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stressed the merits of the lesson in Civic Responsibility which would be taught by the students' participation in the Clean-Up Campaign, it was agreed that the students would spend a half day of school time under the supervision of their teachers picking up the areas surrounding their schools.
The Spring Clean-Up Campaign was kicked off by the Environmental Studies Club of Bay Junior High School who came out along with their teacher, Mrs. Kathleen Terry, on the afternoon of February 15th, armed with brooms and shovels, and swept down the three block business section of Main Street. Police protection and traffic control were provided by the Police Department. A city truck, along with a driver, was on hand to pick up the collected debris. The students brought along posters and placards to call attention to their "cause" and did a most thorough job. A Main Street merchants, Mr. M. A. Phillips, provided soft drinks for the whole crew at the end of the day. This same club pursued a permanent program throughout the year of collecting glass bottles and jars for re-cycling and then spent the resulting funds to beautify the front of their school building. They purchased plants and grass seed and did the landscaping themselves.
This seventh grade group consisted of approximately fifty-five students. After the Main Street Clean-Up, many merchants set out planters in front of their businesses and those with grassy areas landscaped. Most of these beautification efforts are still being maintained on a seasonal basis.
The planned School Clean-Up day was held and the Junior and Senior High school students took to the streets, and after an enjoyable afternoon out, had collected over two hundred bags of litter. Many of them became aware for the first time of the major problem caused by thoughtless littering.
The Elementary School students, who were too young to be taken out to clean the streets, conducted an individual contest in the school to see which class could keep the area outside of their classroom the neatest and most attractive.
Other groups of young people spent their Saturdays cleaning selected areas of the city. The Boy Scouts in conjunction with their Operation Soar did several major cleaning jobs. The Junior Garden Clubs and various Church Youth groups also participated.
The greatest and most heartening contribution to the Clean-Up was made by the individual home owners working independently. Yards were cleaned, lots were cleared, shrubs and flowers planted, sidewalks edged and a general return of civic pride was evidenced.
The City continued its program of contacting absentee land and home owners


BSL 1970 To 1976 BSL-Cleanup-1971-(3)
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