Evening star., 1926-03-21
Washington Payland Offers Signs of the Coming of Sprn&

pointed out that each year girls are
playing q. mere important part in
athletics and are taking an interest i'm
sports for which heretofore they have
cared little.
A special feature Of the playground
system here is the outdoor kinder
garten. Glasses were held at several
of the Fairgrounds visited. Miss
Elizabeth Mahon, teacher at the
Bloomingdale playground, in com
menting on the kindergarten work.
said:
Weather permitting, outdoor kin
dergarten classes are held daily.
There Is much enjoyment for the
child during the kindergarten hour
and work Is accomplished that would
not be II he were confined indoors.
He feels the freedom Of the open air.
learns to concentrate and to use his
hanis for useful purposes, to be un-
selfish and to take notice of his fel-
low playmateS. The work is varied
esch day and the children learn diff
ferent types, as crayoning, cut-outS.
card sewing, clay modelling, paper
folding. painting and the construction
Of paper furniture, houses. etc.
THE class is usually opened with q
song. finger play or a suitable story.
On anniversaries of national interest
exercises are held and the completed
handwork in some way conveys the
meaning Of the day
n X
ONE Of the most popular features
of playground activity, however.
was not In evidence as we journeyed
around the playground loop. Swim
ming, of course, without further
specula tion, furnishes the greatest 10Y
OF all during the Summer months.
For this reason the playground de-
partment has made special recon-
mendation to the District Commits
sioners urging that every playground
IN the city be provided with a wading
pool and the larger grounds with a
swimming pool.
More than $4,000 boys and girls
availed themselves of the swimming
privileges at the municipal bathing
pools alone. Conditions were over
crowded. and F. j. Drummer. superin-
tendent, had his hands full trying to
arrange schedules to accommodate the
youngsters who were obliged to leave
the vicinity of the playground on &C
count OF no facilities for swimming
At present there are only three
Fairgrounds equipped with pools
Georgetown, Rosedale and Howard.
However. 1t is hoped that appropria-
tions for playground activity included
In the District bill will permit install
lat1on OF pools at other Fairgrounds.
That the Fairgrounds be open IL
months of the year with supervision is
another recommendation considered
urgent. Request, also. has been made
for the setting aside, as Fairgrounds.
OF one-tenth of the ground, exclusive
OF streets, in the opening of new sub
divisions Of the city. Another need
OF the play system is the erection Of
Held houses on the Fairgrounds, large
enough for indoor recreation in ex
treme hot or cold weather.
The list of Fairgrounds open to
date and directors in charge are as
follows:
Munlcipal-Blooming Elizabeth
Mahon: Chevy Chase. Ruth Coleman:
Columbia Heights, Helen Abrams:
Garfield Park, Evelyn Howard; George
town, Abby Greene: Happy Hollow.
Ella Foulois; Hoover, Gwynn Helen:
Iowa Avenue, Frances Major; Mitchell
Park. Jane Kincheloe; Montrose Park.
Pauline Woodruff; New York Avenue
Marie McAuliffe; Park View. Martha
Durham; Phillips, Olyve Barbee: Plaza
Caroline Alexander; Rosedale, Daisy
Robinson: Thomson, Jack" Whiting:
Twin Oaks. Katherine Fisher: Van
Ness. Susie K. Hand; Virginia Ave
nue., Thelma Smith.
Colored-Cardozo, Sola Brandt; How
ard, Daisy Pierce; Logan. Mary Dick
erson; Rose Park. Violet Mckinney:
Payne. Gladys Thomas; Willow Tree
Goldie Robertson.
School-Adams, Margaret Cotton;
Burroughs. Julia Bowling: Cooke
| Alton Hunt: Corcoran. Emily Tilton;
Dennison. Helen Thompson; Fair
| brother. Mary Rauk: Jefferson. Estelle
Orr, Almea Adkins; Birney, MaybeI
Hall: Johnson-Powell.G George Garrity;
Dickman