The Washington times., 1916-05-01
CAPITAL A PIONEER
IN MOVEMENT FOR.
PUD.|CPLAYGROUND.
Also Among First In Educational
Activity, Mrs. Rhodes Tells
Forum.

Washington was pictured not oniy
as a lender but rs a pioneer In edu-
cntional and recreatIonl movements
BY Mrs. Susie Root Rhodes. member
OF the Board OF Education. and newly
appointed supervisor Of Fairgrounds.
before the community forum yestcr'
day afternoon et tho Public Library
Mrs. Rhodes read from data she re-
Gently gathered in making study
OF this subject. She pointed to the
unusual array OF recreational faclli-
ties here including the Zoo. the Ma
tionai Museum the Corcoran Art SAT
lery, the bathing beach. the tennis
courts the municipal and school play
grounds. and the many golf courses.
The largest municipal playground
Mrs. Rhodes said, Is Ave acres. and
the smallest ono acre ana tenth.
On the latter the attendance averages
eco children n day. and as many as
1900 have visited the playground IN
More than $4,000 colored children
and about 5000 white children visit
cd the municipal Fairgrounds during
the past week.
First Playground In 1902.
The FIRST Washington playground. Mrs.
Rhodes said. was In the backyard OF
Neighborhood House. founded In 1907.
She paid a tribute to the Commission
ers. to newspapers. and to business men
for the assistance they had given the
playground movement.
She said Washington was the scene
Of the organization Of the playground
Association OF America. and play
ground course was started here In 1908
for school teachers. which since has
been copied by schools all over the
Miss N. s. Hanaw. OF Baltimore. who
insisted she was a radical. told of the
movement In her city. which eliminated
In q measure to throw omen the schools
OF that city for community use.
She said she approved smoking by
men In the schools II that would encour-
age them to meet there. and told of the
Shocks she had given Baltimore In
her campaign by throwing on notion
picture screens pictures Of men and
women playing cards In the sch Dol
rooms. of Wisconsin. and Of boys play
ing pool in other school buildings.
A little later Congressman Gallagher
Of Illinois said no approved Of men be-
ting allowed to smoke in schools IL they
Miss Hsnaw said she found many poll
teal leaders opposed to the Baltimore
measure because Mayor Preston favor
ed II, and, turning to Congressman Sa-
bath OF Illinois, she remarked:
You know. Congressman; how politics
Miss Hanaw advised women who were
to approach the legislators while they
were smoking their after-dinner cigars.
1T you tackle them then, you may
land them. but IL they don't smoke at
all. they. probably won't listen to you
Miss Hanaw mentioned many times
that she had been arrested twice for
helping strikers while she was settle
"settiements and private charities
were good In their time. but they have
had their day." she said. Now is the
time to carry all the activities of the
Then Miss Hanaw assailed Baltimore
for Its Sunday observance laws, AL
said that lover there we can't even
meet in a library or play cricket or ten
mis- or golf on Sundays"
Movement In Chicago.
Harry A. Lipsky, chairman of the
community center committee. OF the
Chicago hoard OF education, described
the movement In tina: city which led up
10 the opening of the schools for varying
uses by the adults.
Activities of a community forum
should, first of all. be educational he
said, ''or Il is not entitled to the use of
educational property"
He urged that an official of the Board
OF Education be present at all COM
1.-THE board should be represented at
every melting. II people themselves
won't come To the buildings there Is no
use forcing them. To be successful the
boriy affair. Principals OF schools must
subordinate their position and take such
q part in the community center activi-
ties as their personalities warrant"
Mr.. Lipsky described a meeting at q
Chicago school where representatives OF
nine nationaltties sang their national
anthems and concluded by Joining in
''The Star-Spangled Banner"
while men OF these nations were
lighting each other on the other side
they were singing together on this side
OF the water" he said. There is no
better demonstration OF the way schools
can be used TO eliminate the hyphen."
Matter Of Right.
Mr.. Iipsky said the New York COM
munity center conference had started a
movement to throw open schools as a
matter of right rather than a privilege
granted by the board of education.
He approved measure before Com
gress to spend $4,000 to push the COM
munity center idea and to employ an
expert in community organization to do
II. He advocated the passage of the
Hollis-Johnson bill.
Congressman SABBATH introduced Mr..
Lipsky. Congressman Gallagher spoke
for the wider use of schools. The Rev.
Or, Henry Jackson reported on an ac-
ton Of the Southern Conference Of Edu-
cation and Industry In New Orleans.
lndorsing the Hollis-Johnson bill. Ezra
Meeker. the eighty ve-yeqr-oId driver
OF an automobile making a tour In the
interest of the road from 81. Louis TO
Olympia, Wash. also was introduced
$1.00 Harpers Ferry, slips Winches-
ter and return, Baltimore and Ohio from