Evening star., 1938-03-13
By Lucy Salamanca.

w YHAT does the Government
M employe do in his spare
w time? How does the new
conner to Washington get
acquainted with his fellow Federal
workers? Is there any opportunity
for the Government clerk" to achieve
identity above being cog in a vast,
emcient clerical machine? What can
the Federal employe hope for in the
way OF self-expression? The recre-
ational associations of Government de-
partments answer all these questions
and more. Unheralded and unsung,
for the most part, they are exercising
. far-reaching and vital influence
upon the lives of thousands Of young
men and women who might otherwise
lose touch, in an unfamiliar setting.
with those pleasant contacts OF life
that flourish outside of the hours of
Q to 4:30.
OF ever-increasing importance in
the life Of the Federal worker, these
associations are serving the unique
and commendable purpose of pro-
noting friendliness among workers,
establishing an esprit de corps, foster
Ing social activities and otherwise CIV
Ing members the opportunity of finding
themselves as individuals when trans
planted to the Washington setting,
suddenly adrift from home ties and
familiar social contacts. Today the
Government worker in Washington
has come to depend upon Federal
recreational associations for satisfac-
ton OF all the needs of wholesome
play and companionship.
One OF the most outstanding of
these organizations, with 1000 men,
bers on It's roll in the short space Of
little more than a year, boasts an
alphabetical index all its own. known
Is Il. D. r. A." its habitat Is the
Department Of the Interior. It IS,
am sure, no exaggeration to say, that
]. D. r. A. has furnished more down.
right good fun and fellowship for
Government clerks, old or young,
than any other single organization
OF its kind. And 50 diversified have
been Its endeavors that the possibilities
OF recreation have been tapped from
pistol shoots to weekend jaunts, from
square dance jubilees to production
OF original dramatic skits, from bad
minton to archery and from archery
to bowling and bridge.
The astonishing thing about this
organization is that its activities have
made Is effective an appeal to the
man and woman grown gray in the
Service as they have to blithe young
sters fresh from high school or college,
and the organization has filled such
. need In the lives Of Federal employees
that one out Of every five employees
In the Interior Department Is enrolled
- . member. When one takes into
consideration the 5000 employees more
or less, in the new and old buildings
Of this department alone, and the
fact that Of the number many repre-
sent that slippered age that hurries
homo to the flrestde at the sounding
pf the %:30 gong, one can realize what
. popular idea this recreational asso-
ciAtion idea was from the start.
After little more than q year Of
organized operation, Interior Depart
ment Recreational Association today
boasts in addition to its extensive
membership monthly magazine edited
by q talented and live-wire young
editor, 8. M. Barrett; = camera club.
. baseball team, . girls basket ball
5eam, dramatic, pistol, hiking. and
kadminton clubs; dancing classes,
GLASSES in eurythmics, an octette Of
indian singers, . music organization
Interested in the promotion Of good
concerts, . track team. bowling teams,
liable tennis teams, choral groups, out
ing, bridge and arts clubs: and, in
short, facilities and groups for about
every form Of recreation In which
the normal young man and young
woman Il interested.
~ members, groups Of hundreds Of