Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-07-04
BY WILLIAM J. WHEATLEY.


Major sports in the public parks of
the District now being we'll provided
for out of funds of previous years,
officials of the Office of Public Build
ings and Public Parks are beginning
to turn their attention to providing
for young America, or that part of 1t
under the age of 9 years. While some
playground equipment has been pro-
vided in the parks, nevertheless the
officials fully realize that very little
attention has been paid to providing
recreation for the youngsters, and
they have hesitated so far because OF
the fear of stepping on the toes of the
District playground department:
Hundreds of thousands Of dollars
have been spent in the parks in the
provision of golf courses. tennis
courts. foot ball gridirons, base ball
diamonds. hurdling fields, bride paths,
but an infinitesimal sum only has
been spent for the young folks. thou
sands of whom invade the parks daily
with their parents and find, in most
instances, only the grass plots 70
play on.
AS a matter of fact, with the bath
ing beach situation in it's present
status. with the prospect that 1t VIII
he q wear or more before these VIII ne
nrovided. attention now is being gwen
70 finding n way for providing, out OF
mark maintenance funds. seFeIai
small wading pools in the parhs.
These can be built for about sooo vi
$500 apiece, whereas golf courses
run up into the tens OF thousa'u' "a
dollars for construction.
Now Has One Pool.
The public parks office now mas
ID. lie jurisdiction one wading poor
in GARFIELD Park, but this has neen
dried up because of complaints llol,A
oi,,zens Of the noise the children maze
b,t there seem to be no cofnpiaIit9 vi,
flo as TO the noises made DS~thca.
ma ri icipating in the so-calieo lilaJoa
sports. It was pointed OUT W Iii
mark officials that such poo 80
serve to a large extent ourihS tile
hot weather to keep the children from
~ DANGERS of traffic. and cut down
.he heavy toll of killed and malhifu
children. who have no place u S''e
vent to their energies. A., ,ao,,
rho mark officials concede the tacH
~ enuinment, but seem more "oIrieu
~ oho,,t the complaints, and 1t has neeh
SUGGESTED to them that they 40 as 'ney
have done in allowing chlioleh ~
hathe in the pools surrouiiuiiI- nI
fountains-file the complaints 10 coi-
lect dust in the musty MES pul N ti.l,,
ing the children ahve py a''i az ''''7
them from the streets.
A. tho present time there are only
four nlavgrounds in the public parks:
three in Rock Creek Park, one Oh
,rh;cb is for colored children. and one
In East Potomac Park. at Haiiis
point Less than 1 per cent OF tnis
vast area, is given over to the cnil'
dren. hundreds of whom flock down
there with their parents during the
hot weather. These Fairgrounds eacn
have a. slide board, few swings ana
see.savs. the total cost OF which does
not exceed $500.
Wade i'm Rock Creek.
Tn Rock Creek Park, it was pointed
ont children are permitted TO Waue
in the creek, but not allowed to lay
down in the water and get wet al
over because of the sanitary condl-
tions. Wading pools in this park
way II was added, will fill great
need providing a place WheIe tne
children can walloW around In the
water in bathing suits.
The mark service last year spent
| s91 900 on major sports alone, lnciud-
ing golf. base ball and foot Dali nelus
| and tennis courts, as well as the con
struction of the field house ana Ger
tain improvements In the newly ue'
veloped recreation center In Sectlon
| D, just east or eleventh 0'iso'' All
| Arncostia Park.
The mark officials conceded that the
nuhl;c. marks are for the use OF the
whole people. including the young emil
dren. and will turn their attention
NOW +o providing for their play, they
cav the first step of which undoubt'
ediy Will be the provision Of the bath
ing pools. which cam be constructed
at a, nominal figure compared to the
cost of other projects. -,
The public buildings and public
marks office has for expenditure this
year S676, 790, which includes S342,130
| for. ordinary improvement and care,
heat and light. Out Of this fund 1t is
honed to be able to find funds for
the wading pools to flll the great de-
mand for safe splashing places for the
children. These pools, 1t was pointed
ont. can be made safe, being filled
with citv water and, containing only
a comparatively small quantity, can
he easily refreshed or chlorinated for
sanitary purposes.
Children Ignored Order.
The recent order to bar children
from the park fountain pools. 1t was
said, was made in answer to com
plants from citizens by the children
noises and some nude bathing. The
Columbus Fountain in front OF the
Union Station is one Of the most pop.
ular bathing pools for children, and
last week q large sign was erected
announcing that bathing Of children
was barred. But it was found that
the children either couldn't read or
didn't believe in signs, particularly
those barring traffic in the pool.
| The police reported that as soon as
their backs were turned the children
were in, and it would be necessary
to keep a policeman on the scene II
the order was to be enforced; so
sergeant of park police was sent mo-
torcycling to the Union Station Plaza
to remove the sign. Officials OF the
| office say they are not opposed to
the children bathing, but it was only