City cleanup command from 1914: ‘Do it now’
The Love Modesto community-improvement effort was launched in 2009, but love for Modesto has, of course, been around much, much longer. Modesto Bee newsroom employee Matthew Harrington, who compiles the Yesteryears items that run on Page B2, came across this news item in the May 19, 1914, edition of The Modesto Morning Herald, headlined “‘Clean-up’ movement receives full attention”:
“Civic pride has been aroused to full wakefulness and it is a complete renovating that Modesto is receiving since the start of the ten days ‘Clean-up and Paint-up’ campaign inaugurated by the Chamber of Commerce and toward the success of which practically every organization in the city is contributing. According to the Chamber of Commerce committee, in charge of the progress of the movement, local citizens in all parts of the city have heeded the call and the effect of the general effort toward a more beautiful city is already apparent.
“The city teams have completed their work of gathering up the refuse in District Number One and were busy yesterday and will be today in District Number Two – that section north of I Street and east of Tenth. Wednesday and Thursday they will be in District Three – north of I Street and west of Tenth – and it is asked that the residents in those districts will have within easy reach, either in the street or alley, any rubbish or refuse that is to be carted away.
“The checking up committee will start out in a short while and will investigate in all parts of the city. It will be the plan of this committee to find those places where the plan of the campaign has not been carried out and urge co-operation. Citizens should not wait for a visit from the committee, however. The campaign that is to end in a neater, more comfortable and more healthful city is on and co-operation in it is a civic duty that should not be overlooked.
“‘Clean-up and Paint-up,’ and do it now.”
Love Modesto
WHAT: The community-improvement project attracts thousands of volunteers to work on some 60 projects around town. This year, Love Modesto is working with city officials on cleanup projects at all 75 city parks. Festivities kick off in front of the Gallo Center for the Arts with free refreshments, music, activities and a kids zone.
WHEN: 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturday
WHERE: Outside the Gallo Center, 1000 I St.; projects in locations around the city
INFO: Call (209) 566-9343 or go to http://lovemodesto.com. To learn what’s happening in other cities Saturday and in the future, go to http://loveourcities.org.
This story was originally published April 16, 2015 at 3:08 PM with the headline "City cleanup command from 1914: ‘Do it now’."