The Committee to End Pay Toilets in America, or CEPTIA, was a 1970s grass-roots political organization which was one of the main forces behind the elimination of pay toilets in many American cities and states.
Founded in 1970 by then-nineteen-year-old Ira Gessel, the Committee's purpose was to "eliminate pay toilets in the U.S. through legislation and public pressure."[1][2][3]
Starting a national crusade to cast away coin-operated commodes, Gessel told newsmen, "You can have a fifty-dollar bill, but if you don't have a dime, that metal box is between you and relief."[4] Membership in the organization cost only $0.25, and members received the Committee's newsletter, the Free Toilet Paper. Headquartered in Dayton, Ohio, USA, the group had as many as 1,500 members, in seven chapters.[1]
The group also sponsored the Thomas Crapper Memorial Award, which was given to "the person who has made an outstanding contribution to the cause of CEPTIA and free toilets."[1]
In 1973, Chicago became the first American city to act when the city council voted 37–8 in support of a ban on pay toilets in that city. According to at least one source, this was "... a direct response, evidently," to CEPTIA.[4][5][6]
Achievementsedit
According to The Wall Street Journal, there were, in 1974, at least 50,000 pay toilets in America, mostly made by the Nik-O-Lok Company. Despite this flourishing commerce, CEPTIA was successful over the next few years in obtaining bans in New York, New Jersey, Minnesota, California, Florida, and Ohio.[7] Lobbying was so successful that by June 1976, twelve states had enacted bans and the group announced that it was disbanding, declaring its mission mostly achieved.[8]
Criticismedit
While CEPTIA's campaign was successful in largely eliminating pay toilets in the United States, critics charge that the result was not a flourishing of free public toilets, but rather many fewer public toilets of any sort than in other countries that did not see a movement against pay toilets.[9][10] In recent years, commentators have called for a reconsideration of the pay toilet bans in the hope of making public toilets more widely available.[11]
^Franckling, Kenneth (August 21, 1974). "Ban on pay toilets disputed". The Dispatch.
^Geringer, Dan (May 2, 1972). "A New Kind of Protest". The Palm Beach Post. pp. B1, B3.
^ abFelton, Bruce; Fowler, Mark (1994). The Best, Worst, & Most Unusual. Sterling Publishing Company, Inc. p. 262. ISBN978-0-88365-861-1.
^Wiggins, Ron (August 2, 1973). "Comfort-For-Pay Being Flushed Out". Evening Independent.
^"Group Seeks To End Pay Toilets: And It Has Had Some Success Already". Sarasota Journal. July 25, 1973.
^"Clinched fist rising from commodes ends". Hamilton. August 19, 1976: B–6. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
^Dunphy, Robert J. (June 20, 1976). "Notes: Pay Toilets". The New York Times.
^Gordon, Aaron (September 17, 2014). "Why Don't We Have Pay Toilets in America?". Pacific Standard.
^Yuko, Elizabeth (November 5, 2021). "Where Did All the Public Bathrooms Go?". Bloomberg CityLab.
^House, Sophie (November 19, 2018). "Pay Toilets Are Illegal in Much of the U.S. They Shouldn't Be". Bloomberg CityLab.
December 08, 2023
committee, toilets, america, ceptia, 1970s, grass, roots, political, organization, which, main, forces, behind, elimination, toilets, many, american, cities, states, founded1970, years, 1970, toilet, francisco, california, free, contents, history, achievements. The Committee to End Pay Toilets in America or CEPTIA was a 1970s grass roots political organization which was one of the main forces behind the elimination of pay toilets in many American cities and states Committee to End Pay Toilets in AmericaFounded1970 53 years ago 1970 A pay toilet in San Francisco California now free Contents 1 History 2 Achievements 3 Criticism 4 ReferencesHistory editWhen a man s or woman s natural body functions are restricted because he or she doesn t have a piece of change there is no true freedom Ira Gessel 1 Founded in 1970 by then nineteen year old Ira Gessel the Committee s purpose was to eliminate pay toilets in the U S through legislation and public pressure 1 2 3 Starting a national crusade to cast away coin operated commodes Gessel told newsmen You can have a fifty dollar bill but if you don t have a dime that metal box is between you and relief 4 Membership in the organization cost only 0 25 and members received the Committee s newsletter the Free Toilet Paper Headquartered in Dayton Ohio USA the group had as many as 1 500 members in seven chapters 1 The group also sponsored the Thomas Crapper Memorial Award which was given to the person who has made an outstanding contribution to the cause of CEPTIA and free toilets 1 In 1973 Chicago became the first American city to act when the city council voted 37 8 in support of a ban on pay toilets in that city According to at least one source this was a direct response evidently to CEPTIA 4 5 6 Achievements editAccording to The Wall Street Journal there were in 1974 at least 50 000 pay toilets in America mostly made by the Nik O Lok Company Despite this flourishing commerce CEPTIA was successful over the next few years in obtaining bans in New York New Jersey Minnesota California Florida and Ohio 7 Lobbying was so successful that by June 1976 twelve states had enacted bans and the group announced that it was disbanding declaring its mission mostly achieved 8 Criticism editWhile CEPTIA s campaign was successful in largely eliminating pay toilets in the United States critics charge that the result was not a flourishing of free public toilets but rather many fewer public toilets of any sort than in other countries that did not see a movement against pay toilets 9 10 In recent years commentators have called for a reconsideration of the pay toilet bans in the hope of making public toilets more widely available 11 References edit a b c d Wallechinsky David Wallace Irving 1975 The People s Almanac Doubleday and Company Inc p 1256 ISBN 0 385 04186 1 Franckling Kenneth August 21 1974 Ban on pay toilets disputed The Dispatch Geringer Dan May 2 1972 A New Kind of Protest The Palm Beach Post pp B1 B3 a b Felton Bruce Fowler Mark 1994 The Best Worst amp Most Unusual Sterling Publishing Company Inc p 262 ISBN 978 0 88365 861 1 Wiggins Ron August 2 1973 Comfort For Pay Being Flushed Out Evening Independent Group Seeks To End Pay Toilets And It Has Had Some Success Already Sarasota Journal July 25 1973 Clinched fist rising from commodes ends Hamilton August 19 1976 B 6 a href Template Cite journal html title Template Cite journal cite journal a Cite journal requires journal help Dunphy Robert J June 20 1976 Notes Pay Toilets The New York Times Gordon Aaron September 17 2014 Why Don t We Have Pay Toilets in America Pacific Standard Yuko Elizabeth November 5 2021 Where Did All the Public Bathrooms Go Bloomberg CityLab House Sophie November 19 2018 Pay Toilets Are Illegal in Much of the U S They Shouldn t Be Bloomberg CityLab Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Committee to End Pay Toilets in America amp oldid 1149102165, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
