The Complete Club Book for Women. Caroline French Benton
here the first pamphlet mentioned at the close of this article should be read), each item on the list may be taken up and really mastered in its every detail; committees should be appointed for each.
The question of roads and pavements may come first. What is their condition?
The yards of the place may come next. Are they in good order? Are the alleys clean? Is the garbage well taken care of? Does the town need a "clean-up" day? Is the sewerage system in good order? Is the town water pure? Discuss the milk supply. A committee should inspect the dairies.
Parks and playgrounds are subjects which will bring up many questions. Are they well cared for and attractive? Are there any playgrounds for children? Have they swings, parallel bars and the like? Is there a supervisor?
Next the town schools; members should be appointed to visit each school and carefully go over it. Are there vines, flowers and grass around the building?
Are there cheap theaters in town? Are the shows clean? Do children patronize them? Is the theater building sanitary? Have a committee unannounced attend some performance.
Is there a hotel in town? Is it a clean, well-kept place? Are there saloons, and, if so, do they in any way evade the law? Are they loafing places?
Is the railroad station attractive? Is there any one in charge of the waiting-room? Is the town jail sanitary? How is the poorhouse managed?
Are there tenements? Are they sanitary? How many churches are there and in what financial condition? Is there a town library? Is it up-to-date? Is there any town nuisance, such as soft coal smoke or malodorous factories? Are advertisements painted on rocks or put up in fields?
These are only suggestions as to lines of investigation. When finally the needs and shortcomings of the town are known to all, practical work to improve conditions may be undertaken.
The best plan is to get a few of the many books on town betterment and read them before any reform is undertaken. In addition to readings from these, and papers showing what has been done in other towns on similar lines specialists should be asked to speak to the club, and the public invited to hear them. For instance, a professor from the nearest agricultural college may lecture on pure milk; on water supply the town engineer may speak; on the question of bettering the public schools the state superintendent may be invited. It is better to spend a whole club year in study and accomplish only one practical work for the town betterment, than enthusiastically to begin on a dozen lines and yet really gain nothing substantial in the end.
When at last, the town is clean and sanitary, and the improvements made which have been outlined, then, and not till then, some of the interesting new lines of social service may be studied and put in practice.
And first, a charity organization should be founded, no matter how small the town may be. All the churches and every individual should work in coöperation with it.
After this, if there are mills in the place these may be visited, and with the consent of the owners night schools and recreation centers of all kinds for the employees may be established.
Another committee may get new books for the town library.
Medical and dental inspection of school children will also be of value, and the town doctors will aid in it.
Pure food should certainly be studied, with investigations and recommendations of clean markets and groceries.
Child welfare is a most important subject. Fresh air funds, children's summer camps, the prevention of infant mortality, children's clinics and the like will grow out of its study.
Child labor comes in this connection. If there are mills or canneries near by, it must be seen that the state laws are enforced there. The state care of the defective child should be studied.
What can be done to rid the town of flies and mosquitoes in summer? As to the schools, cannot manual and vocational training be secured? Are open-air schools needed? Cannot music and art be better taught? Is there any place in town which affects good morals?
Is it possible to establish a rest room for farmers' wives who come to town? Are coffee rooms needed to supplant the saloon?
Remember that children are always delighted to help in community improvement, and will investigate conditions as to alleys, playgrounds, or help clean up the town.
Much legislation on many of the topics will come up. A lawyer may be asked to come into the club and talk about the state laws, child labor, or any of the other subjects under discussion. Indeed college professors, school superintendents and teachers, settlement workers, physicians, clergymen, librarians, mill owners, theatrical managers and editors may all be asked to help on this great work of community improvement, and they will be found to respond gladly. The whole population will gradually be drawn into touch and made to assist in the great project of transforming the home town into an ideal spot in which to live and bring up a family.
Among the many books to be had are these:
"Knowing One's Own Community," Carol Aronovici. Social Service Series, Bulletin 20 (National Municipal-League Series, Appleton); "The Country Town," W. L. Anderson (Doubleday, Page & Co.); "Village Improvement," Parris T. Farwell (Sturges and Walton); "Re-planning Small Cities," John Nolen (B. W. Huebsch); "American Municipal Progress," Chas. Zeublin (Macmillan Co.); "The Improvement of Towns and Cities," C. M. Robinson (Putnam); "American City Government," Chas. A. Beard (Century Co.); "American Playgrounds," E. B. Mero (American Gymnasia Co., Boston); in the Woman's Citizens' Library, edited by Shailer Matthews, there are excellent articles on most of the above topics. (Civics Society, Chicago.) Bulletins of Department of Social and Public Service are excellent. (American Unitarian Association, 25 Beacon St., Boston.)
"Social Forces," Miss L. E. Stearns. (Capitol Bldg., Madison, Wis.) Remarkable list of books on all subjects needed.
American Civics Association; pamphlets on all subjects needed. (Union Trust Bldg., Washington, D. C.)
There are many magazines dealing with out-of-door life which have articles on good roads, tree planting, gardens and playgrounds. Survey has others on child welfare in all its aspects, settlement work, etc. The Chicago and New York Schools of Philanthropy also have pamphlets, and will send any information.
CHAPTER III
A Study of the American Colonies
To study the American colonies thoroughly clubs should spend twenty or more meetings upon them. There is abundant material suggested here to enlarge the ten meetings outlined to that many at the very least.
The best way to arrange the club work is to give at least four meetings to Virginia, four to New England, two or three to New Netherlands and two to each of the other important colonies.
In preparing papers, see "The Thirteen Colonies," by Helen A. Smith (Putnam), "Romance of American Colonization," by William E. Griffis (Wilde), and the series on the colonies, one volume on each, by John Fiske (Houghton Mifflin Co.). See also the first part of "America," by H. Butterworth (The Page Company).
Before beginning the study of the first colony, Virginia, there should be one meeting on the England of that time. Sir Humphrey Gilbert, Sir Walter Raleigh, and Drake should have special attention.
Describe the first expedition to Virginia; have an account of the settlement at Roanoke, then of the second expedition which brought over a hundred and fifty men and seventeen women, and its fate, and then the death of Raleigh and the pause in the spirit of colonization. The meeting following this will then begin the next period, when under King James colonization was again taken up. A paper may be on the settlement of Jamestown, a second on John Smith and his work, and a third on the "starving time," the trouble with the Indians, the coming of supplies from England. Close with a presentation of the conditions of the new colony, its mismanagement and loss of life.
The "era of progress" comes next in order, from 1610 to 1624. Have sketches of Lord Delaware, Sir Thomas Gates, and Sir Thomas Dale; mention the group of new settlements and note their military character. Bring in the story of Powhatan,