Evening star., 1938-02-07
COUNCIL ATTACKS
SHIFTING Of FUNDS
FOR FAIRGROUNDS
Winter Athletic Programs
Would Be CurtaiIed,
Report Charges.
CHILDREN UNDER FIVE
SEEN HURT BY ACTION
Protest Is Made on Eve of Senate
Hearings Of D. c. Budget
Opening Tomorrow.

Action of the House in transferring
funds for the summer operation of
~ school Fairgrounds from the Play
ground Department to the school
budget will prevent an adequate pro-
gram Of activity being staged on many
of these grounds. according to report
issued by the City-wide Playground
Council on the eve Of Senate hearings
on the District budget tomorrow.
The effect of the transfer also will
be to drive thousands of children of
pre-school age off the grounds into
the streets and to curtail the winter
physical education programs in the
schools during the school year, the
council charged.
Explaining its objection to the item,
the council, representing 60 civic
welfare and parent-teacher groups,
pointed out that the $4,000 was trans
ferred from playground estimates of
$29,700 intended to cover only MAIN
tenance and partial supervision of
kthese grounds. Additional personnel
/ for complete supervision is provided
in other funds of the department, it
was said.
Equipment Funds Omitted.
In addition, the council cited the
fact that the item does not include
funds for baseball, basket, volley ball,
tennis and other activity equipment
necessary for a program of activities
on these grounds.
1T is therefore clearly impossible
Tor the schools to make the s25,O0O
provide in 1889 the same supervision
now furnished by the Playground De-
.partment," the report declared.
The group also pointed to the state
ment by the Board of Education that
1t did not seek the transfer and pre-
sumed therefore that the board has
no definite plan for the operation of
the grounds without reorganization.
The experience of the Community
Center Department, to which the
transfer was made, in operating play
grounds extends only over the last
two summers on 20 Fairgrounds, it
was said.
ITO suddenly expand its activities
to operate 81 grounds. an increase Of
235 per cent, is certain to result in
some communities receiving consider
ably lowered quality as we'll as guam
tity Of recreational activities" the
council said.
Pre-School Age Clause.
In referring to the children Of pre-
school age, the report declared that
school appropriations are subject to
. general clause prohibiting the use
OF school funds on children under 5
years OF age
This would prevent programs now
eaGled on at school grounds fo~
thousands of children under S. to
the disappointment of parents who
have come to depend on this relief
and also to the increased danger to
such young children by reason of their
being forced off the Fairgrounds into
the streets" the council said.
In addition, the report cited the
intention expressed by Supt. of
Schools Frank w. Ballou to supervise
these Fairgrounds with day-school
physical education teachers by requir-
ing these teachers, under new Ian
Euage in the 1899 bill, to take their
vacations during the winter so as to
Be available during the summer
months.
! This would obviously necessitate
the c,1rt q lin, ant of hao1tb ord ,,h,.;a.,
education periods during the school
Term" the council charged.
4 The opinion also was expressed that
= school-planned health and physical
education routine instead of a play
program on the summer Fairgrounds
may affect the desire of the children
70 visit such grounds.
9 No Authority to Use Them.
: According to Julian c. Hammack,
president of the group, as result of
this transfer the Playground Depart
ment has personnel and supplies
available but no authority to use
them on grounds at the Jannev.
Thomson, Montgomery and Anthony
Bowen Schools and IL municipal
Fairgrounds, which have been using
1avatory facilities of adjacent schools,
will have to get along without them
eThese are the Kenilworth Recreation
Center, the Logan. Monroe, Rose
Park Columbia Recreation Center,
Gallinger, Raymond, Taft Burroughs,
Randall, Hearst and lexington
grounds.
2 The council is on record as favorine
recreation coordination but also
opposes any jurisdictional transfer
pending a fact-finding report by the
District Recreation Committee.
: Meanwhile, school officials have for
4warded q statement to the Senate
committee beginning budget consid-
eration tomorrow, that while they did
mot seek the transfer, they and the
board heartily indorse it in the belief
that activities on school Fairgrounds
An the summer should be considered
aan extension Of the health and recrea-
&taon programs carried on by the school
health and physical education depart
sments during the year.
Supt. Ballou told the School Board
lat its last meeting that the schools
sare perfectly capable of furnishing
sthe supervision now provided by the
&pIavoro,nd nopo r<v.ap<