the americanization of edward bok-第76部分

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nstitution　of　inestimable　value。

Just　about　this　time　a　group　of　Philadelphia　physicians；　headed　by　Doctor　Samuel　McClintock　Hamill；　which　had　formed　itself　into　a　hygienic　committee　for　babies；　waited　upon　Bok　to　ask　him　to　join　them　in　the　creation　of　a　permanent　organization　devoted　to　the　welfare　of　babies　and　children。　Bok　found　that　he　was　dealing　with　a　company　of　representative　physicians；　and　helped　to　organize　〃The　Child　Federation；〃　an　organization　〃to　do　good　on　a　business　basis。〃

It　was　to　go　to　the　heart　of　the　problem　of　the　baby　in　the　congested　districts　of　Philadelphia；　and　do　a　piece　of　intensive　work　in　the　ward　having　the　highest　infant　mortality；　establishing　the　first　health　centre　in　the　United　States　actively　managed　by　competent　physicians　and　nurses。　This　centre　was　to　demonstrate　to　the　city　authorities　that　the　fearful　mortality　among　babies；　particularly　in　summer；　could　be　reduced。

Meanwhile；　there　was　created　a　〃Baby　Saving　Show；〃　a　set　of　graphic　pictures　conveying　to　the　eye　methods　of　sanitation　and　other　too　often　disregarded　essentials　of　the　wise　care　and　feeding　of　babies；　and　this　travelled；　like　a　theatrical　attraction；　to　different　parts　of　the　city。　〃Little　Mothers'　Leagues〃　were　organized　to　teach　the　little　girl　of　ten　or　twelve；　so　often　left　in　charge　of　a　family　of　children　when　the　mother　is　at　work　during　the　day；　and　demonstrations　were　given　in　various　parts　of　the　city。

The　Child　Federation　now　undertook　one　activity　after　the　other。　Under　its　auspices；　the　first　municipal　Christmas　tree　ever　erected　in　Philadelphia　was　shown　in　the　historic　Independence　Square；　and　with　two　bands　of　music　giving　concerts　every　day　from　Christmas　to　New　Year's　Day；　attracted　over　two　hundred　thousand　persons。　A　pavilion　was　erected　in　City　Hall　Square；　the　most　central　spot　in　the　city；　and　the　〃Baby　Saving　Show〃　was　permanently　placed　there　and　visited　by　over　one　hundred　thousand　visitors　from　every　part　of　the　country　on　their　way　to　and　from　the　Pennsylvania　Station　at　Broad　Street。

A　searching　investigation　of　the　Day　Nurseries　of　Philadelphiaprobably　one　of　the　most　admirable　pieces　of　research　work　ever　made　in　a　citychanged　the　methods　in　vogue　and　became　a　standard　guide　for　similar　institutions　throughout　the　country。　So　successful　were　the　Little　Mothers'　Leagues　that　they　were　introduced　into　the　public　schools　of　Philadelphia；　and　are　to…day　a　regular　part　of　the　curriculum。　The　Health　Centre；　its　success　being　proved；　was　taken　over　by　the　city　Board　of　Health；　and　three　others　were　established。

To…day　The　Child　Federation　is　recognized　as　one　of　the　most　practically　conducted　child　welfare　agencies　in　Philadelphia；　and　its　methods　have　been　followed　by　similar　organizations　all　over　the　country。　It　is　now　rapidly　becoming　the　central　medium　through　which　the　other　agencies　in　Philadelphia　are　working；　thus　avoiding　the　duplication　of　infant　welfare　work　in　the　city。　Broadening　its　scope；　it　is　not　unlikely　to　become　one　of　the　greatest　indirect　influences　in　the　welfare　work　of　Philadelphia　and　the　vicinity；　through　which　other　organizations　will　be　able　to　work。

Bok's　interest　and　knowledge　in　civic　matters　had　now　peculiarly　prepared　him　for　a　personal　adventure　into　community　work。　Merion；　where　he　lived；　was　one　of　the　most　beautiful　of　the　many　suburbs　that　surround　the　Quaker　City；　but；　like　hundreds　of　similar　communities；　there　had　been　developed　in　it　no　civic　interest。　Some　of　the　most　successful　business　men　of　Philadelphia　lived　in　Merion；　they　had　beautiful　estates；　which　they　maintained　without　regard　to　expense；　but　also　without　regard　to　the　community　as　a　whole。　They　were　busy　men；　they　came　home　tired　after　a　day　in　the　city；　they　considered　themselves　good　citizens　if　they　kept　their　own　places　sightly；　but　the　idea　of　devoting　their　evenings　to　the　problems　of　their　community　had　never　occurred　to　them　before　the　evening　when　two　of　Bok's　neighbors　called　to　ask　his　help　in　forming　a　civic　association。

A　canvass　of　the　sentiment　of　the　neighborhood　revealed　the　unanimous　opinion　that　the　experiment；　if　attempted；　would　be　a　failure；an　attitude　not　by　any　means　confined　to　the　residents　of　Merion！　Bok　decided　to　test　it　out；　he　called　together　twenty　of　his　neighbors；　put　the　suggestion　before　them　and　asked　for　two　thousand　dollars　as　a　start；　so　that　a　paid　secretary　might　be　engaged；　since　the　men　themselves　were　too　busy　to　attend　to　the　details　of　the　work。　The　amount　was　immediately　subscribed；　and　in　1913　The　Merion　Civic　Association　applied　for　a　charter　and　began　its　existence。

The　leading　men　in　the　community　were　elected　as　a　Board　of　Directors；　and　a　salaried　secretary　was　engaged　to　carry　out　the　directions　of　the　Board。　The　association　adopted　the　motto：　〃To　be　nation　right；　and　State　right；　we　must　first　be　community　right。〃　Three　objectives　were　selected　with　which　to　attract　community　interest　and　membership：　safety　to　life；　in　the　form　of　proper　police　protection；　safety　to　property；　in　the　form　of　adequate　hydrant　and　fire…engine　service；　and　safety　to　health；　in　careful　supervision　of　the　water　and　milk　used　in　the　community。

〃The　three　S's；〃　as　they　were　called；　brought　an　immediate　response。　They　were　practical　in　their　appeal；　and　members　began　to　come　in。　The　police　force　was　increased　from　one　officer　at　night　and　none　in　the　day；　to　three　at　night　and　two　during　the　day；　and　to　this　the　Association　added　two　special　night　officers　of　its　own。　Private　detectives　were　intermittently　brought　in　to　〃check　up〃　and　see　that　the　service　was　vigilant。　A　fire　hydrant　was　placed　within　seven　hundred　feet　of　every　house；　with　the　insurance　rates　reduced　from　twelve　and　one…half　to　thirty　per　cent；　the　services　of　three　fire…engine　companies　was　arranged　for。　Fire…gongs　were　introduced　into　the　community　to　guard　against　danger　from　interruption　of　telephone　service。　The　water　supply　was　chemically　analyzed　each　month　and　the　milk　supply　carefully　scrutinized。　One　hundred　and　fifty　new　electric…light　posts　specially　designed；　and　pronounced　by　experts　as　the　most　beautiful　and　practical　road　lamps　ever　introduced　into　any　community；　were　erected；　making　Merion　the　best…lighted　community　in　its　vicinity。

At　every　corner　was　erected　an　artistically　designed　cast…iron　road　sign；　instead　of　the　unsightly　wooden　ones；　cast…iron　automobile　warnings　were　placed　at　every　dangerous　spot；　community　bulletin…boards；　preventing　the　display　of　notices　on　trees　and　poles；　were　placed　at　the　railroad　station；　litter…cans　were　distributed　over　the　entire　community；　a　new　railroad　station　and　postoffice　were　secured；　the　station　grounds　were　laid　out　as　a　garden　by　a　landscape　architect；　new　roads　of　permanent　construction；　from　curb　to　curb；　were　laid　down；　uniform　tree…planting　along　the　roads　was　introduced；　bird…houses　were　made　and　sold；　so　as　to　attract　bird…life　to　the　community；　toll…gates　were　abolished　along　the　two　main　arteries　of　travel；　the　removal　of　all　telegraph　and　telephone　poles　was　begun；　an　efficient　Boy　Scout　troop　was　organized；　and　an　American　Legion　post；　the　automobile　speed　limit　was　reduced　from　twenty…f