Evening star., 1921-10-25
D. c. PLAYGROUND
SURVEY REQUESTED
Senator Capper Asks Full
Probe of Conditions on Sug-
uestion of Mrs. SWanton.

Secretary Davis of the Department
of Labor was today requested by
Senator Capper Of Kansas to instruct
the children's bureau of the Depart
ment of Labor to make survey of
the Washington playground situation
Senator Capper. chairman Of the
joint congressional committee on
schools in the District. in his letter
to Secretary Davis expressed the
opinion that the Fairgrounds PFC. !.
vided for children in the NATIONAL
Capital were inadequate. He sug-
Rested that a survey by the depart
ment experts would be valuable to
Congress Id making further provisions
for Fairgrounds.
wsnan Urges Action.
Senator Capper took the matter up
ton ton Of Mrs. Lucy r. swanton, chair
man Of the United Citizens Play
ground committee. A letter from
Mrs. Swanton to Senator Capper
pointed out the lack of space for
children in Washington to get health
full recreation.
"The children live in apartments or
houses with party walls that give no
place for play. except streets ana
alleys, and they lack supervision
Mrs. Swanton said that alley recre,
alton subjects the children TO evii
get amounts to nothing. Forty-three
Der cent of the automobile fatalities
are of children under fifteen years of
age, she said.
Recreation Vital Factor.
Human beings must be taught
everything" continued Mrs. swan
ton, land If we do not teach chill
dren through recreation Is 1t any
wonder they. grow up with false
idea of amusement? Teach children the
meaning of health and recreation. and
there will be less need of vice suppress
sion. Too much emphasis cannot be
put on supervision in play. where
children are taught to respect the
Judge Sellers of the Juvenile
Court, Prohibition officer Stamford.
the chief Of the women's bureau. Mrs
Van Wrinkle. and all having to do with
Offenders say that our lack of recre-
delinquency. 1t is against the law to
throw or play, ball in our streets
MANY boys are arrested for violation
of this law, yet the street in many
districts is the only place where they
can play.
Points to One Locality.
municipal Fairgrounds must bring
new life to these persons.
1.-THE situation here is even worse
than it would be In any other city,
for the parks belong to the federal
government and can only be used as
beauty spots, yet they give the i'm
preston Of more space than there
really is
"To illustrate the helpless condition
of the people of Washington I give
the situation in Columbia Heights. A
densely populated section of about
4O. 600 people, who have been asking
for over fifteen years for the pur-
chase Of a playground site. and never
have succeeded. Think Of the lack of
ecanomy in putting off this purchase
while land values increase"
Tentative Program.
The United Citizens playground
committee has submitted a tentative
nrorram to the District Commission
ers for the purchase of a municipal
playground during the fiscal year
1928. calling for a total expenditure
for land Of $330.000. This would cover
the purchase Of four Fairgrounds for
white children and three for colored
children.
ioint committee on schools would
probably meet again. Thursday morn :
ine whether the committee will have
further witnesses before it or will
make tour Of inspection of the
schoolhouses on Thursday. he said,
haii not vet been determined.