USA > Ohio > The Western Reserve of Ohio and some of its pioneers, places and women's clubs, Vol. II > Part 34
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The clean city is a comparatively recent historical fact. It was not until the sanitary reforms of the last half century had been vigorously agitated that municipal authorities undertook to thoroughly and systematically clean the streets. According to late statistics, out of 122 American cities, only one does not clean or attempt to clean its streets.
The streets of a city are the room's hallways, and gardens where its inhabitants-the great municipal family-live and move and act, with rights in common. Hence, this vast family,
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with its endless variety of tastes, temperament, and judgment, should and must carry on the great and intricate problem of municipal housekeeping in ways that will best preserve the in- terests of the family, or city, as a whole. The best results can only be obtained when harmony prevails-harmony in taste, tact and judgment. Mr. A. R. Conkling, in his work, "City Government in the United States, says:
"In an American municipality the department of street cleaning is perhaps the most difficult one to administer prop- erly."
This is no doubt true, and the reason lies largely in the fact that our American cities contain so large a percentage of for- eigners, possessing diverse habits, languages, etc.
New York City, under the system of street cleaning intro- duced by the late George E. Waring, Jr., became the cleanest city in the world. But let my enthusiastic friend pause a mo- ment and reflect on the causes of this efficiency. Not only was this department the most thoroughly organized for effi- ciency in its especial work of street cleaning-not only was it practically divorced from politics, not only did the 4,000 em- ployes in that department have a special pride in their work- not only was civic pride, from school children to adults, stirred as never before on the subject of municipal cleanliness-but money, a necessary factor in all important undertakings, was raised by taxation, paid by willing taxpayers and used liberally and properly in this all important undertaking.
The city of Cleveland, with its 400,000 inhabitants, spent less than $60,000 for street cleaning during the past year, while the city of New York spent over $3,000,000 for the same period. The amount per capita spent by New York being nearly eight times as great as that spent by Cleveland.
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It is a well known fact that in cities a low death rate is usually coincident with a high tax rate. In New York alone, clean streets and improvements in sanitation therefrom lowered the death rate from 26:31 per 1,000 in 1889, to 19:62 per 1,000 in 1897.
On the whole, the results of Colonel Waring's admirable system, which today is the best in the world, teaches us:
First, That the municipal health and cleanliness impera- tively demands a more liberal tax rate for street cleaning pur- poses.
Second, That civic pride, in all classes, especially in school children, should be so stirred up that cleanliness shall be es- teemed a municipal, as well as a personal or domestic virtue.
Third, That proper receptacles for receiving pieces of waste paper and kindred rubbish be placed at convenient places on the streets, to be located and maintained by means of proper ordinance regulation if necessary; and these receptacles to be emptied at regular intervals by officers appointed for that pur- pose. The details of collection and disposal of the same to be also regulated by proper laws.
Fourth, The inculcation or teaching in the minds of all persons that laws and ordinances governing such matters mean something, and will be strictly enforced.
It has been said that in Europe laws and ordinances mean something, but that here in America they are a mere matter of form. As a powerful auxiliary to the enforcement of this and manner as provided in the Waring system.
Let children be taught to make and keep the city and its streets clean and beautiful, just as they would keep their per- rubbish collection, organize the school children in the same way son or their home cleanly, neat and beautiful.
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I believe that aside from the vast benefits to be thus derived by the people in a country-they will be equally benefited in a moral way; in the way of culture, in a stimulus to the aesthetic sense and to the sense of patriotism.
The cities of the past felt the value of municipal art as a factor for good. The Commonwealth of Florence, Venice,- the free towns of Germany, Flanders all believed that certain benefits arose from the cultivation of the beautiful. They be- lieved that the pleasures of private life and the dignity of public life were increased by the aid of these arts.
Have each child-or citizen of older growth, believe him- self or herself a separate factor in the art of keeping the mu- nicipality clean and healthy and beautiful and the battle for cleaner, healthier streets is almost won.
I have full faith that this Association, which so worthily forced the abatement of the ancient slaughter-house nuisance on the East river, will yet give Cleveland cheaper, healthier streets, as well as a cleaner and healthier atmosphere in which to live.
Health
MARY E. LAWS, M. D., Toledo, O.
The work of the Health Protective League is one of the most important of all organized works.
Wealth, all that is good, good government of city and na- tion all come from care of health and the way to exert an influ- ence is to organize. Men found it out some time ago and women must do the same. There is no influence now greater than that of the women of the H. P. A.
Therefore, the first thing to be considered is health. Bath- ing, clean clothes, good food will produce health and help one
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guard against infection and without these things one becomes insensible to moral teachings.
Two things are to be considered when speaking of health, heredity over which we generally cannot exercise much control; and environment which produces wonderful men and women.
In many ways our present health conditions are a great improvement over those of thirty years ago. More interest is taken in having clothes suitable to time and season for people are now dressing appropriately to the season.
No greater improvement has been made in the last ten years than that of being able to get so much clothing ready made where formerly the mother had to make it or go without.
Then, homes are more comfortable than they were ten years ago. Architecture has improved and so conditions for health have improved greatly of late and will continue to im- prove.
GOOD ROADS-CONTINUED
The great great trouble met everywhere in raising sufficient money to build roads is that it is expensive, almost as expen- sive as steel roads (electric car roads) .
The cost of transportation over steel rails (inanimate pow- er) would prove only equal to animate power.
There must be something in the State or the United States or both combined done to aid in establishing better roads. Prison labor might be utilized in preparing materials for roads. I do not advocate the taking of prisoners out on the roads for several reasons but they could easily and economically be set to work preparing materials for roads-breaking brick or stone or making steel plates, etc.
I expect to see the time when animate power will be su-
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perceded by inanimate power and almost any device will go which cheapens transportation.
The bicycle is now our only vehicle which will carry many times its own weight, but there will be others. By the right use of the powers which God has put into our hands we will in time have such a system of roads as we have never yet thought of.
Pure Air CONRAD MIZER,
Author of Free Out-Door Concerts in Cleveland, O.
Pure air is one of the most essential things in life and we cannot have any of the essentials of life without pure air. About ten years ago we conceived the idea of having pure air here in Cleveland. We were laughed at in the beginning and called cranks. Finally the Cleveland Atmosphere Purity So- ciety was organized with over five hundred members. Very few acted; they were afraid to act; but those few went ahead. Today we have won over the newspapers, a number of the manufacturers and also the H. P. A. We gentlemen are very thankful to the women who came to our aid, for we can't get along without their help.
Stokers are a great economy, for they burn up the smoke. Now we have got the bull by the horns; we have got the smoke nuisance just where we want it. Our smoke does not hurt us but it does hurt our neighbors, and this is the point today.
The Institutional Church. MRS. S. P. CHURCHILL.
To merit a place among the worthy workers of this truly practical association is, I think, a great compliment. To the visitors from a distance, I would like to suggest a visit to our Pilgrim Congregational Church-on the south side of our city
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-where they may witness the practical workings of this beau- tiful and most wonderful institutional church. It is one of the sights of our city to be enjoyed. To this church and its pastor I am indebted for much of the thought and inspiration of this article. The city, with all its problems for improvement and the betterment of its people, has become the great question of the present age. How to reach and educate the classes-to endeavor to create a spirit of loyalty to that which is right, pure and helpful, is becoming a strong factor in the work and benevolences of the churches and all truly benevolent organi- zations.
To this end, not only to Christianize, but to bring those of lesser advantages into touch with the principles of Chris- tian thought and living, to create in the hearts and minds of parents pure desires and ambitions for the children, to awaken in the dormant spirit a spirit of loyalty as citizens-that Chris- tion spirit which arouses to unselfishness, to help the fallen to live a noble life, to bring these within the folds of Christian influence more firmly and fit them for usefulness; anything that will reach out with these purposes in view, the imitation of our Lord's work, the giving out of ourselves and of what we possess for the benefit of those less favored certainly will merit a warm approval and reap a rich reward.
Rev. Mr. Mills, of Pilgrim Church, says: "For the evan- gelization of the world the Christian world prays and labors and welcomes any suggestions which may have the promise of help. The Social Settlement with its noble cultivation of neighborhood spirit, the Rescue Mission, toiling long through the night watches, telling the story of the Gospel in word and song, while the great world sleeps; the Y. M. C. A. for young men; the Y. W. C. A. for young women, with their atmosphere
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of kindness and good works, and now we must welcome the newer factor-the 'Institutional Church,' worthy the attention of all students of city problems. The popular conception of its aim and work seems to range it with the work of the Rescue Mission, as suited to the lower quarters of the city; as a matter of fact, however, it is already found to be as successful in resident districts, in churches of well to do families. It seems to have a message for the churches, a new spirit of the age- necessary for the churches.
"Methods vary-the prime principle, or fundamental be- ing, that the local community shall be carefully studied and the efforts of the church shall be adapted to the needs thus dis- closed.
"The principles may be named as follows:
"The church itself is called to the great work of evangeliza- tion and it must not shift the responsibility, the commission is to preach the Gospel.
"It must give itself; it is fast becoming time to abandon all exclusiveness, by what it gives from its treasury to the poor. The more culture it has the greater the call of the city for its help. Not the mere evangelism of the pious exhortation "Come to Jesus," and prayers offered in a parrot-like repeti- tion, uttered with superficial and sanctimonious glibness, but an evangelism which permeates the whole church, which calls out the largest resources of brain and heart, which summons the eloquent tongue and disciplined mind of the preacher, the sweet voice of the singer, the majestic oratorio, the thousand instruments of praise, all commanded to speak the one message, the Gospel of the Son of God. The highest object, to inspire mankind with the knowledge of the truth.
"Now, if the church is so filled with its purpose of evan-
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gelism it will exhibit constantly the spirit of ministration. As our pastor, Rev. Mr. Taylor, recently said in one of his ser- mons : 'We will not be in the church simply for what we can get out of it, but to minister, to be useful, to make our own lives to shine that our influence may always be on the side of righteousness and truth.'
Washington Gladden in his recent book "Ruling ideas of the Present Age," points out "there has been much philan- thropy which patronizes the poor in order to make one's self at ease; many a man has flung a penny at a beggar regardless of the object of his gift for the sake of his own self-satisfac- tion." The spirit which Elizabeth Stuart Phelps has expressed in her story, "A Singular Life," where she makes the knowl- edge on the part of the vicious that the Christ-worker cares for them, the pivot of his success that spirit of kindliness and love which seeketh not its own and enters into the life of those to whom it ministers.
The Institutional Church seeks to express this spirit by sending men out, not merely to rescue the drunkard and the vicious, but to speak gentleness and love everywhere, showing that they do care tremendously what the lives of other men are and want them to share the joys of the Gospel.
Therefore the church known as Institutional seeks to cut loose from such conventionalities as are of little worth the observance.
It asks whether it is right to bring to the city the spec- tacle of one man standing at one end of the church preaching, "Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money, come ye, buy and eat," and at the other end of the church standing to intercept the man without money and to tell him that the best seats are reserved and put him in
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a distant pew and the more influential in social circles, in mor- als and finance to occupy conspicuous places.
"God owns his temple," "The rich and poor meet together," "The Lord is maker of them all," "There is no respecter of persons."
There is nothing too fine in His house for the humblest worshiper and there is not gold enough in the world to purchase a pew in its sanctuary !
Again it asks whether the church ought to show to the world a curious sight, a saloon at every corner bidding for patronage, the low theater, reeking with vice, inviting men to enter, all dens of infamy, busy with their crafty cunning to entrap men, while the Christian churches-God's representa- tives-whose spires rise along the same streets, are closed, ex- cept for a few hours on Sunday, and a prayer meeting or two during the week. To erect for so small a use such costly plants is neither wise, businesslike or Christlike. So the Insti- tutional Church provides for the open door, all the time, to help men to be Christlike through and through, in play as well as in prayer, in body as well as in soul.
It is possible to do the work in a worldly way, to allow educational classes, newspapers, shower-baths, dumb-bells, to take the place of the Gospel, but the church that would do that would offer a very poor Gospel. It enters this ministry not because it loves Christ and his worship less, but more. The true church again possesses the power and spirit of a social settlement with greater opportunity, for men will come to think of the church as a delightful community home where they love to meet one another, promoting mutual acquaintance, fellow- ship and friendliness. The church should not be satisfied with having the children within its doors for an hour in Sunday
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school. But the daily kindergarten inspiring many of those dear little people with such thoughts as tend to save them from other unfavorable environment.
It brings hundreds of girls into the sewing school and kitchengarden, fitting them to care for the home and family.
It has for the boys an attractive room with games, a gym- nasium, a boys' brigade, to draw them from the street corners, a fine reading-room for young men and women, educational classes, frequent socials full of real hospitality, to which they may come with payment at the door; musicales, readings, con- certs and lectures at nominal prices. It keeps open an office where the perplexities of life may be brought to one wise in counsel and ever ready to serve those who come. You may ask, What has all this vivid picture to do with the health? What has this to do with this Association or League?
What is there in the picture but the natural expression of Christian ministration,-it does not make the church a ma- chine or a mere ethical club, but it makes the Gospel speak in the daily life, it wins men to listen to the preaching of God's word at the same time, giving in its week-day labors that which is well worth hearing, and those churches which have adopted these principles have already found their hopes justified. For down town churches the new spirit and methods of work has imparted new enthusiasm and vigor where there had been weakness and discouragement.
The work calls out those formerly indifferent and makes the Gospel more attractive in its practical application of daily needs-a loving loyalty and enthusiastic service.
I am sure we all will rejoice with those who are prac- tically engaged in these newer lines of work and service, and in the prophesy of the mighty usefulness of it as a factor in city
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evangelization, and therefore, in the ultimate benefit in solving city problems for better government, and thus enhancing bet- ter health and conditions of all classes, purer politics and a more unselfish reign of city officials for the uplifting of human- ity from the depressing influences of ignorance and degrada- tion to that which is ennobling in mind and body.
Women of Our Republic
MRS. SARAH M. PERKINS, Editor of The Republic.
Those of us who have been abroad know very well that the American woman is a different product from the woman of the Old World.
There we see two great classes, the nobility and the peas- antry, and these classes remain practically unchanged as the generations come and go.
Here we have a great middle class-the real bone and sin- ews of society; acquiring, pursuing one day, achieving the next, and when success comes, the hands are stretched out to assist the toiling ones to the same elevation. This is the secret of suc- cess, to help other toiling ones to succeed. This is the key- note to lofty achievement, and this is the work of the women of our republic.
Look a moment at the women who have made for them- selves a name in our country. Were they selfish? Were they grasping and ambitious?
When we think of Abigail Adams writing to her husband to make the laws more just for women-of Martha Washing- ton knitting socks for the poor soldiers at Valley Forge, of Mary Lyon building a seminary for the higher education of girls, of Lucy Webb Hayes banishing wine from the White
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House, of Julia Ward Howe writing the lines: "In the beauty of the lilies Christ was borne across the sea," of Clara Barton sailing under the banner of the Red Cross, of Frances Willard, whose dying message was, "Only the golden rule of Christ can bring the golden age of man," of Matilda Carse building a Mecca for Temperance and suffering the most bitter persecu- tions for her work-when we think of these true daughters of the republic we realize that they cared for others, lived for others, were willing even to die for others, if so be the world could be made better.
Indeed, it is becoming a necessity that the women of our republic should come to the front and carry on all the great re- forms of the world. Why? Because their brains are clear; they do not patronize the saloons; they are finely educated and now, instead of coaxing incompetent men to do their duty they are doing the work themselves.
Our high schools are sending out more girl graduates than boy graduates. If knowledge is power, and we know that it is, then the power belongs to the women.
Two million, five hundred thousand dollars were given by woman last year to American colleges. Many more millions were paid by them in taxes to support the schools and the pris- ons of our country. Is it not the greatest injustice that these women cannot then have a voice in the disposal of this tax money and this college money? Even now, "taxation without representation is tyranny."
Elizabeth Cady Stanton in her beautiful girlhood used to leave her home and go to Albany to talk to our law-makers about the unjust laws governing women. Through the agita- tion of a few brave pioneers these laws were changed for the better, and today New York is justly proud of her governor
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because he advocated giving women the ballot in his first mes- sage to his legislature.
And yet there are wealthy women today all over our coun- try who sit in beautiful homes enjoying the outcome of the ef- forts of the brave pioneers, and are wondering if it would really do to say that they believed in woman suffrage. Can we really respect cowards?
Two-thirds of all the church members in our country are women. Two-thirds of the teachers are women. But today the churches and the schools-the better elements of society are virtually disfranchised, while every tramp, every drunkard, every saloonkeeper, every brewer has the ballot. There is a woeful shortsightedness somewhere or such conditions could not exist.
Nine-tenths of all the prisoners of our country are men. In the penitentiary at Columbus there are two thousand men and thirty-three women. It is so all over the United States, all over Canada, all over the world.
In our alms houses the majority of the inmates are men. Men are more easily discouraged and give up the battle of bread-winning and become dependents of the state, while a wo- man will work for a bare pittance and retain her home and her self-respect.
But a better day is dawning for women. She need no longer marry for the sake of a home; she can, at any time, make for herself a home. Nor need she be alone. Often girls are to be educated; let her take some lonely one and train her in the ways of peace and righteousness.
The doctor's province should in justice to the profession also be more rationally comprehended by the people. It is no compliment to the physician that blind faith is the apology for
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trusting one's life to his keeping. Intelligence regarding his thecries and the remedies administered would serve better to strengthen the patient's confidence in the physician and also sustain her strength. It would also prevent much individual experimentation by the pationt with patent medicines. We often hear it remarked that doctors' medicines are all experi- mental. Allowing that they are, they are most intelligently based on generations of research by ablest minds and we are quite safe to trust such experimentation.
The H. P. A. is a flourishing Association of active, think- ing, progressive women. They secured the meeting of the Na- tional H. P. A. League in Cleveland in May of this year, and are now petitioning the City Council for its aid in bringing about cleaner streets and better sanitary conditions. Much is expected from this organization, composed of active, forceful women who make up its membership.
COOKERY IN OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS
The time has long gone by when it was necessary to argue as to the good results of cooking in our public schools. Every one can see the advantage to public health in educating our children to know how to buy wisely, cook properly and keep the house neat and free from disease-breeding dirt. These children are the housekeepers of the next generation and in them we place our hopes of future improvement. It is now only a question of time and money as to when each pupil of our schools will receive at least one year's instruction in this branch during her school life.
At present we have in Cleveland three school kitchens or centers, two on the East and one on the West Side, and to these centers are sent classes from the seventh and eighth
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grades of the near schools. Each class has one lesson a week and there are fifteen classes at each center weekly. These classes vary greatly in size, running all the way from ten to twenty-two, and yet the total number registered at each school is much the same-about three hundred. In this way it will be seen that nine hundred children are at present profiting by these lessons and are representing nearly as many families, as it is unusual to find sisters in the same families.
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