The 'veteran' participants were more familiar with the tutors and the tutoring sessions, which enabled them to take full advantage of what the program had to offer. It is anticipated that, over time, the 'rookie' participants will do the same. No illusions should be had. As worthy as Elementary Baseball has proven to be, it stands as only one plus among many minuses in the children's lives. Many are from single parent welfare families, which are often scenes of verbal or physical abuse.
Television is the main mental stimulation.
Books may be rare, reading seldom encouraged. Outside the home are still more negatives, the blights of economic violence perpetrated by racism and classism. These assaults on the souls and minds of Garrison's children, as with those inflicted on all children in minority and low-income neighborhoods, can be overcome. But not without contributions that include such programs as Elementary Baseball which, if sustained, could eventually help created the kind of learning communities taken for granted in the Brooklines, Skokies, and Bethesdas of America. All are in wealthy enclaves of Northwest Washington.