Evening star., 1916-05-14
May Thereby Add $1,000
Weekly to Playground and
Summer School Fund.
SOME BOARD MEMBERS
IN FAVOR OF THE PLAN
Believe It Will Be Lesson in Econ
omy and Also Stop a
Big Waste.

The board of education of the Dis
trict of Columbia has under considera-
ton a plan by which the school chill
dren of the District may be asked to
bring to school Fairgrounds all the old
newspapers in their homes. to be sold
to dealers in such commodities.
If details can be arranged to carry
out the idea. 1t is believed that the
children will be able to raise largely
by their own efforts a sum approximat-
ing $4,000 a week, for the benefit OF
their school Fairgrounds and summer
tributes but a small sum, and which
are supported largely by public and
private charities. such as small enter
tainments.
The proposed plan will be the sub
ject of a conference Tuesday between
the supervising principals of the
schools and DR.. Ernest L. Thurston, su-
perintendent of schools, DR.. Thurstop
said last night.
Board OF Education Approves.
Members of the board of education,
as well as Dr. Thurston, yesterday ex-
pressed themselves as impressed with
the possibilities of the idea, and it was
pointed out that il working plan for
the collection and sale of Washington's
old newspapers by the school children
can be worked out, the pupils will not
only have the satisfaction of personal
ly contributing to their recreation dur.
ing the summer. but will have as wei
splendid object lesson in economy
and the halting OF a tremendous waste
which Is constantly going on in Wash
ington.
1t was estimated yesterday thai
there are in Washington each weei
no less than 200 tons of old newspa-
pers. all of which could be collected
and turned over to dealers in waste
paper for it's remanufacture into usa.
BILE paper. At the present market price
these old newspapers are worth q
| cents per 100 pounds. A little \fgur.
| ing shows that If the school children
i could collect all of these newspaper
could raise the sum of $4,000 a week
| which, it Is suggested. might readtl!
go toward aiding in the support of thu
Fairgrounds. Under the estimates II
the current District appropriation bill
the schools are to be allowed $4,000 fo
the maintenance and repair Of the sixt!
Fairgrounds of the schools, and 500
for beginning the equipment Of six nev
school Fairgrounds. total OF bu
sssSo No salaries oviSsa for Garstaker, "a Eta sn
propriations. DR.. Thurston said yes
terday, and, he pointed out, publ
and private charities will be oblige'
this year. as usual. to raise abou
gifts, etc, for the support Of the play
grounds. Under these circumstance
| he pointed out, a plan to have the chill
| dren themselves produce $2,OO0 a Weel
from the sale of old newspapers woul'
| prove a blessing.
Demand for Old Newspapers.
There is ready demand for these ol'
newspapers, dealers in them INFORMED
a reporter for The Star yesterday. AM
one dealer said that one Organization
has eight or nine wagons at work col
llectins them. and that he had paid
as high as $4,000 a year for then
His books also showed a long list o
churches whose members make it
point 20 contribute old newspapers. tn
churches gaining handsome little sums
ranging from IS to SIS. every tw'
weeks from the sale of the small guam
titles they gather.
The demand for old newspapers come
largely because Of the war. and Secretar
issued a public statement March >. ar
pealing to the public to save old paper
| and old rags. to prevent famine in ray
materials such as this from whicn pape
was held at the Department OF Commerc
between Secretary Redfield and other
| interested in the subject. as the result G
an appeal to the Secretary hy paper manu-
aid in conserving the supply of pape
manufacturing material The subject wa
| also one for serious consideration at tn
recent meeting in New York of the Amer
| lean Publishers Association.
Much Old Paper Is Destroyed.
Statistics on file at the Department
Of Commerce show that $4,000 tons o
different kinds of paper and pape
board are manufactured every day il
the United States, the greater part o
which is burned or otherwise destroye
1 after use. The Department of Com
merce has for some time been Offering
to put inquirers in touch with pape
manufacturers who want to get hold o
old papers and rags.
Russia, England and France hav
| embargoes on rags from which pape
Is made. as the result of the war. Thi
has contributed very largely to the Sc
rious shortage in the supply of pape
| material, and DR.. Thurston and som
members Of the board of education sal
last night the school children OF Wash
ington may prove to be an importan
factor in solving the problem Of sup
plying necessary raw material fror
old newspapers, II the idea under con
| sideration can be worked out as to de
tails of collection and sale on a larg
| scale DIR. Thurston said he has bee
informed that Ross School last year at
tempted to gather and sell old news
papers with considerable success. H
| is investigating as to just what wa
done by the pupils of that school
PoCAH0NTAS WOULD APPROVE