Evening star., 1903-12-05
PLEA FOR THE GIRLS
INSUFFICIENT FACILITIES FOR
ATHLETIC EXERCIsEs.
The Matter to Be Urged Upon Commis.
sioners and Congress-other
High School Notes.

commodations for the physical culture
and the athletic sports of the girls of the
local high schools is again attracting
attention The strls. 1t is said. have been
entirely neglected In this respect. while
the boys have received fair amount of
| attention.
| MIR. A. L. Stuart, superintendent of edu-
cation of the District of Columbia, rec
commended last year in his annual report
| to the Commissioners that an appropria-
tion be asked of Congress for the erec-
tion and equipment of girls gymnasiums
| in connection with the Central and East
ern High Schools and the Mckinley and
Armstrong Manual Training Schools. The
western Is the only local high school
which Is provided with gymnasium
exclusively for the use of the young
High School building provide for similar
accommodations for the girls Of that
school, but thus far nothing has been ac-
complfshed toward securing conveniences
school authorities, for the other four,
except the mere report to the Commits
sioners. who found 1t necessary to omit
the recommendation from their last
years report to Congress on account of
the already very large list of appropira-
tions to be asked for. The matter, how
ever, 1t Is understood. will not be allowed
to rest, but will be urged from every
quarter upon the Commissioners and Con-
gress.
In conversation with a Star reporter this
week Mrs. Walton, who has charge OF
physical culture and athletics for the
girls Of the high schools, stated that in
the Central school there are as many as
200 pupils of the gentler sex in the school
athletic association. and that the number
OF male members is far below this; but
that while the boys had accommodations
for the cadet drill as well as indoor and
outdoor sports, the girls are obliged to
| for classes, dress behind screens stand
guard at doors, do without baths and
even without sufficient number of
basins In which to wash their hands.
Denied Opportunities.
This Is said to be also true of the other
high schools with the single exception of
| the Western. The girls of the Tech" are
obliged to seek place for their basket ball
practice outside of the building entirely,
| while these of the Eastern must watch
| their chance, according to good authority,
to gain temporary possession of the drill
hail when the boys happen to have with
drawn.
Mrs. Walton stated further that she did
not think girls athletics are properly un-
derstood by parents and even in a measure
by the school authorities Physical culture
as an education, she ~ = -vhat is being
taught. that the pupils L. develop their
bodies as we'll as their minds. Athletic
sports are but elimination of this educa-
ton, and something that the girls are al
lowed to take UP only after reaching the
proper stage of development and undergo
Ing strict examination as to their ability
to Withstand more violent exercises, To
one who studies the entire system Of
training, she believes, 1t would appear, that
athletics are but small part Of physi-
cal culture.
1t has always been the aim of the au-
thorities to prevent the girls basket ball
i1pr a VT hfnv nlra
fessional aspect For this reason the
games. which have been going on for sew
eral years between the Central. Eastern
and Western teams. have been kept some
what secret. promiscuous audiences have
not been given admission. and reports Of
the games in the press have been depre-
Gated. The endeavor all along. it is stated
has been simply to give the girls of the
high school age something that they have
wanted and Sorely needed. That totally In
adequate environment and accommodations
for the work exist Is the sorrow of every
teacher and pupil interested in 1t.
Basket Ball Series.
The first game Of the inter- high school
girls basket bali series was played a few
weeks ago between the teams of the Central
and Eastern schools. The score was 1S to 8
in favor of the Central girls. The second
game was played yesterday afternoon be-
tween the Eastern and Western teams. the
IL.
The third will take place within a few
weeks between the Central and Western.
All Of the games are being played in the
Washington Light Infantry Armory Hall.
which is beneath Chase's Theater at the
corner of Pennsylvania avenue and 18th
street northwest.
In the case of tie the championship will
not be decided until next year. as the OBJ
Ject of the directors of the girls athletics Is
that there shall be no more interference
with studies than is necessary.
Discussion of Foot Ball.
The discussion which has arisen as re-
suit of the last game in the boys foot ball
series has quieted down somewhat since Di-
rector Hughes declared that he would bring
the matter to the attention of the superin-
tendent of education. Mr.. A. T. Stuart 1t
Is understood that Mr.. Hughes is preparing
a statement for the superintendent, and also
that he has already talked the matter over
with him. Mr. Stuart stated this week that
after he had heard officially from Mr..
Hughes he would lay his report before the
board but that there would probably be no
haste in passing any resolutions in regard to
it since the season is over for this year.
However he said. 'the board will un-
doubtedly take some action in respect to the
length of the halves and possibly other
matters in connection with the game be-
fore the opening of next years season."
Central School "Grads'" Reunion.
A call has been issued by the graduates
Of the Central High School OF 80, 90 'O1
'02 and 'O3 to meet at the Cairo fats, @
street between 18th and 18th streets Tues
day evening. December 90 for the purpose
of forming an alumni associa ton. busi-
ness meeting will take place promptly at
o'clock for graduates only. at which the
formal organization will be effected The
five classes mentioned will be the nucleus
of the alumni association for the first year,
after which all graduates will be eligible
to membership and election to office.
An elaborate program has been arranged
for the reunion. aside from the formation
of the alumni association. Kenneth NJ.
Johns and Marjorie E. Keefe. both of the
class of 1901, acting president and
secretary, respectively.
Eastern Alumni Association.
The executive committee of the Eastern
High School Alumni Association has select
ed Monday evening. December %, as the
date for the annual reunion. which will be
held as usual in the school building. The
similar affair of last year was unusually
successful. and 1t is hoped that it may be
repeated
THE graduates of this school for 1o03 havs