Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-07-13
MISS WILSON MAY
A|pSCHOOL STORE
Presidents Daughter Re-
Sumes Interest in Work of
Community Centers.
ARMY FOOD THIS WEEK

Miss Margaret Wilson, founder OF
Washington's community centers, Is
planning to resume her active interest
in this phase of the capitals civic de-
Nelopment, interrupted when she went
TO France to engage in war WORK
1t was announced last night that she
had accepted an invitation to attend
picnic to be given by the Mount
Joy (Pa-) Community Center July 70.
This is the rural organization that
has been most active in shipping food
by post Office motor truck into local
community centers, particularly the
one at Park View.
During Miss Wilson's absence abroad
the schoolhouse store, recently ban
ned by the board of education, de-
veloped into one of the principal COM
munity center functions.
The announcement that she expects
to attend the Mount JOY function,
which is designed further to cement
the relations between the rural and
city centers, was regarded in some
quarters last night as strongly Sug-
gestive that Miss Wilson's support
will be given to the community center
organization here, if it should decide
to make fight to have the ban on
the Schoolhouse store lifted.
United States Commissioner of Edu-
cation Claxton, Fourth Assistant Post
master General Blakeslee, Representa-
tive Kelly of Pennsylvania. Miss Fair
ley, principal of the Park View School;
Edward j. Ward and others. it is an
; nounced. will accompany Miss Wilson
to Mount Joy. going over the route
that is traversed daily by the post
office motor trucks.
Boards Stand Supported.
The most significant development
growing out of the board of educa-
tons decision that schoolhouses
should not be used as stores is the
Gardiner, Commissioner Brownlow
and John G. McGrath. who developed
the Park View School store. that the
boards action is right. Officials gen.
orally appear to incline to this view
on the ground that space in the school
educational and health-giving activi-
ties.
Commissioner Gardiner donned a
grocers apron and helped MIR. NC
Grath sell turkeys in the Park View
School last winter. but he is convinced
that the experiment has served its
purpose, as far as further use of the
schools is concerned. Mr.. Brownlow
has been a friend of the movement
and believes it has provided the mo-
mentum for going on to bigger things;
but this official likewise is of the opin-
ion that the school buildings are not
adapted to an expansion of the COM
imunity-sto plan.
Mr.. McGrath says the school en-
terprise has served a useful purpose,
because it has demonstrated that
there is big supply Of food within
, radius of fifty miles of the capital that
ordinarily does not come into the city,
and that it is possible. through or
ganiZation and utilization Of the mo-
. tor truck service. to obtain these sup
plies for local citizens at a big saving
in cost. But he believes the scene of
activities. as far as the distribution is
concerned. should be shifted from the
schoolhouse to the District markets.
All these officials are agreed that
the board of education has acted
wisely in removing it's restriction to
permit the use of the schoolhouses for
distribution of Army foods. While the
sehools are not in session they believe
the buildings should be used for the
. benefit of the communities. particu-
larly during the canning season. 1t Is
iikely they will recommend that the
schools be opened for such work dur
ing each summer vacation.
But II the community center organ
tzation attempts this fall to have the
school store restored as a permanent
factor in the city's educational sys-
tenn. lively fight, in which the board
of education will have plenty of sup
port. is promised.
"Make Hay While Sun Shines"
Under the temporary suspension of
/; tho boards rule, community centers
generally are planning to take an
active part in distributing Army sup
plies. and. also. in obtaining by motor
truck fruits and vegetables for can
ming.
1t had been planned to close the
Park View School q NIGHT
but Miss Farley has directed that it
continue in operation for the present,
under the management OF w. b. Ken
ner.
closed were the most significant in
the history of the capitals efforts to
reducei the cost of living. First, the
Comm esioners announced that they
had made arrangements for the mu-
nicipahty to buy carload of Army
encouragement that schools were not
to be used hereafter as stores
This was followed by the Commits
sioners' statement that the Army plan
TO increase the usefulness of the Dis
trict markets. and that legislation
from Congress would be sought, if
necessary. to make these institutions
real factors in breaking the backbone
of high prices. Backing up these
once appointed John G. McGrath as
director of food distribution and
ordered the improvement of streets
in the vicinity of the farmers produce
market and the fish market. so that
these food depots will be more ac-
Gessible to consumers.
Army Food Comes This Week.
This week the Army foods are ex-
pected to arrive from Baltimore,
probably not later than Tuesday. and
Mr.. McGrath believes that the supply
Will be disposed of within a day.
What the public thinks of the quality
of the products and the prices will
determine TO what extent other orders
are placed with the War Department.
Mr.. McGrath went down to a fishing
club on the Patuxent river for the
week end. that he might get in shape
for the strenuous week that is before
him.