unity had
never occurred to them before the evening when two of Bok's neighbors
called to ask his help in forming a civic association.

A canvass of the sentiment of the neighborhood revealed the unanimous
opinion that the experiment, if attempted, would be a failure,--an
attitude not by any means confined to the residents of Merion! Bok
decided to test it out; he called together twenty of his neighbors, put
the suggestion before them and asked for two thousand dollars as a
start, so that a paid secretary might be engaged, since the men
themselves were too busy to attend to the details of the work. The
amount was immediately subscribed, and in 1913 The Merion Civic
Association applied for a charter and began its existence.

The leading men in the community were elected as a Board of Directors,
and a salaried secretary was engaged to carry out the directions of the
Board. The association adopted the motto: "To be nation right, and
state right, we must first be community right." Three objectives were
selected "with which to attract community interest and membership;
safety to life, in the form of proper police protection; safety to
property, in the form of adequate hydrant and fire-engine service; and
safety to health, in careful supervision of the water and milk used in
the community.

"The three S's," as they were called, brought an immediate response.
They were practical in their appeal, and members began to come in. The
police force was increased from one officer at night and none in the
day, to three at night and two during the day, and to this the
Association added two special night officers of its own. Private
detectives were intermittently brought in to "check up" and see that
the service was vigilant. A fire hydrant was placed within seven
hundred feet of every house, with the insurance rates reduced from
twelve and one-half to thirty per cent; the services of three
fire-engine companies was arranged for. Fire-gongs were introduced
into the community to guard against danger from interruption of
telephone service. The water supply was chemically analyzed each month
and the milk supply carefully scrutinized. One hundred and fifty new
electric-light posts specially designed, and pronounced by experts as
the most beautiful and practical road lamps ever introduced into any
community, were erected, making Merion the best-lighted community in
its vicinity.

At every corner was erected an artistically desi