Monroe County, Wisconsin - Chapter 39: Civic Improvement Club of Tomah, 1912

The leaven of social service had faintly begun to work in the minds and hearts of a few, so when the suggestion to form a civic club with an inilimited membership came it found a few enthusiastic sponsors, and the club became a reality at that time. Members of the study clubs, who had part in organizing became charter members of the civic club. Mrs. F. S. Barrows was the first president, with ]\Irs. AV. W. "Warren as secretary.

It took the entire year to organize, make definite, workable plans and make the club popular, for it had to be popular in order to get into its ranks indifferent women and prejudiced ones. Some were opposed to club work, using the old argument that it took too much time away from their home duties. But the five years' existence has proven the fallacy of this argument, because all the club work carried on has been in the interest of the home and now the most intelligent women in the community belong. The club has been fortunate from the beginning in having the business men's club rooms for meetings. It has added 50 per cent to the interest in the club.

Standing committees have carried on from the beginning a definite line of work, and taking each in turn I will try to show those plans, and some of the results accomplished. For three successive years the art committee has held in the club rooms an art exhibit, charging a low rate of admission. School children have been admitted ahvays at a nominal price, and have been encouraged to come. The Copley, Turner, and Elson prints have been exhibited, and from these the committee has made wise selections for the walls of the school rooms. These pictures were given by the club. One year ]\Irs. John B. Sherwood, of Chicago, exhibited colored prints and American oil paintings in the high school, giving special talks to children. She also gave a fine stereoptieon lecture on Italian art to a mixed audience in the evening. Tliis visit from ]Mrs. Sherwood, a recognized art lover and critic, was a great inspiration to the community at large. As a result of five years' work, this committee, the personnel of which changes every year, has not only given the city opportunities in art, but each school room in the city has at least a copy of one fine picture on its walls.

The educational committee has done thorough and conscientious Avork in many lines. A^'isiting committees of club members regularly visit the schools and tliis has brought teachers and parents into closer touch; occasionally school receptions are held in the different buildings for parents and teachers.

Tomah has always had to its credit a broad-minded school board. Suggestions for repairs and decorations in school rooms, improvements in sanitary conditions or increase in library facilities from this committee have always met with a ready response from the board. In the central building a beautiful rest room has been fitted up. Teachers, pupils and the school board cooperated with the club to accomplish this. At present the same combination is working for play ground equipment for the large and spacious grounds surrounding this same building. Under the direction of this committee also, the club annually gives a reception to the teachers, which is always a pleasant and social affair.

Perhaps the largest task undertaken by the committee was the agitation for music, manual training, and domestic science in the schools. But after the patrons of the school became assured of the benefits to be derived from these branches, the matter was easily and quickly settled at the annual school meeting of 1911, and as a result the Tomah high schools are among the most upto-date in the state. The music committee furnishes a piano for the club rooms the year around. By this means every meeting has a good program of music. School children under the leadership of the music teacher often entertain, and many high school students of talent have been brought before the public in this way, and also have given niurii pleasure to others.

The library committee has always been in accoi'd with the library board and librarian. Their active work has been confined to substantial gifts heretofore. One year the committee held a double program, calling it Library Day. The afternoon program Avas given up to a review of the past and an analysis of the present by the librarian. The past was reviewed by some of the founders of the library, who gave a most interesting account of the beginning and early struggle of what is today an excellent free public library. The evening was devoted to the possibilities of the future for a library, Avitli an address by Miss Stearns of the State Library Commission.

The civics committee started out Avith the definite plan of making Tomah more clean and more beautiful. AVith this purpose in view, and with the financial support of the C. A. Goodyear Lumber Company, they engaged Mrs. McCrea, a professional landscape gardener of Chicago, to come to Tomah to plant trees and shrubs in all private yards of owners interested. The only expense to the owners to be the cost of the shrubs. Public school grounds, the library lot, and many unsightly places were cleaned up and beautified under the inspiration of Mrs. McCrea. Prizes to the amount of $100 were offered at the end of the season for those private places showing the most improvement. Since that time an annual Municipal Cleaning Day has been appointed by the mayor. On one cleaning day the citizens of one neighborhood secured the use of Barrows Grove, a natural beauty spot in the southeast corner ol the city, as a picnic ground for the public. They cleaned it up, and made picnic benches and tables and hung swings. Recently the civics committee has assisted the schools on Arbor Day by arranging for the planting of trees.

The Junior Civic League is a protege of the civics committee organized in the schools. The children buy league buttons to wear and sign a pledge to keep the city clean and to protect the birds and animals. Penny packages of flowers and vegetables are sold to the children in the spring. In September a flower and vegetable show is held, prizes being given for the best.

The Humane Society was organized under the direction of the civics committee, but entirely independent to the club. A campaign against bill boards, agitation for a saner Fourth, rest rooms for county fair week, are some of the proposed reforms now in committee. The club as a whole has raised money for a large fountain for dogs and horses, costing $400. And the latest effort has been a Tomah cook book, gotten up primarily as a means of earning money, and has been successful from every standpoint.

The ways and means committee has always had an important part to play in the club, for without it no work could have been accomplished. They have given card parties, dances, a ball game between the professional and the business men of the city, and in many ways raised the necessary funds. The social commit- tee lias done effective service by promoting sociality, providing entertainment for members and their friends. They arrange for the annual banquet each year, and one year gave a complimentary banquet to the Business ]\Ien's Club.

And last, but not least, must be mentioned the program and press committee, "who keep the wheels oiled. They -work early and late, but behind the scenes. Neither club members nor the public realize the faithful attention these committees must give to details. Many entertaining programs are given throughout the year, and many instructive ones. Men and women of note in the state have been guests of the club and spoken before it. Social center work, boy problems, domestic science, peace and conversation, are among the subjects which have been discussed. And not less helpful have been the interesting talks given by Tomah's own citizens on live topics of the day. At the close of five years' existence, the club is a prosperous and active agent in the plans for progress in the city of Tomah.

President, ]Mrs. AV. R. ]\lcCaul; first vice president. ]Mrs. AV. AV. AYarren ; second vice president, Mrs. H. J. Skinner ; third A"ice president, Mrs. E. K. Tuttlo ; corresponding secretary, Mrs. A. L. Burt; recording secretary, Mrs. A. A. Fix; treasurer, Mrs. AYallace Taft.