Evening star., 1937-02-28
new FIELD HOUSE
IS C|TY'S MODEL
Similar Centers for Eight
Other Sections Urged by
Parks Official.

Standing in the midst of seven
acre park on the bluffs overlooking
the Potomac River above Georgetown,
the Palisades Park Field House has
become the social and recreational
center for the Conduit Road, FoXhall
Village and Potomac Heights areas,
and is being used as a model by
several citizens associations which
are seeking similar field houses for
their neighborhoods.
c. Marshall Finnan, superintendent
Of the National Capital Parks, has
received recommendation for Albert
Clyde-Burton, his assistant In charge
of recreation, that additional field
houses be built in other parts Of the
city. Suggested locations are Lang
don Park, Takoma Recreation Center,
Battery Kemble, Chevy Chase, Turkey
Thicket and Edgewood, Reno and Taft
Fairgrounds. Although no money Is
available at present for these houses,
plans for most of them have been
drawn, and Finnan suggests that
funds for construction may be OBJ
tanned from Congress, Public Works
Administration or Works Progress Ad-
ministration.
Building Cost S39,680.
The Palisades Park Field House,
a Colonial-type brick structure, built
from P. w. A. funds at cost of
$39, $50, commands an extensive view
of the river and Virginia shore. In
the daytime it is used by the children
as playground and recreation center.
Community center classes in art,
music, bridge, ball room dancing and
tap dancing for adults and children
also are held there, having been
moved from the Key School when the
field house was completed because
Of the better facilities and larger
space available. In case of inclement
weather, play rooms for both boys
and girls are available inside the
building.
The building also contains a large
auditorium. seating about $50 persons,
in which meetings of the Conduit
Road Citizens Association are held.
Several other groups, including the
Key Parent-Teacher Association, Po-
tomac Post OF the American Legion,
Boys Scouts and Cub Scouts also
meet there. Numerous social activi-
ties, such as dances, card parties
and forum meetings, also are held in
the auditorium, which has a we'll
equipped kitchen connected with it.
so that refreshments can be prepared
and served.
The inside of the building is deco
rated in modern style, with parquet
floors, veneer paneling, indirect light
ing fixtures and built-in radiators.
The park surrounding the house has
been improved with walks, gardens
and other features at cost of S36 900.
There is a playground and children's
wading pool on the east side, and plans
have been made for the construction Of
a base ball diamond. volley ball court,
tennis courts and other recreational
facilities.
A Major Achievement.
Construction of the field house Is
considered one of the greatest achieve
ments of the Conduit Road Citizens
Association. Agitation for it began
Is years ago when Palisades Park was
purchased by the National Capital
Parks. At that time it was thought
that a log cabin in which Boy Scouts
could meet would be sufficient. but
later plans for the larger structure
were drawn. Committee members
and association officials haunted the
Commissioners and members Of Con-
gress seeking funds for the work, but
it was not until the Public Works
Administration was set up that money
became available. Much of the cam
paigning work was done by joint
committee of the citizens association,
Key Parent-Teacher Association and
the Garden Club under the chairman
ship of Mrs Joseph Lyddane.
When informed that other civic
groups were seeking field houses for
their neighborhoods, Charles E. S.
Rich, president of the association, said,
well if they work as hard and as
long as we did, they will get one, too"