Those endorsing and supporting the Demonstration may be known as
Patrons and should comprise the following:
The Mayor Commissioner of Education (or Superintendent of Public School)
Publishers or Owners of Local Newspapers
Presidents of Important Women's Clubs
President of Chamber of Commerce Agricultural Home Bureau, etc.
President of Real Estate Board
President of Rotary Club
President of Kiwanis Club
Presidents of Building & Loan Associations
Presidents of other Business or Trade Associations related to the
Home Building and Furnishing Industries.
Churches should also be asked to support the movement.
Additional Patrons may properly be selected from prominent citizens of the community, who are noted for their public spirit and are not included in the above list.
The two essentials for a successful Better Homes in America Demonstration are genuine co-operation from all local civic, financial, commercial and educational interests, and full and extensive publicity through the local newspapers. From the youngest boy or girl scout to bank president, business man, school teacher, minister, manufacturer and city official, everybody in a community should have a real personal interest in the Demonstration. When the benefits of a successful Better Homes Demonstration are once understood this interest is readily aroused.
Investigation of successful exhibitions in Kansas City, Indianapolis, Cleveland and elsewhere proved conclusively that the cooperation of all local interests was the biggest single factor of success.
How to Form Sub-Committees
It is important to appoint as Chairman of each Sub-committee a member of the General Committee who is particularly fitted to the specific work assigned to her Sub-committee. The special abilities of the members of the General Committee should be taken into careful consideration and so used in the arrangement of the Sub-committees as to secure the best and quickest results.
The formation of Sub-committees is necessary not only to divide the work effectively, but also to arouse the interest and cooperation of the various local interests directly affected by home building and home betterment. All the local business groups—furniture dealers, hardware dealers, wall-paper and paint dealers, electrical dealers, real estate dealers, etc.—should be interviewed and asked to nominate a representative from each group to serve on the appropriate Sub-committee. In this way the appearance of favoring special interests will be avoided and the fullest co-operation secured.
It may be well to stress here that the Chairman of the General Committee should not become immersed in the details of the Sub-committees' work. She establishes a point of contact and a clearing house for all Sub-committees and directs the Better Homes Demonstration as a whole, but not in detail. Neither should the Chairman of a Sub-committee attempt to enter into details of the work of other Sub-committees not under her direction. The Chairman of each Sub-committee is responsible to the Chairman of the General Committee, and to her alone.