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Show Helpful Criticism It is a time-honored American tradition that a man must never speak'anything but good of his native town. He must blind his eyes to its faults; or,, at least, he must never say anything about them. This is the tradition that has given rise to Booster's Clubs, to slogans of "Boost don't knock" and the like. Not a bad idea, this praising your home town. Civic patriotism is a fine thing. But many times the highest form of 'civic patriotism lies in criticising 'y-oui'-town for all you are worth. Faults don't drop out . of existence if they are ignored. The only way to make a town all it ought to be is by calling attention to its defects until people are ready to abolish them. Boosters are good. But sometimes a good knocker is worth a lot more. As long as the rnajority of the citizens have a "There is nothing the matter with us" attitude towards public institutions insti-tutions there will be no marked progress. Conditions will gradually grow worse until the decayed foundation will give away and the structure collapse, burying in its ruins the fellows fel-lows who continually refuse to see that something is wrong. Constructive criticism is helpful, whether it is aimed at a town, a city or an individual. Level headed persons will not resent it, but will profit by it. The same should be the case among those who have the government of towns or cities in their hands. |