In Sanitary Conditions of Carlisle, an essay dating back to 1901, former Dickinson College student Geo. Cisney describes Carlisle’s sanitary conditions. He writes:
“While the sanitary condition of Carlisle is not ideal in many respects yet the people are steadily progressive and make many efforts to keep the town in a healthful sanitary condition. The streets are kept clean and orderly. The streets are abundantly supplied with beautiful shade trees… Civic clubs have been organized which have also done much to further the sanitary needs of the town.”
Times have changed within the last century. Have Carlilian’s attitudes toward the town’s sanitary conditions changed too? What are the financial effects of maintaining high standards of sanitary conditions for a small town?
The town strives to preserve it’s rich historical heritage which surely requires cleanliness and order and may very well influence how Carlisle’s sanitary issues are addressed. Is more effort made to maintain the downtown area clean or do sanitary standards apply to all areas of the town? Are “civic clubs” still involved with the development of Carlisle’s sanitary conditions?
-C. Nally
(Cisney, archived with the Special Collections Library, Waidner-Spahr Library)