Evening star., 1918-10-03
OPPOSES PROPOSED
| PLAYGROUNDPLAN
Mrs. Rhodes Says Suggested
Reorganization Would
Be a Calamity.
OBJECTION IS EXPLAINED

| ground system OF the D1str1ct-to
bring both municipal and school play
grounds under the head Of the commu-
nifty center department with Mrs.
Susie Root Rhodes, present director of
Fairgrounds. as general community
secretary-was characterized as "a
calamity to the recreation system of
! the District of Columbia" by Mrs.
! Rhodes at a meeting of the board of
education yesterday at the Franklin
| School.
The new scheme proposed by Miss
Cecil B. Norton, general community
secretary, and drafted by E. ]. Ward.
a community center official at the
Park View School, looks to the ap-
pointment of Mrs. Rhodes to the head
Of the community center department
at the expiration Of her term as di-
| rector Of Fairgrounds.
Mrs. Rhodes Explains Objections.
Mrs. Rhodes last night gave out the
following statement regarding the
plan:
'The plan purposes that upon my
release from my position as super
visor of Fairgrounds I be appointed
general secretary of community or
| ganizations, my responsibility to in
| clude the facilities now under the
| municipal playground office. as we'll
as those of the present community
| center department and the school
Fairgrounds department.
"I wish to inform the board OF my
absolute and unqualified disapproval
| of the project 1t was only after it
| had been independently of me rather
thoroughly developed, and in form for
| formal presentation, that I was con-
suited. I then and there refused to
allow my name to be mentioned In
any way, for under no circumstances
could indorse any plan involving the
| discontinuance of the municipal play
ground system.
Called More Efficient.
"The general experience in the prin-
cipal cities of the country has been
that the playground system is more
J efficient and of much wider service to
| the community when conducted by a
department of the municipality,
rather than by the board of education.
II do not believe any greater
calamity could befall the recreation
| system of the District of Columbia, as
| it is being developed with increasing
Miss Norton. The use of my name in
connection with the plan which has
been submitted to you, Mr.. Superin-
| tendent, and which you have sub
| mitted to the president of the board
of Commissioners, was entirely un-
| warranted, and I wish to go on record
| formally to that effect"
Formal recognition of the project
| was not given by the board. Supt.
| Thurston said the project did not
| have an official status"
Protests Salary Delay.
| A protest from Miss Alice Deal.
| president of the High School Teach
| ers' Union, asks why teachers had
| not been paid for their September
| salaries on time. Miss Deal, on be-
| half of the executive committee of the
High School Teachers Union, said the
delay of September salaries was a
yearly occurrence, and asked an ex-
| PLANTATION.
Supt Thurston. following a confer
ence with the auditor for the Dis
trict, Alonzo Twcedale. said:
Delay Is Explained.
Changes in salary classification,
due to reorganization of teachers
| wage scale classes and the $12O gov
ernment increase. have caused an
| complished this year out of all pro-
portion with the usual amount. AS
| you know. the District appropriations
| bill did not pass until late and this
forced our clerical force to postpone
revising salaries until it passed. Mod
ifications in the appropriations bill
alone caused more than lbs changes.
Changes due to recognition and re-
| adjustment alone, all coming at the
end of the month of September, COW
| cred 125 pages of a typewriter re-
port. all of which took time to COM
| pile"
| Mr.. Thurston's letter justifying the
delay was sent to all teachers prior
to the writing of the letter from Miss
| Deal and was proba bly, in their hands
| before the letter from Miss Deal
reached the board of education. Act
| ing president of the Board George E.
Hamilton said at the meeting that