Evening star., 1935-01-06
UNITY PLAN URGED
FOR FAIRGROUNDS
Federation Asks ParIey to
Work Out Reform
Program.

The Federation of Citizens Asso-
Citations went on record last night as
favoring the proposed unihcation OF
recreational facilities in the District
Harry NJ. Stull. chairman of the
Committee on Education, presented
a majority report in favor Of a modi-
fed Weir plan, as proposed by the
National Capital Park and Planning
Commission. A minority report was
offered by Thomas ]. Llewellyn OF
the same committee, and was voted
down.
Outgrowth of study of the Weir
report, the committee headed by Stull
refrained from accepting any one OF
the four plans already suggested for
unification. Instead the committee
confined itself to pointing out the
best features of the plans, laying en-
phasis on the fourth, which 1t con-
sidered worthy of acceptance II i'm
proved.
The latter plan calls for q recrea-
tional department, under the National
Capital Parks once and the Board
Of Education, thereby eliminating the
present Playground Department. A
Superintendent of recreation and an
advisory committee would be in
charge.
Seen Controversial.
Stull said the proposed unification
was "one OF the most controversial
matters that ever came before the
federation" The committee which
he heads, Stull said, holds several
objections to the Weir plan. and op-
poses any plan which would take
from the Board of Education any Of
the facilities-either in buildings or
grounds-now allotted to recrea-
ton"
The only recommendation the COM
mittee would make Was that there
be o conference between the existing
recreational agencies and the citi-
zens so a plan favorable to all might
be worked out.
Harry Quinn, . member Of the
Board of Education and q delegate
from the Sixteenth Street Highlands
Citizens Association, sketched the
present layout used for recreational
purposes in the District-200- odd
acres operated by the Board Of Edu-
cation and 20-odd acres under the
municipal playground system.
Each year." he said, "the money
for Fairgrounds is borrowed from the
budget of the Board Of Education u
He added that, in view OF this fact,
this item should be appropriated di-
rectly to the board, which, in turn
should keep charge Of playground IA
cilities-recreational facilities.
He pointed to q condition where
there are two organizations doing
what should be done by one, with one
having practically all Of the recrea-
tional facilities and little money and
the other having most Of the money
and few facilities.
Asks Recreation Board.
Jesse Suter of the Citizens Joint
Committee on National Representa-
ton cited the overlapping Of activi-
ties Of the Playground Department
with some Of the activities Of the
schools, and said there would be q
better utilization Of personnel II both
operated as one" He advocated Gre
alton of Q Board of Recreation.
James G. Yaden, L. A. Carruthers
and George e. Sullivan, who were
appointed to represent the federation
In presenting q petition opposing the
proposed ban on all-night parking
insisted that the federation be better
represented numerically before the
Trafnc Control Board. It was said
business interests at present have a
predominating influence on the board
Sullivan also made . preliminary
report for the special committee on
the reorganization Of the District
Government It merely touched on
the preliminary discussions.
Carruthers, chairman Of the Com
mfttee on Fiscal Relations, presented