The Washington herald., 1922-01-29
s69 Improved City Blocks
! Monument to Organization
Woodbridge Developed from Cow Pasture Into
Well Paved and Lighted Urban Com
munity in Decade

IrlCL commissioners ana the FINANCE
Committee Of the House, the asso-
citation finally secured modern mo-
torized fire apparatus for the pro-
lection of Woodbridge. This is par.
ticularly desirable in view OF the
prohibitive FIRE insurance rates pre-.
vious to that time. Under the d.
rection OF Mr.. Torbert the associa-
tion obtained provision for q new
police precinct which will be num-
Der twelve, and has been granted .
site for its location. At the same
time the location Of a carrier post
ONCE in Woodbridge was negotiated
with the department
: EIght-ROOm School Built.
The Citizens Association obtained
a modern eight-room graded school
for Woodbridge, which has been
named the John Burroughs School
in honor Of the famous naturalist.
While the building has not been
finished. It is already in use and
is filling q long felt need.
The association Is now working
for a branch library for this sec
ton, and confidence Is felt that II
Is merely a matter of time until
Woodbridge will have as complete
a library as the Citizens Associa-
ton of Chevy Chase obtained for
that section. An effort Is also be-
ing made to get a park for the
Northeast section OF the city, and
plans are progressing satisfactorily
to that end.
During the world war the associ-
alton co-operated to the fullest eX-
tent with the several government
agencies in charge Of war activI-
ties. The housing of the multItudes
Of war workers, now famous in
song and story. was one of the
biggest civic problems the Capital
has faced. Every available room
in Woodbridge was listed by the as
ISOLATION and a list sent to the
housing commission. War propa-
ganda in the form OF circulars,
posters and pamphlets was distrib-
uted and public speakings were
held for the enlightenment Of the
people.
Active in Garden Movement.
Successful farming of community
gardens was carried on by the as
ISOLATION members, and this practice
is still continued as one of several
economies learned from the war
Five times during that great crisis
the government came to the people
| with Issues OF Liberty bonds to be
sold, and as many times the Rhode
Island Avenue Association respond
ed with mass meetings and field
work In the actual selling OF this
bonds. Its activities have not been
wholly confined to- the nelghbor-
hood Of Woodbridge; District and ma
tional issues have been met and
dealt with in a broad and capabiS
manner.
Since its inception the association
has been instrumental in having
graded and improved eighty-nine
city blocks OF streets in Woodbridge.
Perhaps no other civic organization
has accomplished so much for the
| furtherance Of good roads and
streets for the District. In addition
to this, sidewalks and cutters have
been laid on both sides OF the ma
Jority of streets so improved, and
electric street lamps placed at con-
venient distances to insure safety
to residents on the darkest nights.
Fights BorIand Amendment.
The political activities of the as
ISOLATION have proceeded on broad
and nonpartisan basis. 1t IL said that
several subtle, but unsuccessful. at
tempts have been made by selfish in
terests to launch the association
upon a program OF partisanship, but
realization of the fatality to the
assertion OF such course has en-
abled 1t to avoid the disaster. The
| annrOVal rnnAAr~otNN- %
men or measures as affect the well
fare of the District, and OF Wood
ridge in particular, has been the
extent of the associations political
activity. 1t has consistently advo-
Gated the return Of the half-and-
half relation of Federal and Dis
trict governments.
The advocacy OF provision for
adequate water supply for the rap
IDLY growing city, together with
the development of the Great Falls
water and power project by the
United States government has been
another broad stand taken by the
association for the benefit of the
District Of Columbia as a whole. A
determined fight has been waRed
| against the Borland amendment
which provides, instead of an
equal payment by the city and the
property owner. that the latter
shall bear the full cost of street
and sidewalk improvements in
front of his property!
Opposed Fare Zones.
A consistent and determined
night before the Public Utilities
Commission has been waged by the
association aRainak fha pIap ~ 81 .
street railways to divide the Dis
trict of Columbia into fare zones,
and the defeat OF this proposal was
largely contributed to by this or
ganization. which has also continu-
ously advocated a close scrutiny of
the so-called financial maiiipula-
tons OF the street railways. At
the last meeting OF the association
II HTNU T0I YAIc