Evening star., 1938-12-29
Peek Memorial Chapel
Alterations Rushed
For Boys Center
Georgetown Club Gets
Go-Aheod Signal
From Rotary Head

Alterations In the Peck Memorial
Chapel, Twenty street and
Pennsylvania avenue NV, began
today to open the way for a new deal
for Georgetown boys.
Key to the structure was turned
over yesterday to the Georgetown
Boys Club by A. F. E. Horn, presi-
dent of the Rotary Club. Rotarians
purchased the property for $35 900
from Covenant-First Presbyterian
Church.
The scene of Boys Club activity
In the area will shift from the old
quarters over a grocery store at
Thirty-f1rst and M streets NV. to a
building which will ultimately sup
ply every demand for a complete
recreational and educational pro-
gram. Even a pipe organ and a
piano are included in the transac-
tion.
Acceptance of the gift was made
by Frank R. Jelleff, president of the
Washington Boys Club, of which
the Georgetown unit is a branch.
MIR. Jelleff. after commencing the
Rotarians for their contribution to
the welfare of the area, stated that
If the Nationwide boys club move
ment had started 40 or so years ago
on basis similar to that of today"
America would never have known
its public enemies No. l."
Program to Be Enlarged.
Mr.. Jelleff in turn handed the kew
to- the new headquarters to c. c.
Richardson. director of the George
town branch, who stated that oc-
cupation of the new building would
begin Immediately and revised and
enlarged program would be started
R the club.
The building will provide facili-
ties for an enlargement of the club
rolls from $50 to more than 1000
A large gymnasium floor on the
basement level of the chapel will
replace the old floor, which was
far too small to carry forward any
physical education program success
fully.
The first floor will be used for
offices, a library and game rooms
and on the top floor space is pro-
vided for additional gamerooms,
craft shops and laboratories, which
were not present in the cramped
quarters of the old building. Room
for a Boy Scout troop also will be
provided in the new building.
The interest of the Covenant First
Presbyterian Church in boys work,
as shown by its willingness to sell
the property at such reasonable
price" was praised by members of
the Rotary Club and Boys Club
officials at the luncheon meeting
yesterday.
Seated at the head of the table
was Edward c. Potter, president of
the church's Board of Trustees.
Rotarian Donald M. Bernard out
lined his organizations interest
In development of the Georgetown
community and termed the acqui-
sition of the property for boys club
work "a definite step forward"
Kerr's Contribution Cited.
The work of the late Frank A.
Kerr, an organizer of the George
town club in 1881, whose portrait
will be hung in the new building,
was praised by DR.. Charles T. War
ner, rector of st. Albans' Parish.
In its first year the club had but
so members. This figure has grown
to $50 at the present time City
athletic championships in many
sports have been won by club men,
bers since its organization, with
particular prowess shown in box
ing, basketball, football and base
ball
Administration of the club was
turned over to the Washington Boys
Club in 1884, but the Rotary Club,
sponsor of the original organization,
continued to maintain an active in
terest in the group.
Although the entire membership
of Rotary" has taken an interest in
improvement of the boys club, Mr..
Horn commented, the following Ro-
tarians were cited as having been
particularly instrumental in making
the current step forward:
Robert B. Swope, immediate past
president; M. x. Wilberding, Per-
cival Hall, Henry w. Fisher, Clar-
ence Aspenwall, Howard S. Leroy,
William r. Winslow, Paul E. Lesh,
Mr.. Bernard, Charles P. L. Moran,
Howard P. Foley, James A. Messer,
Warde B. Stringham, Thomas L.
Eagan, Frank Shipe, Edwin L. Davis,
Thomas w. Gosling, Alfred G. Neal,
Granville Guide, Lester B. Powell,