringing
a large influx OF the Race
with widely divergent interests.
the Association was forced to ex
tend it's aims and detectives from
the mere compreher sion OF the
esthetic TO that OF the more and
more civic in cope, social in aspect
and economic by necessity.
Here is "A review OF what has
been accomplished along those
lines:
!. The West Side Improvement
Association petitioned the Common
Council for the paving OF Cobb
Place. Moore Place. and Scoyel
Place: the widering OF Milford
Avenue; the placing OF additional
street lights on Bangor Street
and the municipal upkeep of park
on Woodrow Avenue II followed
these projects 10 their successful
conclusion.
, The West Side improvement
Association gave its support to the
federal loan on the soldiers bonus
by its cOrtinOus communication
with Senator James Couzens and
Congressman Clarence J Mcleod
during the discussion In Congress
al Washington.
g. The West Side Improvement
Association in 1892 donated $1,000
to the school system for lurches
for undernourished school chill
dren aud distributed II baskets OF
groceries 10 the more needy fami
lies of the community although Il
is not primarily a charity organi-
zation.
T. The West side Improvement
Association has always interested
itself IN all cases brought to It's
attention of inefficient or brutal
police treatment. such as the un-
warranted treatment OF the Flcm-
Ing brothcrs and the case OF Henry
Shepherd
q. The West Side Improvement
Association secured openings as
clerks in the neighborhood chair
stores which has since spread to I
other neighborhoOds throughout
the city Most recently it has
secured the placing OF coIored
Walter r. Pettiford. in
the krOgtr store on lieechwood |
and Milford Avenues. and the
plncing Of Il colorcd girl, Miss Nir
ginia Nurse. as clerk in the Ruby |
store on Warner Avenue near 2Sth
Street. II has done these things
and at the same time boosted the
independent Race merchants aud
Race professional men. It's annual
business mems meeting is proof Of
this fact
The West Side Improvement "A
sOciation Is making IA serious II
fort at present 20 secure employ
ment for members OF our group 10
Tho public utility corporations
which have q complete monopoly on
furnishing necessities such as
light and heat to all of the people
The club believes that these cor
porations should recognize all Of
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