Evening star., 1922-03-25
SWIMMING PLACES
URGENT D. c. NEED
T0GUARD HEALTH
Facilities for Youths Sadly
Lacking as Warm Wealth
er NearS.
POOL IS URGED FOR EACH
SECTION OF WASHINGTON
Strong Sentiment Evidenced for
Keeping Fairgrounds Open IL
Months of Year.

3ACCPAAS y6lOuuuS OpCu IL
Months of Year.
Spurred by the first warm day Of
spring and holiday, too, the
thoughts of young District of Column
bia turned today to swimming. He
remembers that it was with difficulty
that he could find a suitable place
last summer
There Is a great shortage of little
swimming holes for the local young
sters. according to the children's bu-
reau, which urges that one be pro-
vided for each section of the city. In
a city where the summers are hot
there cannot be too many privileges
for this form Of relief from the ef-
fects Of an enervating atmosphere,
to say nothing of providing for the
sheer Joy of children. according to
those who have made a study of the
local Fairgrounds situation.
While local playground facilities
now are taxed to their full capacity.
and only very small proportion of
the children are provided for, the
play spaces are not used to their full
est extent because they are open
for only ten months of the year.
The children's bureau experts have
recommended as result of the study
Of the local situation that in making
plans for the future Washington
should adopt system of supervised
Fairgrounds for twelve months of
the year. They point out that the
local playground department will
never reach its highest point Of eff
cheney until the twelve-month season
OF supervision is brought about.
Detriment to Best Results.
During January and February. the
time when the local Fairgrounds are
closed. they point out. children need
guidance quite as much as during any
other period of the year. They get
into mischief quite as often. In fact.
they continue, the lapse during these
two months cannot be anything but
serious detriment to the best re-
suits.
In seeking to impress on those in
authority the immediate necessity of
starting right now to provide ade-
quate Fairgrounds for the present
generation of youngsters. the bureau
experts say:
when Fairgrounds are patronized to
twice and more than twice their capac-
ity, the statement can very definitely
be made that even though all possible
ingenuity be used, there is not space
enough to meet the demand already
made on the District Fairgrounds to
say nothingsof being able to accom-
modate the numbers If all the chill
dren of the precincts should want
to take advantage of the recreational
opportunities. In fact, the present
situation is such that the playground
stafr cannot attempt to go out for
new patronage as-they have all they
can do to look after their present
groups. So much by way Of judging
of the need Of additional Fairgrounds
II more children are to be reached
and IL standard of playground eff
cheney is to be maintained.
Heavy Attendance Taxes.
1.-THE figures which have been COM
piled show that the Fairgrounds are
working at present to their maximum
capacity. This statement means that
the average attendance taxes every
resource of those in charge and that
during the summer the load on the
grounds is altogether too heavy In
section after section"
While examination Of the equip
ment on the new Fairgrounds here
indicated to the experts that the
money had been wisely spent by the
local Fairgrounds department, they
pointed out that. with some added
expenditure. the effectiveness of the
present playground areas could be
increased.
They referred particularly to the
su1faeins na and and drainage drain Of the
much to be desired and should be
given immediate attention. Unless
the grounds are scientifically graded,
surfaced and drained, days of play
ground time are lost. After heavy
water soaked for forty-eight hours
and more. Tennis and base ball
grounds cannot be used and the little
children do not find it pleasant to
play in mud and clay.
Fieldhouses Needed.
grounds are fieldhouses. it was pointed
out. They should be constructed SO as
to be attractive, and should be of such
size as to provide generous accommoda-
tions for storage Of equipment, office
for the director and one or more indoor
recreation rooms to be used in ex-
tremely hot, cold or stormy weather.
In the DeSt type OF HeiOnOuSe, IL was
explained, shower baths, dressing rooms
and locker rooms should be included
At the present time. according to those
who have examined the focaf condi-
tions, with tie exception of George
town and Rosedale Fairgrounds. the
shelters on the eleven fields which the
District owns are not credit to the
city. The stone lodges constructed by
the government on federal land, the in
yestigators said, were pleasing in ap-'
pearance and generally satisfactory, but
added that even these should have a
larger congregating room for indoor use.
'If the standard playground Is one
which gives to children an all-round
physical development and that stimulus
which comes from varied kinds Of game
rotation" according to the report of
the investigators, ''then 1t is clear that
the question of space per child has
everything to do with the needs and re-
ouirements Of good playground work.
Children so massed on a given number
of square feet that they cannot swing
about are defraMded from the promise
which a play space holds out. 1t Is
true that q careful selection of equip
ment and expert supervision will make
possible the most advantageous use of
a small area, but there are limits to
what equipment and leadership can do"
FORMER CONGRESSMAN DIES.
LANSING, Mich, March 25.-Justice
John w. Stone Of the Michigan su-