VENUS DE MILO STARTED IT.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 127, 30 May 1940, Page 12

VENUS DE MILO STARTED IT.

Clean-Up Campaigns Improve America. An A incrica n settlement worker I entered it tenement. <m ;i customary [round iif inspection. She kmn-kril at a dirty. unpainted dour anil an unkempt w until n list le—ily asked licr to enter. Jjookitip- jiround the room, the visitor found it diflieult to locate a, clean spot more than an ineh in diameter. "How can yon live in such a mess?" she asked. The woman merely shrugged Tier shoulders. As she left in di-gu>t, the social worker noticed ;i vendor selling little jilaster of Paris statues of Venus de Milo. Acting on intuition, she bought one. 'brought; it hack to tlie woman's rouin. placed it. on a table, and departed without a word. Kagerly edie returned a few days later tii note the results of her experiment. As flu- had surmised it might l>e, tlie room was clean and orderly. A var-e was tilled with (lowers. ,\ rjig' covered I lie scarred lloor. Delighted, the settlement winker asked the wonjan what, had iutlucnced her to do all this. "That little statue you gave me looked -o clean and white that I simply ha-d to clean up for it.'' was the reply.

This happened almost three decades ago and the incident calight the attention of the late Allen W. Clark, publicspirited St. Louis publisher. He had felt for many years that the majority of American communities needed rehabilitation and that citizens of these communities had not rdiown enough interest in the condition of their homes and communities. Ihe story of the settlement worker impressed Mr. Clark. With the tenement woman's answer in mind, he concluded that the reconditioning and I>chuti tying of a single piece of pro|>erty in a poor environment would stand out in such sharp contrast with its neighbours that otlieivs would emulate the example and the whole community ■would be improved. "Clean-Up Campaign." Publisher Clark immediately turned thought into action, lie scut literature throughout the country, asking adults and children alika to participate in a national clean-up and paint-up campaign. ife enlisted the aid of newspapers arid various private organisations. Special committees were organised. Schools made >|>ecial mention of t lie campaign to pupils. In a fdiort time, requests for posters and instructions came in »uch volume that a national clean up and paint-up campaign bureau was organised under the direction of J Italpli \\ . Kmerson. j

To-day. over 7,000,000 citizens in more than 7000 communities annually participate iii clean-up and paint-up campaigns. The national bureau offers a trophy cvery year to the town in each State which has shown tlie largest degree o; progress • in community housekeeping. Housewives play an important part fn this contest for they must not only make their homes a picture of cleanliness and beauty, inside and out, but they must accurately li,t all improvements on a check-up sheet.

. ( ■liililren march in parades celebrating the campaigns, distribute check-up sheets, organise, their own clean-up committees, and pick the community clean of nails and other junk as only children '\ one citv > B,> .V Scouts gathered •M.SOIb of junk and dumped this precious collection in front of the City .Hall to show the Mayor the extern' of their enthusiasm! Attractive Surroundings. Core oT the Campaigns' suecc.-s ] ias been the desire of the citizens to improve living conditions. Many are keenly conscious of undesirable eurroundin"s a"c' apprehensive of the effect a° poor environment may have on their chiMrer The Campaign casts a bright light of hope on a dark problem. Xoiv they can work, together with their neighbour.-,,, to improve their community. I

Clean-Lp and Paint-up Campaigns usually last for a. week or two. but some cities continue their efforts th'- ou <diou' tii.e year. Others call the Campaign 'C lean-Ip, Paint-Up, Plant-Up, Fix-Up and Liglit-Lp," thus embodying all the ideals of a, perfect community. Cities >uch as Lubbock, Texas, set an example for the rest of the country to follow. This little western city with a nopuktion of 40,000 has won the Texas Tropin tor the past ten yodrs in it. row!

Win or lose, communities that enter can 'be justly proud. They have playe 1 an important part in a movement which has spread as far as .Australia. South Africa, and Japan, and might well spread to New Zealand!