In our Century
The January 1941 edition of The American City introduced a monthly feature to offer suggestions for improving municipal public relations and describe how cities were “dramatizing the city’s business to the city’s voters.” “As financial resources thin out, and every tax dollar must yield greater returns in efficient service, the stockholders in the business of government — the citizens — are becoming more critical,” wrote Phillips Bradley, professor of political science at Queens College and regular author of the articles. “They watch what is being done and how it is being done, often largely with an eye to economizing by eliminating or cutting down on services… There isn’t a local government in this country that would not profit from reviewing the ways in which it goes about interpreting its policies and activities to the community.” In several articles, Bradley introduces the new concepts of using bar charts, line graphs and illustrations in annual reports to show residents information more clearly than tables of numbers.
The March 1941 issue included a description of a new department Dallas established to improve public relations. The Bureau of Public Information and Complaints created one place for residents to call, write or visit to ask questions and report problems. The office used triplicate forms to record complaints, routed copies to the appropriate departments, mailed residents letters when their complaints were resolved, asked for residents’ opinions of the city’s responses, and indexed and filed the records. According to Ayres Compton, director of the bureau, staff were “constantly arming [themselves] with facts and figures in an attempt to satisfy [residents’] expectations.”
The bureau would field questions ranging from where specific city departments were located to who the Democratic presidential candidate was in 1928. “It is not infrequent that persons stop at the information desk and ask to buy stamps, change for a quarter, or that the clerk in charge call the solicitor a taxi. Rather sensitive about it at first, we have since learned to say with a smile to the man who tosses a nickel on the counter that ours is an information desk and not a cigar stand.”
Previous “In our century” Stories
- In our century — April 1931
Cities do what they can to put residents to work in the early days of the Great Depression - In our century — October 1915
Winter weather regularly demands that cities improve practices for clearing snow and ice from streets - In our century — January 1911
As aviation takes off, cities make use of the quick mode of transportation and secure their spots on the aerial highways - In our century — May 1928
Police departments adopt radio technology to dispatch patrol officers more quickly and catch, deter criminals - In our century — December 1913
Cities adopt the city manager form of government to improve administration and bring efficiency to operations - In our century — October 1913
Cities take action in the earliest days of motion pictures to regulate content and ensure theater safety - In our century — July 1935
Cities install parking meters in business districts to improve traffic flow, reduce car damage and generate revenue - In our century — April 1910
Cities organize July Fourth events, regulate fireworks to reduce Independence Day injuries and deaths - In our century — May 1915
Cities seize revenue-generating opportunities to provide ice and refrigeration to residents and businesses - In our century — May 1914
Officials invest in maps to guide public projects, improve city administration and communicate plans to the public - In our century — September 1915
Technology develops to ensure the safe movement of trains, cars and emergency vehicles through city streets - In our century — July 1914
Among the early efforts to improve public health, cities invent and seek weapons of mass fly destruction - In our century — August 1913
When bond issues fail, cities seek alternative funding for infrastructure improvements and other public projects - In our century — August 1914
Cities improve cleanliness and public health by strategically placing public restrooms and encouraging their use - In our century — December 1914
Cities begin the tradition of decorating enormous public Christmas trees to celebrate the holidays - In our century — June 1910
Government accounting methods and reports mature from vague and incomplete records to standard formats. - In our century — October 1909
Investigations into corruption and mismanagement lead to (some) reforms in government policies and operations. - In our century — January 1913
Cities experiment with road surfaces and set out methods for funding road construction and maintenance. - In our century — September 1909
Limits on outdoor advertising are set through cities’ hard-fought battles over billboard sizes, messages and locations. - In our century — August 1911
Fire departments gain authority, modern equipment to prevent and improve response times to structure fires. - In our century — June 1910
Street lights become symbols of communities’ economic success, and lighting technology efficiency evolves. - In our century — September 1909
With urban growth comes city leaders’ desire to control and direct it for the community’s greatest benefit. - In our century — September 1909
Cities embrace playgrounds as valuable public assets for children’s safety, health and social development. - In our century — September 1909
Women embrace public causes, work to improve their communities and expand their societal roles. - In our century — March 1910
Cities develop methods, mechanisms and regulations for residential solid waste collection and disposal. - In our century — November 1909
Occupancy laws and social workers emerge in the early 1900s to clean up inner-city neighborhoods. - The way we were
Publisher’s son remembers American City & County‘s roots.