I often seem to rose-tint Woodbury's Victorian-era past here on the blog, but the truth is, similar problems existed even during Woodbury's heyday. One needs only to peruse a turn-of-the-century copy of the Woodbury Daily Times (now the Gloucester County Times) to illustrate this point. But things were a little different back then and law enforcement at the time could get away with more "direct" behavioral modification techniques, i.e. punishment. Take, for example, Woodbury's solution for their "culture of incivility" problem in 1904, transcribed here from a Philadelphia Inquirer article for your enjoyment.... NOTE: I personally do not support such methods as they are nothing more than forced labor (i.e., slavery).
WOODBURY, N. J., March 29. – The city authorities are trying another experiment in ridding the community of the tramp nuisance. The dozen or so of this gentry who were “run in” a few nights ago were put to work on the streets this morning, much against their will.
Water Superintendent Wilmer and Assistant Ford took the men out on Evergreen avenue this morning and set the gang to work with pick and shovel digging trenches for the extension of water mains. The men worked like Trojans after being told that thirty days would be added for refusal. All of them declared they will be glad to get away and steer clear of Woodbury in the future.
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