Bemidji Daily Pioneer Newspaper, December 12, 1913, Page 11

. COLOGNE—A CIVIC EXAMPLE. German City Has a Vigorous System of Town Planning. Cologne jealousy guards its people from bad food. The city has two en- tirely modern slaughter houses, and its system of protecting food is so com- prehensive und complete that it is said to, be impossible for diseased meat to be sold in the city. The city has three municipal hospitals, having accom- modation ‘for 2,500 patients. In con- nection with the hospitals a convales- cent home is maintained in the coun- try. It has two municipal theaters, a eoncert room, a college of music, a zoological garden, a labor exchange, a “poor man’s lawyer” and old age. wid- ows’ and orphans' pensions for muni- eipal employees. Quite an extraordi- nary municipal undertaking is the house agency department of the labor exchange, where no fees are charged and where the house or apartment seeker can obtain information regard- ing the available accommodations of the city. Cologne has a splendid school .sys- tem. The city’s University of Com- merce, founded in 1901, has a world- wide reputation. Its object is to give merchants and workers a thorough theoretical training in all matters con- eerning trade and industry. Its li- brary on political economy and com- mercial subjects is reputed to be the best in Germany. The municipal school system of Co- logne accommodated 73,000 children In 1912 at a cost of $1,755,000. = Each of the schools contains a gymnasium, a drawing hall, workshops, school kitchen, baths, etc. Backward chil- dren are taught in special classes. The first two of such classes were formed in 188G, and there are now forty-nine of them. Cologne has given special attention to the problem of infant mortality. has two b: It v clinics under the direc- sts and thirteen consult- under the direction of paid doctors, where help and advice are giv- en free, Bach doctor has a paid nurse ant and several volunteer s. The doctors are authoriz to give to needy mothers municips grants for milk. Last year $13.250 was expended in this way. There is a law compelling all foster children, all ille- gitimate children and all children re- eeiving poor law support to be brought to these centers to be examined up to the age of two years. T visit the children in their homes to THE OLD AND NEW MEET IN COLOGNE. see that they are properly looked after. In the two municipal slaughter houses a sterilized suckling’s milk is prepared in four different qualities to suit the different ages of the child. The correct quantity of milk for one meal is put in a bottle, and the mother has nothing to do save warm it to the right tem- perature. Each year the city prepares about 320,000 of these bottles and dis- tributes them from the sixteen muniei- pal dairies. In order to make known to the poor people the benefits offered to them the elty posts placards in all public build- ings and factories. These give a list of consulting centers and advice and ‘warnings appropriate to the time of year. The city has also films in most of the moving picture shows showing the visit of a mother to a consulting center and illustrating the kind of treatment which she receives there. The results of this campaign have been that in five years Cologne has reduced infant mortality from 19.13 of every 100 babies born alive to 15.16. Cologne has a rigorous system of town planning, and as drastic a set of butlding bylaws as can be found in modern Germany.—American City. GRADING ABOUT THE HOUSE. Take Care to Keep It Dry When Build- ing Is Completed. When grading the grounds about new houses so place the soil that a “run- off”” of storm waters may be had from the house in all directions, if such an arrangement is possible. It matters little that the concrete foundation is impervious to water; the dite for the house should appear to be properly graded so that it may be dry and comfortable close about it in all kinds of weather. Any parts of the grounds that are higher than the house should be graded -down as low and flat as Is possible and the soil used to build; up and round out the lower portions unless the latter be given over to 'formalism. when the grade should be flat and level. .. ‘Try s Feemcer wunt os. e e aid nurses | [ that within SCOO SOME. SCHEME OF "MlNE_ YO GET A D0 YOUR. KMAS SUBURBAN PLANNING. The Suburban Planning asso- ciation asks: Has your ocommunity a defi- nite civic program upon which the citizens, churches, clubs, as- sociations and other organiza- tions will tender their -efforts during the coming seasons? Have you asked these . ques- tions? First—What is most needed to make your home community more healthful, purer and more beautiful to live in? Second.—How can this need be most speedily met? Third—What are the agencies that can best undertake the task? Fourth.—What should be my share in this civic task, and % -‘:«Hfl»:--x«z-:i-__“ STREET CANS SUCCESSFUL. Philadelphia Housing Commission’s Experiment Bears Good Results. One of the many important activities of the Philadelphia housing commis- slon, as shown by its recently pub- lished annual report. has been a study of the efficiency of the bureau of street cleaning in the congested areas. Here it was found that the tenants were largely to blame Tor dirty streets. They would wrap up their garbage in paper and throw it into the street gutters, or they would sweep the dirt from their stor md yards upon the pavement, or tl would throw waste paper and rubbish into the street, so an hour after the street cleaners had gone through the street would be pract ly as filthy as be i fore. The commission felt that little could be accomplished in such areas by ure- THE CUB REPORTER | the children ing the street cleaners to more effi clent service unless there was close co- operation ‘on the part of the tenants. Assistant Chief Neall took a personal interest in the proposition placed be- fore him and aided in securing a sum of money to purchase rubbish cans. A trial area of eight blocks in one of the dirtiest sections of the city was plotted and sixty cans placed. Special circulars in English and Yiddish were distributed. Visitors speaking various languages were sent to every family to explain the purpose of the cans and-to urge them to co-operate. The princi- pals and teachers of the public schools in the neighborhood and the settlement workers were asked to instruct their scholars about the cans and the im- portance of keeping the streets clean. This campaign was duplicated several times, so that the adults as well as in the district became fully informed. The campaign was sufficiently effective to warrant coun- cils to authorize the purchase of 1,492 more cans to continue the experiment on a larger scale. Mankind is every day becoming more cosmopolitan, and perhaps a sig- nificant indication of this is to be seen in the number of congresses, both na- tional and international, that have re- cently been held. In connection with town planning and its allied subjects there have been held this year an in- ternational town planning congress at Ghent, an international road congress, an international housing congress and an international congress of architects and in addition important congresses on housing and town planning both in London and several provincial towns, held under the auspices of the national housing reform council. an important congress on town planning held under the auspices of the engineers at Nor- wich and also a sanitary congress. This natioral and international hand- shaking is certainly of value. Troppman | Watch Window DRESS SHIRTS GLOVES AND MITTENS UNDERWEAR LEATHER SUIT CASES BLANKETS AND RUGS Men’s Combination Sets SWEATERS—MACKINAWS Headquarters Toys, Dolls and Games and All Desirable Merchandise FOR CHRISTMAS GIFTS -Ladies’ FANS—HANDKERCHIEFS Men’s SILK HOSIERY—-GLOVES AND HOSTS OF OTHERS DAMASK TABLE LINEN AND NAPKINS Prices Cut In Half on Cloaks and Furs DID YUH sEE ADAaWG Go BY DAYS TiLL e | Special Prices On GLASSWARE . .- NUCUT - .. We have a good large stock this ware at prices from $1.00 up Call and see it. Money Back If You Want It. Given Hardware Co. Minnesota Ave. 316-18 Phone 57 Railroad Fare Refunded Troppman Children MECHANICAL TOYS DOLLS AND BEDS | SLIPPERS AND FANCY NECKWEAR STATIONERY CHRISTMAS CARDS PLAMATE SHOES