Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1925-09-27
PLAN COMMUNITY
CENTER PROGRAM
Secretaries Meet to Arrange
for Opening of Season
on October |.

A general conference Of community
secretaries was held yesterday iIS the
community center department head
quarters in the Franklin School Build
ing, with Mrs. Cecil Norton Broy, d.
rector, presiding. Plans We're per-
fected for the opening of the Winter
season October !. with 16 centers in
full operation covering civic. educa-
tlonaE recrea tional and social activi-
ties for adults, youth and children.
Community pageantry. dramatics,
music and civic programs will be
stressed during the coming year. Mrs.
Marie Moore Forrest will again be in
charge of this department and has
mapped out the years work in a way
expected to prove of unusual interest
to the citizens of Washington. In all
community productions of a dramatic
character comprehensive training will
be given, and the selection of players
through city-wide competitive tryoutS,
as well as the opportunity afforded
members of groups in the various cen
terS, and representatives from lead
ing dramatic organizations in the city
TO take part, OfferS an attractive open
ing for those interested in dramatic
work.
Community opera will he foStered
this year as usual, with the Wash
ingtonians." directed by Rollin Bond,
ter, and giving performances during
the season at Central High center, and
with the Washington Opera Co., direct
ed by Edouard Albion, applying for
reaffiliatlon with Thomson center.
Gymnasium Work Stressed.
Following the closing of the success
full Summer season of swimming and
tennis, athletic activities at the cen
ters will be greatly developed. In CEN
terS where there are gymnasiums
schedules have been especially ar
ranged to fill the growing demand for
basket ball by clubs of young men and
boys and also of young women and
girls. Certain nights have been set
aside in number of centers solely for
athletics. the present appropriation
not being sufficient, however, to open
the centers for as many nights as the
needs of the groups require. In six
centers where there are no gyms play
rooms have been fitted with athletic
equipment from the community cen
ter appropriation, to extend the rec
reational facilities of the city.
Rhythm clubs and classes for girls
have met with such favor with the
parents as well as with the children
that it has been found necessary to
arrange for much larger number of
groups and to increase the work
greatly. Social clubs for young people
will be run according to the same
schedule as prevailed last year, and
social dancing will be encouraged as a
wholesome recreation, two community
center ideals being held sup TO the
young people, namely, the preserva-
ton of good form in dancing and the
Importance of early closing hours.
Much Instruction Planned.
Clubs and groups will be organized
for industrial art, hand work and home
economics. These activities will in
clude lamp-shade making, upholster
ing, reCaning of chairs, carpentry,
mattress making, millinery, dressmak
ing, quilt making, plain sewing, art
needleWork, ratfia work, stenciling
silk and paper flower making. bead
work, whiting. toy making. Basket
~ clubs will be organized under the
direction of II. Claude Turner, and
certificates will be given to those COM
pleting the entire course, clubs being
continued during the entire season
only where the attendance averages
15 persons.
PubliC-speaking groups are being
planned for several centerS; co-opera-
ton will be extended as in past years
to Girl and Boy Scout organizations.
Community centers of divisions 10
to IS, Mrs. Gabrielle Pelham. general
secretary, will stress dramatic groups
for children and adults, and more time
will be given to music clubs and cho-
rus work, to the end that a large
group of trained singers may be
called together on short notice for spe-
cial casionS. Special music classes
for children will be held at Cleveland
center free of charge. A course in
paper work, including making of flow
ers, rope work, trays and lamp shades,
has likewise been arranged, and at
Cleveland center workers will be es-
pecially trained to teach this art.