The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1923-05-08
HAS
LIVE BODY OF
CITIZENS
Evan n. Tucker Leads Civic
Association With Progressive
Plans for District.
BY GEORGE FRANKLIN.


whose efforts along constructive
lines have gone so far toward the
development of the city in direc-
tons which tend, collectively, to the
upbuilding Of great metropolis,
few have proven more potent than
the Northeast Washington Citizens
Association. representing a district
with a population of more than 3d.
900 residents.
Its history. covering a period OF
nearly a third of a century, is a
brilliant record of achievement in
the interest of section of the city
which for years, it is declared, was
the victim of a discriminating pol
icy. While other divisions of the
city had steadily progressed under
the beneficent influence of Congress
sional appropriations, the Northeast
seemed destined to perpetuate all
that was ancient and holy in the
legacy of early Washington days.
Tucker Was Pioneer.
Evan H. Tucker, president OF the
association for the past thirty years
and chairman of the legislative com
mittee, was one OF the moving spir-
whose
northeast Washington resulted IN
the formation of the association.
what that district has secured IN
the way OF improvements u oWe ss
largely to the personal interest
taken nv president Tucker and his
cabinet of aggressive officials ana
committee chairmen.
Aside from street improvements,
fF~n n.
street lighting and Fairgrounds Sc.
cured by the association, Us mus
notable achievement, perhaps, was
tha building of the new Eastern
High School.
For wears previous to its erection
bipb school students of the district
had been divided between various
schools The old high school had
long been inadequate.
Through the work of the assocla-
ton Congress was persuaded to
make an appropriation for the pur-
chase of a new high school site.
This occurred Just before the world
war practically stopped municipal
improvements all over the country
The site for which the approprla-
ton was made advanced in value SO
rapidly that by the time the 1uno
was available it was insufficient,
and a second appropriation and an
other site had to be sought. The
former was obtained and the land
in the vicinity of the District jail
was taken over.
When the armistice was signed
building operations began and today
the school stands as an example OF
what high schools should be In ap'
pointment and equipment.
Backs Better Schools.
For years before the high school
plan was carried through the asso-
citation was deeply interested in. Sc
curing better schools not only for
its own district but for the city at
large. Following a survey of the
grade schools in it's section, made
L by it's committee on colleges and
schools. headed by DIR. Starr Par
sons, many of the recommendations
submitted by the committee in It's
report were carried out. Others
will be.
Among other things which may
result from the association school
activities is the revising of school'
house construction plans by the
district. This was pointed out to
day when it was disclosed that a
school building recently contracted
in the northeast district embodied
in it's plans several of the obnoX-
ious features found existing in the
buildings of ancient vintage. A
survey of the schools and their
needs, in a sanitary sense, will be
prepared shortly by DR.. Parsons
in which he will point out the ne
cessity for revising construction
plans.
Would Remove Nuisance.
At present the association is
striving to obtain a removal from
Florida avenue of the incinerator
rubbish. 1t is the contention of the
association that the plant should
be located outside the city limits
where it will not become a neigh
borhood nuisance. The removal
project. will be pressed by the as
ISOLATION which, it is understood.
has the assurance that other civic
bodies of the city will join in the
movement to secure it's transfer out
side city limits.
More Fairgrounds are also being
urged by the association Two al.
ditional recreation centers of this
kind are declared necessary by the
association. The population of the
northeast district is increasing rap.
idly. This means more children in
the neighborhood and justifies the
the organization of at least two
more Fairgrounds, so located as to
meet the demands of their respec-
tive neighborho0ds.
LAS an association we stand back