Evening star., 1934-02-06
SCHOOL USE URGED
FOR YOUTH CLUBS
Quinn Denounces Campaign
for Boys Buildings as
WastefuI.

Denouncing as waSteful and un-
necessary the campaign to establish
boys club buildings in various parts
Of the city while the recreational
facilities Of school buildings stand
idle, Henry I. Quinn, member Of the
Board of Education and delegate to
the Federation of Citizens Associa-
tinns. last night called upon the Six
teenth Street Highlands Citizens As
sociation to support plan for broader
USE Of school facilities
The association, at its regular meet
ing in the new Brightwood school, as
result of Mr.. Quinns suggestion
voted him authorization to prepare a
resolution which will be submitted
Immediately by the associations EX-
ecutive Committee to the District
Commissioners and the Senate and
House District Committees.
Calling attention to the fact that
many graduates of the public schools
are unable TO get work, Mr.. Quinn
declared that it is Of the utmost i'm
portance to the community to see
that these children ere kept out OF
trouble.
C1teS ldle Facilities.
''Senator Copeland, through the
Senate investigation he now is making
OF organized crime, has found that
crime among children of 16 to 1o
years of age, for lack of proper recrea-
ton and supervision is simply ap-
paling," Quinn said
One way to keep these youngsters
n nS frOI hi &c to crix hn,
Of the facilities which We already
have for their recreation in the public
schools"
He cited a number of schools in
various parts of the city which have
swimming pools, gymnaSiums and
other facilities which are idle a large
part Of the time.
I'VE have for years let those schools
80 idle while our citizens have beer
campaigning for boys clubs. Why
60 to that expense when We already
have the buildings and facilities?"
He said that the Board OF Educa-
ton has made $500 available for ex-
perimental work in opening the
schools to all children. Two schools
the Mcfarland Junior High School
and the NJ street colored junior high
this purpose. When the Macfarland
Was opened two weeks ago, he said
80 children attended. A week later
$50 were there.
Fund Shortage Deplored.
I'VE should have these clubs In
school buildings in every section OF
the city" Quinn said. The Budget
Bureau has allotted the meager sum
Of 100000 for recreational work in our
public schools Newark. N. j., for ar
area having a smaller population than
ours, has allotted S335,0O0 for this
purpose. Milwaukee. with only a
slightly larger population than Wash
tngton. has s350,000. Many little
Western towns OF one-nfth our pop
ulatior spend as much as we do for
recreational activities for their chill
dren"
Quinn deplored the shortage of
funds for general school purposes and
unnecessary delays on the part of
the District government in pushing
school construction programs when
money is available. He declared there
wss no reasonable excuse for the
delay in starting construction of the
proposed Anacostia Junior High
School, sorely needed to relieve over
cTowding at Eastern High School.
If the citizens will organize and
make their desires known IN no un-
certain terms" Quinn said, Il be-
lieve We will get back some of the
school funds that the Commissioners
cut out. We can urge Congress to
cut In every other direction if neces-
sary but not to cut at the expense
Of our children"
Road Work "PrOvidential"
r. C. Whitehurst. director Of the
Department of Highways. explained
to the association the Public Works
and Civil Works Administration prof.
ects now in progress in Washington.
He described the highway work made
possible by these funds as .providen-
tial,' since the regular highway
appropriations for the fiscal year 1885
have been reduced to just half the
total for the peak year. 1929"
On motion Of Arthur E. Cook, Sec
retary Of the association and new
chairman of its Public Utilities Com
mittee. the association adopted a
resolution calling upon the Public
Utilities Commission to strike out of
the valuation total of the local gas
light companies all items represent
Ing investment in merchandise other
than gas, held for sale and that it
also deduct from its total valuation
Tor gas price fixing that portion of
the capital items which fairly repre-
gents the value of display rooms,
equipment. etc, normally used in the
sale Of similar equipment"
Advocates Sunken Garden.
The companies. Cook said. are
seeking to have approximately $50 900
added to their valuation for rate
making purposes because of gas ap-
planes, sales rooms and other
equipment for the carrying on of
business entirely separated from the
business of manufacturing and selling
gas.
Edgar c. Snyder, United States
marshal for the District, spoke in
opposition to establishment of a sta
dunn. swimming pool or other recre-
ational facilities on the site of the
abandoned Sixteenth Street Reser-
voir. He advocated construction there
OF a sunken garden and main en-
trance to Rock Creek Park and an
nounced that this plan now has the
approval not only of the Sixteenth
Street Highlands Association but also
Of the Sixteenth Street Heights Citi-
yer1s Association and the Columbia
Heights Forum