Woman's Civic Betterment Club facts for kids

The Woman's Civic Betterment Club (also called the "WCBC") was formed in Roanoke, Virginia, in 1907. Its main goal was to make Roanoke a better, cleaner, and healthier city. The club wanted to work with everyone to make Roanoke a "Magic City" – a beautiful place to live. The WCBC was very important because it was one of the first groups where women worked to make big changes in their community. At that time, women did not have much power in politics, so they had to convince men to support their ideas.

History of the WCBC

The Woman's Civic Betterment Club was started in 1906 and officially formed in 1907. This was a time when women could not vote in elections. The club wanted to improve the city's basic services and public spaces. By 1913, the WCBC had 180 members and was part of a larger group called the Women's Clubs of America.

These women wanted to make lasting improvements for Roanoke's future. Their efforts led to many important things for the city. These included starting a public library, creating a special court for young people (a juvenile court), and opening a nursery school for children whose mothers worked. They also helped start a local branch of the American Cancer Society. One of their first big projects was to create a detailed plan for the city's growth. This was only the fifth time such a plan had been made for any city in the country. The club, led by Mrs. Lucian H. Cocke and Mrs. M.M. Caldwell, hired an expert named John Nolen from Boston to help them plan Roanoke's development.

The club became known for its work in city planning, public health, and cultural activities. City leaders had focused on bringing in businesses, but they had not done much for the city's cultural needs or public areas. The women of the WCBC believed that clean streets, safe places, good schools, playgrounds, and cultural opportunities were just as important for the city's future. They formed the club to work on these issues. They studied problems and asked the city council for improvements.

Planning Roanoke's Future

The WCBC was worried about open sewers, too many saloons, and traffic problems. Roanoke had grown very quickly, from 669 people in 1882 to 21,000 by 1900. In 1907, the WCBC held a "Great Fall Festival" to raise money. They wanted to hire a professional city planner. They raised $5,000, which is like $125,000 today. This money was enough to hire John Nolen. They also hired two scientists who studied germs (bacteriologists) to report on Roanoke's sanitation problems.

On December 7, 1906, over 100 women met in Roanoke to talk about important city issues. Two days later, they officially started the Roanoke Civic Betterment Club. Their main goals were to make sure the city's market area was clean, to create a healthier community for families, and to ensure good education for children.

John Nolen's Ideas for Roanoke

John Nolen made several suggestions for Roanoke. He recommended planting trees along the streets. He also suggested renaming streets: those going east-west would be "avenues," and those going north-south would be "streets." He proposed creating parks and playgrounds. Nolen also suggested dividing the city into four main areas. The work of the Woman's Civic Betterment Club and John Nolen was very important for areas like the Melrose-Rugby Historic District. They also worked on the Riverland/Walnut Hills, Roanoke, Virginia neighborhood to improve sanitation and reduce overcrowding. Around 1900, Riverland had many railway workers and their families, which led to crowded and unhealthy living conditions.

Nolen focused on building a civic center, which led to the construction of the Municipal Building in 1915. He also planned for paved streets with gutters and better sewage systems in neighborhoods.

Promoting City Improvements

Besides creating reports, the WCBC also invited speakers to talk about the benefits of city improvements. Mr. J. Horace McFarland, president of the American Civic Improvement Association, came to speak. He pointed out several problems in Roanoke, like an "open pit of slime and filth" near his hotel. The WCBC also paid for other speakers, including bacteriologists. These scientists warned about the risk of diseases like typhoid and tuberculosis, and about polluted milk in Roanoke.

When the Woman's Civic Betterment Club gave Nolen's plans to the city leaders, the plans were put aside. However, the city finally started using Nolen's ideas in the 1930s. Today, Roanoke's large greenway system, riverside drive, and Mill Mountain Park are all part of the lasting impact of John Nolen and the Woman's Civic Betterment Club. The women of the WCBC played a huge role in making Roanoke the city it is today.

A Public Library for Roanoke

Even though the Woman's Civic Betterment Club did not achieve all their goals right away, they did succeed in creating a public library. Sarah Poage Caldwell Butler, who had studied how to run libraries and worked at the New York Public Library, worked with the WCBC. She asked the Roanoke City Council to start a public library. The council told her that 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 to open a public library for the Black neighborhoods in Roanoke, which was segregated at the time. The Gainsboro Branch Public Library opened seven months later, on December 13, 1921. Sarah Butler later said that getting a public library in Roanoke was her proudest achievement for the community.

The Roanoke Cook Book

The "Great Fall Festival" helped raise money for the city plan, but more funds were needed. This extra money came from selling the WCBC's cookbook, called "The Roanoke Cook Book, Favorite Recipes by Some of Roanoke's Good Housekeepers." Mrs. Albert A. Stone put the book together using recipes from WCBC members. It was published quickly in 1907 and was a big financial success. The 164-page book included recipes and advertisements from local businesses, which helped cover the printing costs. Sales from the cookbook helped pay for one of the first city plans ever made.

Even today, the WCBC cookbook is seen as an example of cooking from that time in Southwestern Virginia. The book promised readers "so much kitchen lore in clear and condensed form." The recipes are unique, not just for their ingredients, but for how they describe the cooking process and give a sense of what life was like back then. The book also gave advice on using some dishes for health. For example, chicken broth was suggested 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."

Legacy of the WCBC

The Woman's Civic Betterment Club was formed when women could not vote or hold public office. They could not directly influence the government. Yet, in just a few years, the people of Roanoke saw big improvements. More land was set aside for public parks, school facilities got better, city sanitation improved, and there was less dust and dirt on the streets. Even without direct political power, they pushed for Roanoke's first public library, helped buy land for parks and playgrounds, and supported the creation of a juvenile court. As one writer said in 1912, their work for Roanoke's improvement was a great service to the community and deserves high praise.