The Washington herald., 1921-03-15
PEN WOMEN HEAR MRS. RHODES
OUTLINE HOW FAIRGROUNDS
COMPETE WITH CITY STREETS
New Plan Using School
Yards, Adds Extra
Area, She Says.

New Fairgrounds are being open
ed for Washington boys and girls
this week by the conversion OF
many schoolyards to play-space un-
der municipal direction
Many schoolyards formerly CLOS
ed at o'clock are being thrown
open to the children to keep them
on the streets, Mrs. Susie Root
Rhodes, supervisor of municipal
Fairgrounds, told the League OF
American Pen Women last night
In response to an almost univer-
sal appeal from parents, teachers,
business bodies and the Associated
Charities, Mrs. Rhodes, with the
permission of the Boarl of Educa-
ton, is having apparatus installed
in several schoolyards and with the
aid of voluntary workers who Will
act as coaches and play leaders.
additional play-space will be avail
able to Washington children this
week.
Old Central Site.
Yesterday the grounds of the old
Central High School at Seventh and
% streets northwest were thrown
open as a junior athletic field under
municipal direction, in response to
a request from the Junior High
school and the Henry-Polk group
of grammar schools.
Mrs. Rhodes pronounced this a
splendid yard and one located in
a section where 1t was badly need
ed. A coach was sent out there
yesterday for the boys and a~play
leader was detailed for the girls.
A construction force is now put
ting the Corcoran Schoolyard at
Twenty-eighth and NJ streets north
west in repair, and this yard will
be opened as a municipal play
ground early this week. A base
ball diamond is being installed for
the boys, and q basketball court
for the girls.
Another at Georgetown.
The Corcoran playground has
come about as the result of an in
sistent demand made by the George
town Branch of the Associated
Charities, Georgetown citizens and
the Rev. Irving w. Ketchum, rector
of Peck Memorial Chapel, all of
whom made an appeal to Mrs.
Rhodes to convert the idle school
yard into a playground in order to
provide the children with safe rec
reation. Mrs. Rhodes went over the
grounds last week with B. w.
Murch, supervising principal of the
first division, public schools.
Another playground to be opened
this week Is located in a vacant lot
at Ninth and Ingram place north
west, Just north of the Brightwood
Park School. The use of this lot
was secured by the Parent-Teach-
ers' Association, who sent a dele
cation to Mrs. Rhodes asking for
apparatus for the proposed play
ground and a coach and play leader.
A baseball diamond will be con-
structed there at once.
1t was also announced that ap-
paratus was being installed in the
Brightwood Payk Schoolyard and
that this space would be opened
this week as municipal play
ground
Yards Well Attended.
As examples of schoolyards that
have been turned over to the mu-
nicipal department for use as play
grounds Mrs. Rhodes cited the
Thomson School at Twelfth and L
streets northwest and the Howard
playground at Fifth and w streets
northwest used by the Mott School.
The Thomson School is a good
example Of the successful operation
OF schoolyard turned over to mu-
nicipal direction for play purposes,
said Mrs Rhodes. On the ground
there Is maintained each afternoon
twenty-minute recesses wherein the