Evening star., 1935-11-17
CITIZENS GROUP
GOVERNS Town
Civic Association is "0fficial
Government" at Mary
land Park.

Maryland Park, Md, small, COM
pact town adjacent to Washington,
located in Prince Georges County, be-
tween the incorporated towns of Seat
Pleasant and Capitol Heights, has
a civic organization acting as the
official government"
The association Is the Maryland
Park Ladies Community Club. 1t
handles problems usually cared for
porated towns. Such matters as un-
employment relief and fixing of the
streets are handled by the women.
During the depression" the club
sponsored a lawn party and raised
sufficient funds to employ all unem-
ployed men Of the town to work on
the streets at higher wage than
the county relief agency was giving.
Women Direct Everything.
The women took over the running
of the affairs of the community after
the Maryland Park Citizens Associa-
tion failed to function several years
ago, Mrs. Grace A. Close, former
president of the club and treasurer
of the Eighteenth District Republican
Club, said yesterday.
The Citizens Association had the
advantage over the ladies organiza-
ton, as far as the street repair
work, because during its reign it had
a road-scraping machine. The ma
chine is now worn out and the women
have to employ men to do the street
work by hand.
One of the outstanding improve
mentS secured by the Community Club,
along with the aid of the Citizens
Association, was the paving Of New
roadway through the center of the
town about three years ago by the
State Roads Commission. The club
has often employed men to repair
wooden bridge over a small creek to
connect New roadway with road
which runs over private property, to
Eastern avenue, to give the residents
of the town access to the business
section of Washington located near
the Maryland line. The bridge is
located just inside of the District of
Columbia.
Main Project Of Club.
One of the chief projects the club
is now sponsoring is to have the
District Commissioners either acquire
the land which the road crosses to
connect this settlement with Sixty
third and Dix streets and Eastern
avenue, or the opening of Southern
avenue. Southern avenue, if opened,
would give the citizens also a direct
route to Seat Pleasant and Capitol
Heights from the lower end of the
town.
Another project the ladies have been
seeking for number of years is the
paving of Valley street by the State
Roads Commission. This would give
hard surface road connection with
the paved New roadway and Chapel
road in Seat Pleasant.
The town has a committee Of two,
Henry F. Pohl and David w. Close. to
collect from the residents monthly to
defray the expense of Is street lights,
which were installed in the town 10
years ago. The lights sre located on
Central avenue, New roadway and
Valley street.
The Maryland Park Ladies Club
boasts of having high school, no po-
lice and no dealers in hard liquors.
Mrs. Close said there is little need for
police in this community.
Conflict Over Incorporation.
A few years ago group Of citizens
went before the General Assembly in
Annapolis. Md. and had them approve
town charter for the incorporation
of the community. When the refer
endum on the question was held the
citizens voted against tre incorpora-
ton. Since then agitation has been
started several times to nave the town
incorporate with one of the adjoining
towns, but each time it failed to come
to vote of the citizens.
| Mrs. Close said she and Mrs. Lila
Rose, Mr. Pohl, Mrs. Sarah Pohl and
John Houchen will attempt to reor-
ganize the Maryland Park Citizens As
sociation in the near future. Houchen
is still treasurer of the association.
The Maryland Park Ladies Com
munity Club is under the leadership
of Mrs. Ethel Burroughs as president
and Mrs. Mildred Stillwen secretary.