Woman's Civic Betterment Club facts for kids

The Woman's Civic Betterment Club (also known as the "WCBC") was a group of women in Roanoke, Virginia. They started in 1907. Their main goal was to make Roanoke a cleaner and better place to live. They wanted to improve health, cleanliness, and the city's overall look. The WCBC was important because it was one of the first women's groups in southwestern Virginia to push for big changes. At that time, women couldn't vote, so they had to convince men to make these changes.

How the Club Started

The WCBC was formed when women couldn't vote. It aimed to improve Roanoke's city services. The club started in 1906 and officially formed in 1907. By 1913, it had 180 members. It was part of a larger group called the Women's Clubs of America.

These women wanted to make lasting changes for Roanoke's future. Their efforts led to many important things. These included a public library, a special court for young people, and a nursery school. The club also helped start a local part of the American Cancer Society. Their very first big project was to create a plan for the city. This was only the fifth city plan ever made for any city. Mrs. Lucian H. Cocke and Mrs. M.M. Caldwell led the club. They hired John Nolen from Boston to create a full plan for Roanoke's growth.

The club is known for its work in city planning and public health. They also helped with cultural activities and publications. City leaders had brought in businesses and factories. But they hadn't done much for the city's culture or public spaces. The women of the WCBC knew that clean streets, safe areas, good schools, and playgrounds were also important. So, in 1906, they formed the Woman's Civic Betterment Club. They ordered studies and asked the city council for improvements.

Planning Roanoke's Future

The WCBC was worried about open sewers, many saloons, and traffic. Roanoke had grown very fast. In less than 20 years, from 1882 to 1900, its population grew from 669 to 21,000 people. In 1907, the WCBC held a "Great Fall Festival." They wanted to raise money to hire a city planner. They raised about $5,000, which is like $125,000 today. This was enough to hire John Nolen. They also hired two scientists to check Roanoke's sanitation problems.

On December 7, 1906, over 100 women met in Roanoke. They discussed important city issues. Two days later, they met again and officially started the Roanoke Civic Betterment Club. Their goals were to make the city market clean. They also wanted to create a healthier community for families. And they aimed to ensure good education for children.

John Nolen's Ideas

John Nolen made several suggestions for Roanoke. He recommended planting trees along streets. He also suggested renaming streets: "avenues" for east-west roads and "streets" for north-south roads. He wanted to create parks and playgrounds. Nolen also proposed dividing the city into four areas. The club's work with Nolen helped improve areas like the Melrose-Rugby Historic District. They also worked on the Riverland/Walnut Hills, Roanoke, Virginia neighborhood. This area had many railway workers and their families. It suffered from overcrowding and unhealthy living conditions.

Nolen's plan included building a civic center. This led to the beautiful Municipal Building in 1915. He also planned for paved streets with gutters. And he suggested sewage systems and other sanitation upgrades for homes.

The WCBC also invited speakers to talk about city improvements. Mr. J. Horace McFarland, president of the American Civic Improvement Association, spoke. He pointed out several problems in Roanoke. He even saw an "open pit of slime and filth" from his hotel window. The WCBC paid other experts, too. These included scientists who warned about diseases like typhoid and tuberculosis. They also talked about polluted milk.

When the Woman's Civic Betterment Club gave Nolen's plan to the city, it was put aside. The city finally used Nolen's ideas in the 1930s. Today, Roanoke's greenway system, riverside drive, and Mill Mountain Park are part of Nolen's and the WCBC's legacy. Many believe the women of the WCBC played a huge role in shaping Roanoke.

A Public Library for Roanoke

The Woman's Civic Betterment Club didn't achieve all its goals. But they did succeed in getting a public library. Sarah Poage Caldwell Butler was a trained librarian. She had worked at the New York Public Library. She worked with the WCBC to ask the Roanoke City Council for a library. The council told her if she could raise $30,000, the city would pay the rest. In just one week, Sarah Butler raised $27,000!

Sarah Butler also worked with Miss Lucy Addison. Together, they opened a public library for black neighborhoods in segregated Roanoke. The Gainsboro Branch Public Library opened on December 13, 1921. Sarah Butler later said that getting a public library in Roanoke was her proudest achievement.

The Roanoke Cook Book

The "Great Fall Festival" helped pay for the first city plan. But more money was needed. This money came from selling the WCBC's "The Roanoke Cook Book, Favorite Recipes by Some of Roanoke's Good Housekeepers." Mrs. Albert A. Stone put the book together. It was published quickly in 1907. The 164-page book was a big financial success. Besides recipes, it had ads for local businesses. This helped cover the printing costs. The cookbook sales helped pay for one of the first city plans ever made.

Even today, the WCBC cookbook is a good example of cooking from that time in Southwestern Virginia. The book says, "Purchasers may congratulate themselves on acquiring so much kitchen lore in clear and condensed form." The recipes are unique in their descriptions. They give a real "flavor" of the times. The book even gives advice on using some dishes for health. For example, chicken broth for sick children: "If patient has a fever or is very ill, set the broth aside until cold, and then remove the grease, after which heat and serve."

Lasting Impact

The Woman's Civic Betterment Club started when women could not vote or hold public office. They couldn't directly influence the government. Yet, in just a few years, Roanoke saw big improvements. These included new public parks and better school buildings. The city also had better sanitation. Dust and dirt on the streets were reduced. They pushed for the first public library in Roanoke. They also helped get parks, playgrounds, and a special court for young people. As one writer said in 1912, their work for Roanoke's improvement was a great service to the community. Their part in the city's growth deserves high praise.