Evening star., 1921-07-28
CITIZENS ANSWER
PLAYGROUNDSPLEA
Rush Checks to Commission
er Oyster for Opening of
D. c. School Grounds.

Checks totaling more than 800
reached Commissioner oyster in this
mornings mail in response to the ap
peal made yesterday for contributions
for opening Washington's school play
grounds during the balance of the
summer.
This prompt response led the Com
missioner to believe today that aeon
siderable number of school grounds
will be operating in a short time. 1t
is planned to open them as fast as
the money comes in. If $4,000 is do
mated. the entire number of SeVenty-two
school recreational parks can be made
to function for the benefit of Wash
ington children. but as many grounds
as can be handled with the funds con-
tributed will be placed in service.
Wants Everybody to Help.
Commissioner oyster wants the
playground subscription fund to be
popular one. He hopes there will be
veritable army of one-dollar sub
Scribers to come to the relief of the
children. of whom it is estimated ap-
proXimately $4,000 now have to look
for their recreation on the streets.
He pointed out today that if one
fourth of the people of Washington
would contribute 81 each to the play
ground fund, the amount needed Tor
opening all the grounds would be
subscribed several times over
Donors should make their checks
payable to James F. Oyster and specify
,e purpose for which they are drawn.
!, order to keep the accounting records
at the District building straight.
1t is probable that If donations re-
ceived during the next twenty-tour
hours approximate the amount sent in
this morning Mrs. Susie Root Rhodes,
supervisor of Fairgrounds, will, be
able to announce before the week is
over the name of the first school play
ground to be opened under the popular
fund.
Sheriff. FavOrs Park Plan.
Col Sheriff.. officer in charge of
public buildings and grounds. is favor
able to suggestion of Mrs khodes
that instructors be placed in some of
the large parks of the city to direct
the play of the small children who
gather there.
The Army officer is opposed to plac-
ing playground apparatus in the
parks, but he believes children should
be permitted to romp on the grass,
and is ready to cooperate with the
Fairgrounds department in arranging
for supervised recreational activities
in the public parks.
1t is likely Mrs. Rhodes will pro-
vide for park instructors in ner next
estimates. In the forthcoming budget
the Commissioners are going to ask
for more instructors rather than for
more grounds. They believe the rob-
lem of providing sufficient play and
recreational facilities for the young
will be solved largely if Congress will
provide for the employment OF a suf-
ficient number of instructors to keep
the school Fairgrounds going next
summer.
Beginning tomorrow the names of
the donors to the playground fund
will be published in The Star
Hold Conference Today.
Commissioner Oyster and Mrs Susie
Root Rhodes. supervisor of Fairgrounds.
will hold a conference this afternoon to
determine whether it will be possible to
utilize this summer as a playground the
site formerly occupied by Liberty hut,
extending from 1st to I'd streets and
assachusettS avenue to d street north
east.
Offer of the use of this ground for
playground purposes has been made to
the Commissioners. and it is probable
that it will be equipped with light ap-
paratuS Immediately or used as an ath-
the extension project of the Capitol
grounds and comes under the super
vision of Elliott Woods. architect of the
Capitol. Its availability for recreational
purposes was suggested to MIR. Woods
by Thomas j. Donovan. president OF the
Central Citizens Association. The
Capitol official approved the suggestion
and lost no time in offering the use of
the ground to the Commissioners.