Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1939-07-02

District Playground Merger
Seems to Be Assured.
The transfer of the Municipal
Playground Department to the
Community Center Department
of the public schools appears
assured through the agreement
in conference and acceptance by
both houses Of a provision in the
District appropriation BILL 1t
is, however. in a different form
from what the citizen groups
have expected. The new organi-
cation will be under the Joint
control of the Commissioners and
the Board of Education.
1t is rumored, in this connection.
that by gentlemen's agreement
or some equally mysterious in
strumentality co-ordinator Bar
rett has been picked to head the
combined departments. If this is
true, the legislative branch of the
Government. it appears, is under
taking to select the personnel.
IN some local quarters it is feared
mat such practice might grow
and the Congress undertake the
selection of the District Commits
sloners, the Board of Education
and other officials.
There is keen disappointment
among those active in playground
promotion that this important
legislation is being enacted by
rider on an appropriation bill in
stead of by separate act. 1t
Is not believed that satisfactory
solution of the problem is to be
had through the adoption of the
meager provisions inserted in the
appropriation bill.
One provision OF this legislation
which meets with popular ap-
proval is the requirement to
maintain the same schedules in
all OF the Fairgrounds as now
maintained by the playground
department. 1t is the universal
desire that these Fairgrounds be
available to the greatest extent
possible in order to keep the
children off the streets. There is
practical necessity for this as
safety measure.
A Civic Headquarters Operated
BY Volunteer Office Force.
The successful operation of the
headquarters of the Voteless D. C.
League of Women Voters in The
Evening Star Building is of in
terest to all of the civic groups.
The league decided that 1t needed
headquarters in which it could
centralize and efficiently organize
its work which was increasing by
leaps and bounds. 1t was easy
to see the need. but the obstacles
to meet it were legion. Rent and
furniture and equipment, of
course. could be taken care of
with money and women always
know how to get hold of the
money.
But, suppose the headquarters
was secured and furnished and
the money in sight to maintain
1t, who would do the necessary
clerical work and keep head
quarters open on regular sched-
ule? Well this problem was
solved successfully also.
The current News Letter. of
the league tells that the head
quarters was opened on October
10, 1888 and the volunteer service
inuagurated. Twenty seven wom-
en-. of whom six were members
of the Volunteer Committee. have
given $40 hours of service. Many
of these volunteers are expert
enced in office work In addition
to the work at headquarters,
many hours of tipping and tele-
phoning have been put in at
home.
According to The News Letter
it took some weeks to set up a
system so simple that workers
would know what to do upon
arrival at the Office even though
they had not been there for
weeks. These women have got
ten a big kick out of their Of
flee service and the general YER
dict is that, ut has been great
fun"
Many of the civic group have
felt this same need for a head
quarters but they have been
afraid to undertake anything so
ambitious. These resourceful
women can teach any of the timid
ones how to do 1t.
The People Need to Know
The Truth About the District.
The people throughout the coun-
try and many of those in Con-
gress do not know the essential
truths about the District of Co.
lumbia. Evidence of this is to be
found in occasional editorials
and articles, in speeches and in
private conversation. All sorts of
misinformation Is in circulation
which is hurtful to the District
and has very disastrous in
f1uence on some OF our legislators.
To overcome this misinforma-
ton and supply the truth regard
ing this voteless and unrepre-
sented American community our
own people must first inform
themselves. As matter of fact
there is widespread lack of accu-
rate information right among
our own local people. To solve
this problem of educating the
country regarding the District
it is necessary that we first edu-
cate ourselves. 1t is the old case
of-"Physician, heal thyself."
AS a beginner in this self edu-
cation, this column would recon-
mend that the student turn to
page AIS of the current number
of the Congressional Directory
and read the chapter entitled,
District of Columbia, Origin and
Form of Government" This Is
a brief and accurate historical
sketch with ample references to
statutes and original documents.
1t can be used by the beginner
or the reviewer as q starter and