“Trot out the broom,
the rake and the paint brush, climb into your overalls and get busy. This is
Clean Up Week!”
Hamilton
Spectator. May 10, 1915.
It was spring
cleaning time, and not only individual homes were to be spruced up. Led by a
committee of enthusiastic volunteers, Hamiltonians were encouraged to help
clean up the whole city.
The three Hamilton daily
newspapers got on board with the project and helped publicize the campaign. As
noted in the Hamilton Spectator when the special week began:
“This burg is going
to be spotless. It’s to be a seven-day crusade against dirt, and everybody is
supposed to lend a hand in putting this well-known enemy down for the count.”1
1 “Down With
Dirt : Clean Up Campaign Away to Flying Start This Morning”
Hamilton Spectator.
May 10, 1915.
A big kick off to
Clean Up Week happened on May 15, 1915:
“Clean up week was
given a lot of good advertising Saturday afternoon, when the bustling committee
in charge had two bands sent through the city on motor trucks. The trucks were
placarded with timely reminders, such as ‘Get Busy, Everybody,’ ‘Clean Up and
Paint Up,’ and ‘Down With Dirt!’ They attracted a whole lot of attention and
started many people thinking.”1
The Spectator
reporter, covering the campaign kick off, urged his readers to get involved:
“Cellars and
backyards should be given special attention. A dab of paint here and another
someplace else works wonders. Try it, and see how happy you’ll be at the end of
the week. You’ll at least have the satisfaction of knowing that you did ‘your
little bit.’ ”1
The Mills Hardware
Co. Ltd. was one of Hamilton’s biggest
hardware firms, with stores on Barton Street East and downtown on King Street
opposite the Royal Connaught Hotel. Knowing the Clean Up Week participants
would need cleaning supplies, tools and paint, the company took out large advertisements
in the local papers, one of which laid out a schedule of activities for the
week:
“Here’s Your Program:
Monday
–
FIRE PREVENTION DAY
Clean your basements and attics of rubbish,
greasy rags and waste paper wherever possible.
Tuesday
– FRONT
YARD DAY
Cut lawns, plant flower beds, clean walks
and gutters. Salt cracks in sidewalks; eliminate ants.
Wednesday
– DANDELION
DAY
This day can be very profitably used in
ridding your lawn of dandelions, trimming bushes and gardens. There is no more
important work which the campaign could accomplish than to rid this city of the
dandelion pest.
Thursday
– PAINT
DAY
Paint up inside and out, porches, fences,
woodwork and porch chairs. Business houses clean windows and replace old
awnings.
Friday
– BACK
YARD DAY
Clean alleys, repair fences and sheds,
screen garbage cans. Put fly-traps on garbage cans. Put on screen doors.
Saturday
– VACANT
LOT DAY
Boy Scouts and school children clean vacant
lots, removing tin cans, paper and brush. Plow and garden plots wherever possible.
‘Get Busy’ – The Least
You Can Do is Your Share.”
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