Evening star., 1926-10-06
Slow Signs and One Police
man to a School Fail to Pre-
vent Fatal Risks.
PUPILS PLUNGE HEADL0NG
INTO DANGEROUS TRAFFIC
Citizens Want Protective Measures
Devised That Actually Will Safe
guard Children.

The tragic death this week Of g.
year-old schoolboy beneath the wheels
Of an automobile passing in front of
his school has awakened Washington
to the fact that grave hazards to life
and limb lurk in the city's sO-called
school safety zones"
Citizens are asking themselves II
they have not been lulled into false
sense of security by high-sounding
phrases and attractive traffic signs.
instead of getting down to bedrock
basis Of enforced safety through dras-
tic measures of school traffic control.
Startled into a realization that what
happened last Monday to little Freddy
GrOsskurth of the Gage School might
also have happened to my Johnny
or your Mary" under similar condi-
tions. the parents Of thousands of the
Capitals school boys and girls have
begun to look around, somewhat fran
tically, for some assurance of relief.
Definite Plan Lacking.
And the amazing par; of it is that
no one, from the Police Department
and Traffic Bureau to the school Off
cials themselves. Is ready to offer at
this moment any definite. ironclad
guarantee of child safety--a guarantee
that will protect the city's youngsters
lin spite of themselves"
For 1t is just such an infallible war
ranty that is needed here today, judg
ing from a preliminary survey of con-
ditions conducted yesterday by a rep
resentative of The Star.
The investigation. made during noon
recess at the Thomson School, at
Twelfth and l. streets, showed clearly
that the existing methods of child
protection III school traffic zones-in-
volving erection of "slow" signs 20
warn motorists and stationing of a
single policeman to watch the chill
the demands of such "life-or-death"
situation.
Cross Amid Traffic.
The. vehicular traffic on Twelfth
street at the noon hour yesterday was
exceedingly heavy. A lone policeman
stood on the corner. waiting. A bell
rang. and two score needless Johnnys
and Marys trooped happily from their
classrooms and across the traf1i lin
tested artery within the first 15 min
utes of recess.
Due either to the hand Of Provi-
dence or sheer luck Of childhood, five
of these youngsters escaped from
what appeared to be certain injury or
death beneath oncoming passenger
cars or trucks. The policeman on the
corner did not save them. No human
being could have done so, after the
sudden dash of tiny feet had started.
Yet the policeman was doing his duty,
as outlined to him by his superiors.
That duty, it appears. was to see
first Of all that motorists observed
the warning signs as to parking and
speeding. and IL they didn't. to arrest
them. If possible. or get their license
tag numbers; and, second. to assist
the children in getting across the
street. to the extent of the ability of
one man to cope with host of eXhu-
berant boys and girls.
1t was a large task which had been
mapped out for him. but. valiantly
though he tried. it was manifestly
impossible to watch traffic and at the
same time keep tab on the scattering
romping pupils en- route to nearby
candy stores or to their homes for
lunch.
The Thomson School is not an ex-
ception. True. IT is located in the
downtown CongeSted section, where
perha ps. the traffic is heavier than in
outlying districts. But similar condi-
tions are known to exist in varying
degrees of seriousness. in virtually
every school safety zone in Wash
ington.
The Bunker Hill School, out on
Michigan avenue. Brookland, is not
a downtown school. vet only last night
the executive committee of the Mich
igan Avenue Citizens Associa ton met
In special session to protest about
what was characterized as the fail
ure Of police and engineer authorities
guarding their children
No Warning Signs There.
At the Bunker Hill School there is
a policeman on sentry duty, as else
where, but there are no warning
signs for motorists and no sidewalk
in front of the school to keep youth
full pedes; rians out of the roadway.
the Brooklanders complain. Repeated
requests for signs and for the side
walk have been unanswered. accord
ing to- r. r. Faulkner. president of
the association. Mr.. Faulkner learn
ed today. however. that representa-
tive of the engineering depa rtment of
the District appeared at the school
this morning to make survey.
Meanwhile. it was brought ONT at
the meeting, at least one family is
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