CITIZEN ACTION 561 



terpreted at a level the citizen can understand, the programs are 

 headed for failure. Most communities wish to be more attractive but 

 lack skills for organizing to get the job done. I believe that a system 

 of workshops could be developed that would bring together com- 

 munity development experts and other professionals to train com- 

 munity leaders in techniques of problem solving which can be ap- 

 plied to beautification as well as other community improvements. 

 We have used this system effectively in training clubwomen. 



Since beautification is contagious, both Federal and private grants 

 for demonstration projects should stimulate towns and cities to ac- 

 tion. An example of the value of demonstration is Smithfield, N.G., 

 where citizens decided to improve the appearance of their town. 

 After visiting communities that had solved problems comparable to 

 their own, they made adaptations which won them an All-American 

 City Award as well as a National Community Improvement Award 

 in our program. 



It would be helpful if someone developed a Guide to Federal Aid 

 for Beautification. The average citizen, when confronted with the 

 task of ferreting out regulations from the various agencies, becomes 

 lost in the maze. We need better communication between programs 

 and people. 



Citizens should be made more aware of the relationship of beautifi- 

 cation to economic development and prosperity. In Grafton, W. Va., 

 where the town was dying because of lack of industry, the women of 

 the community set out to clean up the town, develop parks and rec- 

 reational facilities, and to prepare for new industry. When the town 

 had undergone sufficient change, industry came. 



Beautification projects are not always ends in themselves but are 

 often an open sesame to solutions to other community problems. 

 Leaven worth, Wash., suffered from economic depression and lacked 

 educational and recreational facilities. Eleven clubwomen reversed 

 the trend toward disaster by getting citizens to work together to de- 

 velop a park and other recreational facilities for the children. They 

 were then able to move into more controversial areas of improvement. 

 A nine-times defeated school bond issue passed, a new firehouse was 

 built, and a ski area was developed. They now plan to turn store 

 fronts into an Alpine village setting. 



We regard these and other success stories as homemade miracles. 

 They can come to your town or city by volunteers and professionals 

 working together to beautify America. 



