Evening star., 1921-12-16
10OACRES Of PLAY
S|TESF0R DISTRICT
URGED IN REPORT
Lack of Proper Space De-
cIared Cause for High De-
Iinquency Rate.
INCREASING OF FORCE
ALSO is RECOMMENDED
Creation of Special Board to Co.
Ordinate Activities Favored in
Brief to Senator Capper.

Brief to Senator Capper.
Declaring the children of Wash
ington have suffered because of an
entirely inadequate provision of
proper playground activities and
calling attention to the fact that this
is one element accounting for the
high delinquency rate among the
children of Washington, the chill
dren's bureau of the Department of
Labor today forwarded to Senator
Arthur Capper a report. prepared at
his request, recommending the ac-
uuisition of 100 acres of land by the
city government for playground pur-
poses. the immediate enlargement of
the present force engaged i'll direct
ing Fairgrounds in the city and the
creation of Il special board to CO.
ordinate the activities of the play
ground department. the board of
education and the Office of the super
intendent of public buildings and
grounds.
For the next fiscal year. the re-
port states, an appropriation of
s2O3, $50. in addition to the total ap-
preparation of $1S0.620 for recrea-
tional facilities in the District pro-
vided for the next fiscal year, is nee
eSsary.
Larger Appropriation Needed.
IF Washington is to reach her goal
of providing enlarged playground ia
cilities to meet the needs of her chill
dren," the report states. "the money
row expended will have to be greatly
increased. A recreational program
for the children of Washington might
we'll be planned to cover period of
five years. The study of the facilities
now available, the possibilities of In
creasing their usefulness and the
needs of the different sections which
cannot be met by existing facilities
indicate that such a program, IT 1t is
lobe at all adequate, must include
the following: Forty-nine thousand
dollars for the purchase OF sites;
$4,000 estimated as the amount ex-
pended for salaries for physical train
ing"
In his letter of transmittal to Sen
ator Capper, Secretary of Labor Da-
vis pointed out that the report Is
based on the immediate playground
needs of the District for 1921. He
tions for an ideal school system for
the District. printed previously In
The Star. which, he states. was con-
tvmplated for the city in 1850 or 1000.
Children's Health at Stake.
Pointing out that the health, hap
piness and we'll being Of every child
depend on the foresight of city in
providing a well organized and ade-
uuate playground system, the report
commends Washington for what it
has done in the past toward provid-
ing recreational facilities. But, the
report reminds, Washington is no
longer the city of 1900, but the city
of 1921, and the population here has
increased 80 per cent since 1910.
While it has been found that the
Fairgrounds have been well aemin-
istered, the report states that If its
recommendations are to be accepted
the three agencies concerned in the
supervision of recreational facilities
should be brought in day-by-day
that a board, advisory to the Commits
sioners, be appointed by the Commits
Sioners, to be made up OF Commits
sioner, as chairman: member of the
u,
office of public buildings and grounds,
a member of the Fine Arts Commits
sion and three citizens representing
the business interests. and two wom-
en-, preferably those who have been
identified with the playground de-
velopment in the city.
An-Year Supervision.
1t would be the function of this
board. the report states. to apportion
the 100 acres where most needed, and
to coordinate the work of the play
ground department with the recrea-
tional work of the board of education
and the office of the superintendent of
public buildings and grounds.
Aside from the acquisition of land,
Washington should develop an all
year scheme of playground super
visors who are permanent appointees,
the report stated. A majority of the
staff should be employed for twelve
months in the year at salaries equiva-
lent to those in elementary schools.
In illustrating the need for perma-
nent force of supervisors at adequate
salaries the report declares that dur
ing the last five years the personnel of
the playground supervisors has been
practically replaced, with resulting
harm to the system.
Objective should Be Set.
Washington shouldb egin to work to-
ward an objective. the report states.
The pressure to cut down appropria-
tions in the past has resulted in the
money expended being spread too
thinly" where needed.
Washington will be obliged to COM
promise in making up for past neglect,
the report states, when it comes to
serving the 'in town" areas in the
way of increasing their playground
facilities. And, further. the report
states. all the skill of the city PLAN
ner, the engineer and the landscape
architect should be brought to bear on
this problem. A playground invest
luent the report states. should rep
resent more than a temporary expe-
dent. 1t should be such as to increase
land values as well as add to the
recreational facilities of the city.
Taking up the immediate need for
increased playground facilities in
each precinct, the report prefaces its
recommendations by reciting the fact
that the total play space provided for
the children of Washington is thirty
five acres. There are no playground
facilities provided for the children Of
the first, sixth and eleventh precincts.
it is pointed out, while in the larger
districts. with q more, scattered pop
u.ation. the Fairgrounds cannot serve
T. hs to-.