Evening star., 1925-08-19
CITY FAIRGROUNDS
BENEFITS MARRIED
BY HOODLUM BOYS
''Gangs" Bully Younger Chill
dren-Destroy Park
Property.

Playground authorities in Washing
ton are confronted with serious
'ganGing" problem at some of the
prominent play Centers. The Stars in
vestigation of local Juvenile conditions
has disclosed.
According to Probation officer Jo-
seph w Sanford of the Juvenile
Court, there appear to be orga niZed
gangs of "bullies" preying on younger
children at certain Fairgrounds, as q
result of which many parents refuse
to permit their youngsters to visit
these centerS.
The "gangsters, Mr.. Sanford as.
sertS, are youths in their teens and
older. many of whom should be work.
ing instead of loafng all day around
the City's places of recreation for chill
dren.
The rowdies not only drive younger
children from base ball diamonds. ten
mis- courts and other game facilities
provided by the District for worthy
children, but commit serious depre-
dations, such as smashing windows OF
the field houses, brea king down fences
surrounding the grounds, removing
play equipment and generally wreak,
ing mild havoc. to the despair Of play.
ground directors.
Joke" Closes Pool
The mischief-bent" youths even
have gone to the trouble OF lifting
and rolling a 500-pound tennis court
roller and crashing it into a concrete
wading pool, with consequent DANA &c
to the pool. This incident occurred
quite recently at the Virginia Avenue
playground, in Southeast Washing
ton. The pool had to be closed for
several days, during an extreme hot
spell, because of the Joke" perpetrat-
ed by gang of boys with nothing
better to do.
At this same playground a sturdy
wire fence, erected by the municipa
government at considerable expense
has been completely wrecked. The
wire has been wrenched loose from
the posts and trampled into an un
recognizable mass on the ground
moorings in some unaccountable
way and one or two of the gates are
entirely missing.
Some boys would rather tear
down a portion of fence TO get into
a playground than walk so feet or SC
to perfectly good gate" Mr.. San
ford soliloquized. Yet, if they were
told they would have to do that much
real work they would protest at the
cruelty How many boys would re.
Spond to a call for aid in dumping
that roller into the pool if the play
ground director wanted it there?
1t is the fact that she doesn't want
1t there that sways some boys tC
work feVeriShlY to accomplish their
mischievous objective"
The Plaza playground has given
the authorities much concern in the
past In connection with the canGinc
problem. Not long ago a gang OF
boys broke into the field house there
near Union Station, and stole sew
eral hundred pounds of sheet lead
stored there by one Of the municipal
departments, Mr.. Sanford states.
Tries to Shoot Policeman.
Even Mrs. Elizabeth Mahan. directo,
OF the Bloomingdale playground. one
OF the most competent play superyis.
ors in the business, has had her hands
full in trying to keep suppressed the
irresistible impulse for "devilment'
which is potential factor in the
makeup of most boys Usually Mrs
Mahan is well able to keep her chill
dren under complete control but one
day few weeks past she had a near
rlot on her hands when she tried Il
put some big boys off the ground fo,
disobedience. She had to cali the No
nee, and when an officer appeared one
OF the youths drew a loaded rayoIye,
and pulled the trigger twice at point
blank range. The policeman is living
today because the shells failed to ex
plode. The recreant lad was halet
INTO Juvenile Court and committed tc
an institution.
sometimes you can hardly blame
lne boys Tor playing mean tricks or
playground officials" Mr.. Sanford said
Few of the Fairgrounds have ba
ball diamonds for the larger boys, an6
they are forced to play in the street
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