A SEASON S WORK WITH CHILDREN AND FLOWERS. IO9 



streets," "such a lovely place/' "something should be done," "let 

 us bring it up at next meeting," etc. 



The executive committee procured a map of the city showing the 

 streets, and then, house by house, mentally, went up and down both 

 sides each street selecting one person who would likely to serve 

 as chairman of a committee for that street. The streets running 

 lengthways were divided by a certain cross street. Our idea, by 

 this subdivision, was to assign to each committee an amount of ter- 

 ritory that it could cover easily, exacting but a minimum of time. 

 This chairman was empowered to form a sub-committee for his 

 street of three to five members, as he thought necessary, for the 

 complete surveillance of the same. These sub-committees were 

 to meet and talk over the situation as they found opportunity, to in- 

 terest the dwellers on their respective streets in the work of tlie im- 

 provement club, to take note of the attractive features as well as of 

 the objectionable, to decide upon what their street needed most, 

 etc. At the call of the executive committee, the chairmen of the 

 various street committees met occasionally for the purpose of report- 

 ing progress — whether mud holes had been filled or drained off, 

 accumulation of manure remloved, rubbish and piles of wood taken 

 from the sidewalks. These meeting were productive of great good 

 and led to good-natured rivalry in getting the streets into line for the 

 spring cleaning. The noxious weeds were also considered and best 

 methods for eradication given. 



Newspaper men, as a rule, are interested in the advancement of 

 their home towais, and ours proved the most enthusiastic of the 

 tribe. They worked shoulder to shoulder with the club, doing much 

 gratuitous work. The state and city laws governing conditions of 

 streets and home grounds were printed in both papers, and a few 

 hundred reprints were made, to send to residents who might ignore 

 gentle suggestions. I will say that this number of leaflets is intact, 

 as we found no occasion to resort to severe measures. Our city 

 council also were always ready to do what they could when backed 

 up by the public sentiment aroused. 



Occasionally we would hear some one say : "What is the good 

 of all this talk? Why don't you do something?" To such we 

 wanted to say, but did not, "Give us $ioo, and we will do some- 

 thing." But our object was not to do the work of others, but to 

 influence them to "get into the swim" of earnest endeavor and line 

 up with the progressive ones. Still we felt that we must show "out- 

 siders" that we could accomplish something, just for the sake of 

 reputation and "influence," and some one suggested the "future 

 citizens" as being: good material witli which to work. 



