Evening star., 1921-07-26
D. c. HEADS TO ASK
FAIRGROUNDS Be
CITY CONTROLLED
Municipal Supervision of
School Sites in Vacation
Months Planned.
PROPOSAL WOULD INSURE
MORE CERTAIN FACILITIES
Commissioners Grateful for Repre-
sentative Focht's Efforts, But
Can Meet Situation.

sentative Focht's Efforts, But
Can Meet Situation.
Placing of all school Fairgrounds
under the supervision of the munich
pal Fairgrounds department during
vacation months will be proposed to
the board of education. Commissioner
Oyster announced today.
In making the announcement the
Commissioner expressed appreciation
of the efforts of Representative Focht.
chairman of the House District COM
mittee, to relieve the Fairgrounds sit
uation through special legislation. but
! expressed the opinion that the Com
missioners will be able to handle the
situation through the regular District
appropriation bill.
This probably means that Repre-
sentative Focht's bill, introduced yes
terday, giving the Commissioners au-
thority to take vacant ground Tor
playground purposes under certain
conditions. may not receive favor
able report from the District heads.
although it was made plain at the
District building that the Commits
sioners are not ungrateful to the
House member for the interest he is
showing in the matter.
Budget Would Provide.
Commissioner Oyster believes the
Fairgrounds situation can be worked
out satisfactorily if provision is
made for oper ating at least so of the
~ school Fairgrounds during the
summer. If the board of education
agrees to turn over these grounds
to the municipal department during
the vacation period. the Forthcoming
District budget undoubtedly will pro-
vide for the employment of at least
fifty additional playground instruc-
tors next year.
Meanwhile. the question of open
ing these grounds during the balance
of the present summer is under con-
sideraticn. Mrs. Susie Root Rhodes.
supervisor of Fairgrounds. went over
| the situation with Commissioner Oys-
ter today. The difficulty in the way
of placing these recreation centers in
operation at the present time 10 lack
| of funds.
! Under an order of the Commission
! ers no municipal department may So
| licit donations, but contributions vol
, unfairly made can be accepted. The
! law prohibits acceptance of free per-
/ sonal service. which makes impossible
the providing Of instructors for the
Fairgrounds except upon a remunera-
| ton basis.
Public Aid Needed.
Unless the public. without soiicita-
ton. sends In contributions for oper
! ating the school grounds during the
balance of the summer. there is little
Likelihood Of their being opened, it is
stated.
In her talk with Commissioner Oys-
| ter this morning Mrs. Rhodes sug-
gested the desira bility of placing in
of of in M, rlr I'm q
| play of the children who congregate
there. Mrs. Rhodes would like to see
a fourth OF each of the large parks
set aside for play purposes and equip
| ped with small apparatus. But If the
federal government should object to
| the placing of Fairgrounds naraph"r'
MALTA in the parks she would be sat
| isfied with being permitted to direct
the play of children in the parks
through competent instructors.
Mrs. Rhodes points out that the
parks are the favored play places of
the children. 1t is probable her sug-
sestion for expansion in this direc-
| tion of the capitals play facilities will
| be communicated to Col. Sheriff.. Of
| fcer in charge of public buildings
| and grounds.
Bill to Use Lots.
Making good on his promise as re-
man Focht of the House District COM
| mittee drafted late yesterday and to-
| day introduced a bill providing that
any vacant Let in the District may be
taken over by the District Commits
sioners for playground use until the
owner Of the property is ready to
! build upon it,
This would provide abundant play
space for the children in their home
neighborhood. keeping them on the
streets. affording them organized play
supervision. SO that their bodies
would be trained instead Of manned.
| said Representative Focht 1T Is
move toward conservation of our
| greatest national resource-the men
and women Of tomorrow. Play is the
\ heritage of the American youth and
! should have its l. CHEST development
| in the nations capital.
! This would be done without any
hardship to the property owner. be-
| cause my plan provides for moving
| the playground equipment from one
| lot to another as the owners decide
| they are ready to build. 1t would be
one of the greatest moves we could
make for Identification Of the city
! for surely a vision of happy children.
growing strong and learning the
great lessons of democracy by mixing
| together in sports at the Fairgrounds
| il a much pleasanter picture than
| vacant lots overgrown with weeds
| and decorated with tin cans"
VIII Push Measure.
Chairman Focht announced his d.
termination to push this measure iyr
early. action and said he anticipated
tno opposition in the committee. His
bill on which he has invited the Com
| mfssioners to suggest amendments is
as follows: BE it enacted by the
Senate and the House of Representa-
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