Evening star., 1938-04-07
PLAYGROUND UNIT
ATTACKS CHARGED
Miss Baker Lashes Out at
School Officials at
Recreation ParIey.


mer jurisdiction over school playground
activities from the Playground Depart
ment to the Board of Education, Miss
Sibyl Baker. supervisor Of the Play
ground Department, yesterday charged
school officials with theoretically
working to cut the Playground De-
partment to pieces
At the third of series of recreation
conferences held at the Franklin
School, the playground supervisor
heatedly told School Board members
that the present recreation co-ordina-
ton agreement to which the board is
a party did not prevent school officials
and their supporters from working to
cripple" her department, adding that
there was no assurance against the
schools further attacking" her organ
ization.
There are certain Fairgrounds we
operate that are adjacent to school
grounds" she declared. we have no
assurance that certain members of the
board are not working to have those
transferred to the schools"
Sees Unification Barrier.
Miss Baker said she saw no prospect
of real unification of program, person.
mel and policy as long as her depart
ment was constantly subject to attack
even as to the integrity of its Of
ficials."
That's serious charge, Miss
Baker" interrupted Henry l. Quinn, a
board member.
No" retorted the Playground De-
partment head, I'll show you the very
page in the record of the Senate hear
ings"
Mr.. Quinn declared there is "ab-
solutely no basis for Miss Bakers al
legation.
The board members also heard Lewis
R. Barrett, co-ordinator of recreation.
outline the recreation plans for the
Capital and defend the proposal con-
tanned in the King bill to establish a
recreation board for the District which
would administer all recreation appro-
priations.
Would the Playground Department
and the Community Center Depart
ment be abolished under this bll?"
asked Mr.. Quinn
Would Abolish Departments.
Yes, the departments as such would
be abolished, replied the co-ordinator
This bill proposes unification.'
We'll. you are the first man I have
heard that has been honest enough to
ADMIT It, said the board member. "All
the other proponents of the bill have
made 1t seem that the proposal in the
King bill would simply legalize the
present coordination agreement with
out changing the agencies at ALL
Superintendent of Schools Frank w.
Ballou wanted to know in what way
the proposed board would differ from
the present District Recreation Com
mittee by which Mr.. Barrett is en-
ployed.
The present committee has no legal
authority whatever" explained Mr..
Barrett. "A member of the committee
once said the group was made up Of
thfee lawyers. each representing diff
ferent clients and trying to win the
same case"
The co-ordinator was asked by Mr..
Quinn what protection there would be
Tor the schools il. for example, a
supervisor appointed by the proposed
recreation board did not work har-
moniously with the schools.
Why. the schools would have re-
course through their membership in
the board replied Mr.. Barrett.
We'll. 1t has been my experience
with this recreation problem that
whenever the schools take an attitude
they are accused of not cooperating.
responded the board member.
Finnan Condemns Bill.
Asked for his opinion of the King
bill, c. Marshall Finnan. superintend-
ent OF the National Capital Parks
ofhce. declared the measure "the most
dangerous and fundamentally bad
bill l have ever read"
1T is so broad in its provisions"
ne said, that it leaves no indication
as to what the next step is"
Mr Fhnan, however. emphasized
the necessity for legislation in this
feld OF recreation but said it should
De so detailed as to definitely place
responsibility for everything proposed
and executed.
The question was also raised bv
John H. Wilson. colored board mem
Der. that the unification proposal does
not provide for colored representation
on the recreation board
The co-ordinator replied that this
was proposed in several amendments
to the bill and he thought that il
definitely should be provided. Miss
Baker pointed out that in neither the
case OF the School Board nor the Board
OF Public Welfare was colored renre-
sentation provided for in legislation
but that it was observed in both cases
as matter of unquestionable prac-
! tice
Mr.. Barrett closed his address with
a plea for consideration of the entire
problem in an objective light and pool
OUR interests in tho Ioc.oz...: