Evening star., 1934-10-21
SOUTHWEST UNIT
ORGANIZED IN 1902
TO IMPROVE AREA
With Former Member Hazen
a City Head, Group Feels
Its Needs Are Known.

When Melvin c. Hazen was named
president Of the District Board of
Commissioners Southwest Washing
ton took new hope for the success Of
improvements 1t has been seeking
since the turn Of the century, for Mr..
Hazen was among the earliest mem
bers Of the South Washington I'm
provement Association, parent Of the
present organization.
And, whether Mr.. Hazen has di-
rected official interest toward the sec
ton in which he early took an in
terest In civic affairs, or officialdom
has suddenly discovered that there
are good Washington citizens living
in the area bounded on the east by
South Capitol street and on the north
by the Mall, improvements have come
to that section.
Notable among them have been the
return Of the fourth precinct station,
which had been combined with No. S.
in the Southeast; the repaving Of
Fourth street southwest, the effecting
Of the change Of name from Four
and-a-Hah street and improvement
to sheds at the Farmers Market.
Organized In 1907.
The South Washington Improve
ment Association was formed in 1902
at the call of Rev. Charles Sontag,
rector Of Grace Church.
Previously there had been q South
Wa shinOfan Cifiyane' AceNria tim
but it had not functioned for some
time, and little is known Of its his
tory.
The first president Of the associ-
alton was James r. Scaggs, with
George e. Barber as vice president:
Thomas P. Stephenson, treasurer,
and Frank 3. Gilmore, who wrote the
minutes with precise penmanship.
secretary. AL have died since that
time.
The association soon changed It's
name to South. Washington Citizens
Association, when it was learned that
the association which formerly had
borne the name was no longer in ex-
istence, and the Southwest" part Of
the present name gradually developed
as the section came to be known as
Southwest rather than South Wash
ington.
At one of the early meetings of the
organization-many of whose pur-
poses still are aimed at by the pres
ent association-Dr. Millard F.
Thompson arose and declared that
the citizens had improved, but the
streets had degenerated"-it Is re-
corded in the old minutes. Southwest
citizens still are trying to rid their
section of some Of the unSightly and
far from modern cobblestone streets.
Theodore w. Noyes, editor of The
Star. and at that time q resident of
the Southwest, was chairman of the
Library Committee of the old associa-
ton and made the first efforts toward
securing for the section Q branch
library.
Branch Library Sought.
1t was about this time that the first
sub-branch of the Public Library in
the city was established in the South
west-a sub-branch still maintained
at Neighborhood House. However, this
small unit Is inadequate for the uses
of a section whose population numbers
about $4,000, a good-sized town In its
own right, and the Southwest Associa-
ton hopes to be able to get q good
branch library before long.
A long battle has been waged by
the association for replacement of
the Jefferson Junior High School
Building, at Sixth and D streets. It
still is trying to have the students
moved from the railroad yard, where
smoke and noise interfere seriously
with studies in a building unfit for use.
Replacement of the building, which
was condemned in 1908, is listed as
one Of the associations main objec-
tives, along with the creation of a
residential section for Government
workers in the Southwest and beauti-
flcation Of the water front.
Want Housing Projects.
One of the more recent projects Of
the association toward accomplish
ment of its aim of becoming q resi-
Dental area is the application for one
of the Public Works Administrations
housing projects. The location Of such
a planned housing development in the
Southwest is being considered by the
P. w. A., and officials Of the group
hope it will come to aid them In their
efforts.
AS to improvement Of the water
front, which has long been sought by
the Ssociation-and which also ties
in with the main objective of creating
a residential section where, many
years ago, was one of the city's best
recent activity by the Army War Col
lege, Board of Trade, Fine Arts Com
mission and Park and Planning Com
mission has given the Southwest group
hope. It will coordinate its activities
with those of the other groups In an
effort to beautify what is now an eye
sore by the removal Of rotting and
ugly piers and docks, construction of
yacht basins and new concrete piers,
and other improvements.
One of the accomplishments for the
Southwest in which the association
had its part after many years Of cam
paigning was the removal Of grade
crossings. for which a safety commit.