Evening star., 1922-03-26
BIG FAIRGROUNDS /
TO Be OPENED SOON
Children Joyous at News of
Space to Be Fixed On.
posite Station.

TSSssS SvSASsSsb
Another big playground is to be
opened by Mrs. Rhodes" some wire
less telephone broadcasting station
screeched out late yesterday after
noon.
1t was picked up by amateurs and
q group of playgroundless little fell
lows who were listening to a wireless
demonstration in a local department
store. They had gone downtown to
visit the stores because they didn't
have any Fairgrounds, and when the
instrument screeched out the infor-
maticn the news was spread by the
excited youngsters, who realized that
the new playground would relieve the
present congestion.
The first information tho municipal
playground Office had about the broad
casted message was when q little
IeiloW who gave his name as Richard
costello called up Mrs. Rhodes on the
telephone and asked excitedly If 1t
were true and to please tell him
where It was. Then the Office was
basieged by little ones, all asking
about the truth of the news spread
by the wireless telephone.
1t Is true. Mrs. Rhodes told them
an. The new playground is to be one
OF the biggest. and. when completed.
one OF the most attractive In the
IN front of the Union Station and a
large corps of laborers will be put
to work next week grading it and
laying out the various play spaces. 1t
rs divided by streets into three sec
tions, and this arrangement alone
permits of ideal planning.
Two Ball Diamonds.
The large space where the Liberty
Hut stood during the war is to be
the ball ground. 1t will have two dia-
monds, large one for the older boys
and smaller one for the little fell
lows. 1t will be ready for use in a
few days.
The triangle bounded by Massachu-
setts avenue. I'd street and E street is
to be big playground for the little
children. This will be graded and
arranged and much play equipment
will be installed as quickly as it is
be erected a small bungalow play
house. where the youngsters of the
section will have protection during
very hot or bad weather. 1t is to be
model playhouse. OF frame. covered
with stucco 1t will be more than a
SNACK, ana Will De CT0ult 10 tHe
section of the city in which it is
located.
Then the square between Delaware
avenue, LIST street, the Plaza and D
street will be turned into a large
girls athletic field. 1t will be devoted
entirely to girls sports, including
basket ball. and its use will be
young men will have exclusive use
Of the parcel of land to be given over
to the base ball diamonds.
While the land is loaned by the
federal government. there is prob
ability that it will be given over to
use for playgrounds purposes for a
long time. 1t is officially a part OF
the Capitol grounds, and 1t was loaned
by Elliott Woods. architect of the
capitol. and its use for Fairgrounds
purposes was approved by Vice Presi-
dent Coolidge and Speaker Gillett OF
the House of Representatives.
Fills Long Want.
The erection of a playground or
badly felt in that general locality
The dividing line between the sixth
and ninth precincts divides the play
ground. The girls athletic field
technically will be in the sixth pre-
cinct. while the base ball diamonds
and the young folks playground will
be in the ninth precinct. But. OF
course. the children of both these
precincts will use the grounds when
completed.
The sixth precinct is without any
playground facilities. and to this fact
was attributed the high child delin-
quency rate in this section by the in
yestigators of the federal chIldren's
bureau in its recent investiga uons OF
Fairgrounds facilities.
The acquisition Of this playground
by the local Fairgrounds department
marks the beginning of q movement
to increase the playground facliitie.
as rapidly as possible and to map Out
q program for the acquisition Of land
In the sections now fast being bull,
up: 1t is realized that unless quick
action is taken along these lines much
OF the land which now can be pur.
chased at a reasonable price will be
built up with expensive structures
which will forever remove the pos.
sibility Of increasing the Fairgrounds
facilities along efficient lines which
would make them available for the
most children.
Advisory Council.
Mrs. Rhodes is preparing a list o,
names Of people to serve on q gen.
eral committee which will act as ar
advisory council to the Commissioners
in mapping out a complete play.
grounds program for the District
This program will be submitted tc
Commissioner Oyster by Mrs. Rhode,
this week and he will be asked tc
appoint them as an advisory council
Commissioner Oyster said YESTERDAY
that anything that Mrs. Rhodes rec.
commended he would do.
1t would be the function Of thf.
councli to survey the local situation
determine how much additional play.
ground space is needed, having II
mind the future development Of thu
city, and then determine in what sec.
tlons the land should be purchased
The appointment Of such an advisory
council at this time would give i,
sufficient time to examine the situa
| tion thoroughly and have their rec
concentrations ready by the time III,
Commissioners are ready to make n,
their estimates in the summer.
The suggestion for the appointment
OF such an advisory committee wa,
contained in the report of the surye,
of the local Fairgrounds condition!
made by the children's bureau, bu
no steps had been taken looking t.
carrying out of the recommends
ton until the matter was brought Il
the attention of Mrs. Rhodes by Th,
Star. The suggested formation O
the board contained in the fedora
report was a Commissioner, acting a,
chairman; a member Of the board O.
education. a representative of the Of
fee of public buildings and grounds
a member Of the Fine Arts Commits