Evening star., 1938-07-28
PLAY SPACE LACK
|NDEATHSSTUD|ED
Dr.. Holmes Does Not Claim
Traffic Accidents Due to
Ground Shortage.

Unopened school Fairgrounds can
scarcely be charged with the deaths
OF at least four Of the six child traf-
fic victims since June l, DR.. Chester
w. Holmes, acting superintendent of
schools, said today as the result OF
survey he is making in connection
with a movement to open additional
school Fairgrounds as a means OF
keeping children off the streets.
His investigation shows, he said.
that two Of the four were children of
and 3 years of age. who would not
be left even on supervised play
grounds. One Of these, he added. was
playing under a huckster's truck In
front of the child's home.
This clearly cannot be blamed on
the schools" he said. After all. the
parents have some responsibility"
Schools Still in Session.
In another case, child was killed
while schools were still in session
The child was of school age and the
accident occurred at time of day. he
said, when. unless there was a good
reason to the contrary, she ought to
have been in school. A fourth child
was killed my an alleged drunken
driver while standing on the back Of
an ice truck, DR.. Holmes continued.
He said he was investigating the
other two child death cases to find
out II there were Fairgrounds open in
the neighborhood of the deaths.
don't want tn
thetic in the least" he pointed out,
but the schools have not yet OIL
cially been asked to do anything in
the matter and We want to investi-
gate to be sure, if we do act. it will
be along the right lines"
There are now over 100 plav-
grounds open throughout the District.
The suggestion that the approxima tely
80 additional school grounds be opened
was made by local auto club and
indorsed by the police and traf1c
authorities.
The principal obstacle against the
proposed opening has been the lack
OF funds to provide either supervision
or equipment. Dr. Holmes pointed
out, too. that many of the so-called
school Fairgrounds" are little more
than play spaces with concrete sur
facing and consisting sometimes of
only the space between a school and
and adjoining building.
Meanwhile, the Works Progress Ad-
ministration stood ready to provide
additional supervisors for Fairgrounds,
should DR.. Holmes decide that more
grounds should be opened.
225 Leaders EMPLOYED,
In telephone conversation with Dr.
Holmes, Mrs. Mary Steele, head of
the women's and professional project
for the District w. p. A.. indicated
that recreation project now in effect
between the Community Cetner De-
partment and the Department of Play.
grounds under which 225 w. P. A.
recreation leaders are employed prob
ably can be extended to allow employ-
sment OF more persons capable of
supervising the additional grounds, if
needed. There are already 20 trained
recreation LADDERS certified for w. p. A.
employment who are Immediately
available
A meeting was scheduled this after
noon between Mrs. Elizabeth Peoples
director of the Community Center;
Miss Sybil Baker. supervisor of the
Playground Department, and Lewis R.
Barrett, co-ordinator of recreation, to
see If the Fairgrounds now open are
spaced to cover the whole District and
to check the attendance of several
grounds.