Evening star., 1935-08-04
SH|PSTEAD FINDS
.D.C.PLAYGROUNDS
ARE INADEQUATE
Hopes ShadeIeSS, Cinder-
Covered Areas Will Bene-
fit From Fund.
SAYS CONVICTS HAVE
BETTER FACILITIES
Children Play in Street Rather
Than on SUM- Baked Centers.
Recommends Showers.

.Washington's cinder- covered, shade
less, blistering hot Fairgrounds are
hopeleSsly inadequate to meet the
needs of the city's children and mark
the Capital as backward city which
neglects the welfare and health of its
future citizens, in the opinion Of Sen
ator Shipstead, Farmer-Labor, Of
Minnesota.
During tour of the Fairgrounds in
Southeast Washington yesterday, the
Senator. leader of fight for better
care Of the city's children. pointed out
many shortcomings in the playground
system here. Minnesota convictS. he
said, have better recreational facili-
ties than Washington children Of
school age.
The Senator was accompanied dur
ing a part of the inspection trip by
John Nolen, secretary of the National
Capital Park and Planning Commits
sion, and Lewis r. Barrett, newly-ap-
pointed co-ordinator Of recreation Of
the commission.
Sees Hope in Fund.
U IIl6Iu, SCIldUOL OAllPoICdu CA
pressed the hope that part of the
100000 appropriation in the def
cheney appropriation bill, approved by
Senate and House conferees, might
relieve the playground condition in
Southeast Washington. Nolen ex-
planned that the amount must be
spread over 20 projects, entirely for
cov,onlotint, nf unrl o1raadEy under
taken, and that it will not provide for
any new Fairgrounds and will far
from satisfy the city's needs.
The Minnesota Senator first visited
the Garfield Park Playground adjoin-
ing the railroad In Southeast WASH
ington. He pointed to the sun-baked
ground, dead grass, dust and a dry
wading pool, remarking:
"I wouldn't call that a playground
at all, and yet 1t is supposed to serve
as the recreational center for a popu-
lation Of several thousand people In
this neighborhood.
Visiting the Buchanan School Play
ground, at Thirteenth and D streets,
serving as a recreational center for an
area in which more than 1900 chill
dren Of school age live. the Senator
found two cinder-covered areas over
which the heat waves shimmered.
Children in Streets.
The girls playground, without a
trace of shade, was deserted, while
less than a block away a group of
nearly 20 children were playing in a
heavily travelled street, under the
shade Of spreading sycamore tree.
'At the Minnesota Penitentiary we
have green grass and shade for the
prisoners" the Senator remarked,
gazing at the deserted ground.
On the boys ground. larger patch
of cinders and heat, less than 10 boys
were engaged in the finals of horse
shoe pitching contest. 1t was too hot
for the spectators and non-contestants
and they had wandered of to find
shade.
In a tiny court between the school
building and high brick wall there
were few trees and here the Sen
ator found a score of children play
ing in the shade F. Irvine Holbrook,
assistant director of the Buchanan
ground, maintained as a Summer
Playground from July / to Septem-
Der /, explained that while the area
was unsatisfactory. it was the best
available for hundreds of children.
Worried by Cinders.
1.-THE cinders are dangerous" Hol-
brook explained "If child falls, it
usually means a scrubbed elbow or
knee full of dust and cinders. These
injuries are always source of worry
and I always take the child to a hos
pital for fear of infection"
The children were all dirty, the dust
from the cinders settling on hot-moist
skin to form grimy coating
Are there showers where the chill
dren can clean up after playing?" the
Senator asked.
He was told there were none, that
the children had to go home before
they could clean of the playground
CRIME
Il believe" Senator Shipstead said,
there should be an open-air shower
at every playground. under which the
(see FAIRGROUNDS, Page BID