Evening star., 1941-04-29
Recreation Project
For Georgetown Girls
OF Teen-Age Pushed
Fund of $4,000 Sought;
Enthusiastic Response
To Plan Reported

An effort to enlist the support of
all Georgetown for a broad recrea-
tional program for teen-age girls in
the area was launched today with
the mailing of nearly 1000 folders
describing the plan for a George
town Girls Club.
Backed by the Georgetown Lions
Club. an Organizing Committee is
seeking to raise $4,000 for a three
year program. That fund according
to the sponsors, would be used partly
for the salary of a skilled recreation
worker and possibly a part time
worker to supervise the program.
Already an enthusiastic response
from businessmen and residents of
the area has been given the plan,
Mrs. Edmund G.. Chamberlain. sec
retary of the Organizing Committee,
said. The community feels she said,
that in recreational planning the
teen-age girls have been forgotten
Georgetown Children'S House takes
care of the younger children, and
various boys clubs occupy the teen
age boys. but there are no facilities
for the girls.
Building Available.
The Board of Education, she said,
will permit the use of an old build
ing behind the CurtiSAddison
School unit. This would be used
principally as a headquarters for the
worker. Actual recreation work
would be carried on. under the su-
perviSion Of the worker. in school
gymnasiums, church parish halls
and other centers.
Citing examples of the community
cooperation that already has
greeted the plan, Mrs. Chamberlain
said that Miss c. Belle Myers had
already enlisted the support of a
lumber company to give material for
steps for the old building and pos
sibly boards for floor. A plumber
has agreed to supply lavatory ia
cilitieS. a school manual training
class has volunteered to build the
steps and the floor and decorating
class at Western High School has
offered to do the interior decorating
for the headquarters building.
Several members of the George
town Lions Club have been studying
the idea for a year, Mrs. Chamber
lain said. A month ago, Capt.
Rhoda Milliken of the Woman's Bu-
reau told the club there is little
service offered to girls and much is
Tho GIRLS Cant Mil
liken said, rate something better
than the corner of Wisconsin avenue
and NJ street"
Variety of Activities Planned.
Facilities in Georgetown, she said,
were more than adequate to give the
girls their places for recreation if
skilled co-OrdinatOr could work out
a plan. She viSualiZed variety OF
activities, including sports, domestic
science and dancing.
The Lions Club sponsors presented
the idea to the Neighborhood Coun-
Gil in Georgetown and group OF
women at the meeting got to work
The Lions Club put up the money
for the first expenses, such as print
Ing the folders, thereby eras1ng the
first stumbling block to organization.
So interested Is the community IN
the plan, said Mrs. Chamberlain,
that women on the Organizing Com
mittee may undertake house-to-
house canvass for funds. The let
ters are going to residents Of the
area, while the Lions Club is can
vassing businessmen in Georgetown.
Stressing that the proposed girls
club is a community effort, Mrs.
Chamberlain said the Organizing
Committee was hoping for great
number of small donations, show
ing that every one in the section
was behind the club.
Roy Klompafens is serving as
temporary chairman of the Organiz-
ing Committee. Among the 40 or
more individual sponsors are JUS
tice and Mrs. Owen Roberts, Maj
Ernest w. Brown, Mr.. and Mrs.
Walter Lippmann, Mrs. Robert
Woods Bliss, Mrs. Arthur Krock, Mrs.
Henry Grattan Doyle, Mr.. and Mrs.
Jouett Shouse ano Capt Milliken.
Checks payable to Georgetown
Girls Club of the District of Co.
lumbia, Inc, may be sent to George
E. Knapp, treasurer, at 1920 M
street NV, or to Mrs. Chamberlain