In April of 1921, several “good ladies of the town [of Arcaida]” were fed up with the large amount of trash on city streets. They had previously scheduled a “Clean-Up Day,” but the city health officer and other authorities were unable to persuade local businesses to participate. The “Clean-Up Day” was an utter failure.
Undeterred, the “good ladies” got the backing of the Chamber of Commerce, the high school and faculty, city authorities, and various women’s societies. With the added support, the “good ladies” set another date, April 12, 1921, for the clean-up. The ladies pushed local businesses to close during the greater part of the day so that they could participate in the clean-up. The ladies also suggested that every business in town be required to have garbage cans as a receptacle for rubbish. The reason for their “Clean-Up Day” was that, rather than using trash receptacles to dispose of rubbish, business owners swept their trash into the streets of Arcadia.
The second “Clean-Up Day” was a success. The senior class of Arcadia High School worked after school hours and removed all unwanted weeds, rags, papers, and other debris from the downtown street. Following the clean-up, the “good ladies” reported that “the town presents a very different appearance.” Whether the businesses in town began using trash cans for waste rather than sweeping the trash into the streets following the clean-up campaign remains unclear.
Sources:
- Bienville Democrat, April 7, 1921, p.1.
- Bienville Democrat, April 14, 1921, p.7.