Evening star., 1939-05-28

tion has put SO many new safety
hazards In the way of every day liv-
ing that human instinct has not,
perhaps, been developed to the ex-
tent 1t will be within the next so or
100 years.
In less than q month our schools
will close for the summer vacation.
Thousands of boys and girls will be
at liberty all day, instead of Just
after school hours. As is well known,
many of these children will have to
play-if one can call it that-in the
streets, dodging automobiles as they
go about their games. All thinking
people know that children should
be kept out Of the streets when play
ing; but what child is endowed with
an adult mind, and what child, when
intent on play, can realize that an
automobile even at moderate speed
can be an instrument of death or
permanent injury. And when there
is nowhere else to play, what child
will not use the streets?
Teachers Work Praised.
Teachers in our schools are doing
marvellous job of instructing
their pupils in safety practices, the
boy patrol neutrality-suspicious. at
the crosswalks adjacent to schools
are aiding in this safety education
But to the everlasting disgrace OF
many adults, they are sadly lack
ing in ordinary safety precautions
How often have we seen men and
women deliberately cross streets
which are controlled by trafic lights
against the red light? How often
have we seen automobile drivers
dash through intersections without
slackening speed, turning left OF
right without regard to pedestrian
priority? And what sad commen-
tary it is on normal parental pro.
tectiveness to see mothers and
fathers, leading small children by
the hands, crossing streets when
the red light is shining in Their
faces!
1t is foolish to regard automobiles
as but transitory additions to oul
civilization, unquestionably they are
here to stay, also streets are built
to provide an avenue for their travel
sidewalks are built for pedestrians
But when 1t comes necessary for q
pedestrian to cross a street, ther
both pedestrian and automobile
driver become equally responsible
and each should regard the rights
of the other Common sense shows
that pedestrian traffic should super.
sede automobile traffic when streets
must be crossed and controls al
traffic intersections are showing the
proper light.
Personal Responsibility.
But-in the case of children, ther
the responsibility rests upon the
drivers of cars. Washington is nc
longer a "grown-up country town.
1t Is a city of many thousands oi
people, with a large juvenile popu.
lation, and much of this juvenile
population must find other place.
than municipal Fairgrounds, pro.
tected back yards or school play.
grounds on which to engage ir
their leisure-time recreation. We
as adults, must make 1t our persona
responsibility to protect our children
We must not have another summer
like the last, when for a time ons
could scarcely pick up daily paper
without reading another account O.
traffic fatality, in which the lift
Of child was sacrificed.
A human life is a precious thing
once taken 1t can never be re.
turned. Let us remember this, anc
let us use every precaution to avoic
the disastrous results of a momen
of thoughtlessness while we are be.
hind the wheel of an automobile e-ol
when we have children in our care
Blair Hayes.
Bundle day for student aid wa!
held Tuesday at both schools. Mem.