Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-08-22
ASSOCIATED CHARITIES
SUGGESTIONS MADE TO THE PARK
ING COMMISSION.
Play Grounds for school Children
of James Creek Canal.

A letter has been sent by the Associated
Charities to the park commission setting
forth the advantages of providing play
grounds for children and other plans for
identifying the District Of Columbia. The
letter says:
THE Associated Charities and the Citi-
zens' Relief Association, In the name Of
the churches, schools, societies, philan-
thropic organizations and charitable indi-
viduals whom they represent. respectfully
ask your commission. in formulating plans
for the systematic Identification Of our
city, to give especial consideration to it's
poorer neighborhoods Public officials and
influential people living in the finer resi-
dental portions of Washington will natu-
rally attract your attention to those parts
of the city with which they are most IA
miiar. We trust You will therefore permit
us to emphasize other features of the situa-
ton also and to voice the needs of less re-
sourceful neighborhoods which are liable to
be overlooked.
IF our national capital Is to be an ideal
city, as the entire country must desire, 1t
should not be behind Berlin, Paris, London
and other capital cities in the conscious
effort to eliminate 'slum' conditions and
to improve the surroundings of Its poorer
as well as of it's Weather Inhabitants.
That municipal Identification involves con-
siderations of civic ethics and of social
service has been suggested since the ear
lest days of European cathedrals, market
squares and city halls. 1t has now come to
be definitely expressed as working prtncl-
pie that nothing so ennob1es and beauties
a modern city as the promotion OF health
full conditions, of artistic surroundings, OF
educational activities and of means for
recreation among the large number OF
citizens who are least able to obtain these
communal advantages for themselves.
Eight Topics for Confederation.
Therefore we respectfully ask you to
consider especially the eight following top
les. If any or all Of these are either al
ready included in your plans or entirely be-
yond the scope of your inquiry, we trust
you will understand that all are submitted
merely as suggestions; that We would not
willingly complicate or embarrass your Inn
portant work in any way, but seek only to
offer you such cooperation as may De en-
tirely acceptable.
"First-Small parks. There are small va
cant areas in the southwest, southeast and
northeast sections of Washington which
could be secured with comparative ease.
Some already belong to the general and
District governments and are merely used
for the storage of stone, sewer pipes, etc.
Their use for recreation and neighborhoOd
Identification Is made especially desirable by
the fact that most of the houses in the
denser portions Of these sections, and es-
pecialiy in the southwest. are small them
selves and stand in diminutive yards or
have no yard space whatever. George
town, too, has very poor section in which
a park Is needed, and attention should also
be given to that portion Of the northwest
which extends from North Capitol to 7th
or 9th street
swings, gymnastic apparatus and facilities
for outdoor sports are much more useful to
city than are small parks alone. These
Fairgrounds should have, for certain hours
no nf trni r,saT1 HAV
gartner gymnasium director or other Gao
pable person who will suggest and oversee
games and make the playground means
of developing good citizenship It has been,
demonstrated in several cities that such
Fairgrounds greatly lessen crime and the
destructive mischief of boys and youths by,
giving them an opportunity to work on
their surplus energies in wholesome actiN-
tiles.
ITO members of the community and to,
visitors these Fairgrounds. enlvened by the
presence and Joyous sports OF Children
would be more attractive. more truly beau7
and exclusive gardens. An ideal plan would
be to combine small parks and play
grounds, arranging shaded walks and
benches for the adults, especially for moth
ers and babies, with well-equipped play
yard for the children and young people.
Public school Fairgrounds.
"Third-Public school centers Washington
now being advocated in many cities If our
public schools could each be surrounded
by such a park-p1ayground as has been
suggested. The schools would thus be
made, appropriately, the public beautifica-
ton centers of neighborhoods in which
there are no monuments or public edifices
to serve as central features in your designs
for beautiful city.
"Fourth-Public comfort stations or toilet
rooms, such as are found on street corners
or beneath street pavementS and sidewalks
in London. Paris and other cities should
be provided in the parks and Fairgrounds
and also in the business centers of Wash
ington.
''Fifth-Bathing beaches or floating river
bath houses are needed in the southwest
and southeast portions of Washington.
Under direction OF your commission such
river frontages, with their buildings fences
and walks, would be means of identifying
the city as well as promoting public health
and comfort.
I'm addition to bathing beaches or such
floating river bath houses as are numerous
along the Rhine river in Germany there
should be bath houses erected-for use in
winter as well as summer-in the four d.
visions of Washington. Bathing facilities
are especially needed where alley houses
are numerous. and our colored population
should be particularly considered in this,
as, indeed, in all the suggestions OF this
letter. That the public baths of Rome were
among the important means OF public
beautifcation suggests that the erection OF
at least one model bath house could ap-
propriately be urged by your commission
'Sixth-The James creek canal Is an open
sewer, so dangerous. nnwholesome and
hideous that this community has no right
to inffict it upon the southwest portion of
the city which 1t now pollutes. Could not
your commission recommend that this canal
be covered over and that it's roof be used
together with the space Of eighty or ninety
feet reserved on either side as public
domain, as public park or a boulevard
with grass plots and flower gardens in the
center, upon the roof Of the canal? The
comprehensive plans of your Commission
could surely include suggestions for trans
forming this open sewer nuisance into a