Evening star., 1941-05-22
Authority Shift
On Fairgrounds
Being Weighed
Parks Superintendent
Would Give Control
To Proposed Board
BY JOHN W. THOMPSON, Jr.

An amendment to compel the su-
perintendent of National Capital
Parks to turn over authority over
all playground lands, especially
swimming pools, to proposed Rec
reation Board for the District is
being considered by the Recreation
Subcommittee of the House Dis
trict Committee.
This was revealed today by Chair
man Hunter of Ohio as the sub
committee continued hearings on
two plans to reorganize the recre-
alton structure of the District.
One would establish a nine-man
Recreation Board including repre-
sentatiVeS of the Board of Educa-
ton, the Commissioners, the Ma
tional Capital Parks Office, the Ma
tional Capital Park and Planning
Commission and five citizens.
The other would establish a three
man executive recreation depart
ment of superintendent. the head
OF the Playground Department and
the head of the Community Center
Department.
All testimony today was support
ing the nine-man board which bears
the Endorsement of all the agencies
Involved.
Concessions Would Be Affected.
Chairman Hunter later explained
that the proposed amendment would
not affect the membership of the
superintendent of parks of the
board, but would keep him from
withdrawing park-owned properties
from the board at any time and
from letting out swimming pools to
concession operators, as most of
them are now.
At present, clause in the bill
permits any of the participating
agencies to withdraw any facilities
from the Recreation Board if they
desire.
Mr. Hunter brought out during
testimony by Thomas S. Settle, sec
retary of the Park and Planning
Commission, that properties being
acquired by the commission under
the Capper- Champion Act of 1880
are being paid for from District
funds at the rate of 100000 a year.
When Mr.. Settle raised the point
that the School Board could likewise
withdraw properties, Chairman
Hunter replied that the School
Board was made up of citizens and
as such could be counted on to CO.
operate for the recreation interests
of the city. He added that it was
District money that was being used
In acquiring the land.
Another Session Tomorrow.
The hearing adjourned about
noon to resume tomorrow at 10 m,
with numerous civic leaders waiting
an opportunity to testify.
Mr.. Settle, the first to take "the
stand, told the subcommittee the
bill was one of the most far-reach-
ing District measures to be consid-
cred by Congress since the Organic
Act of 1873.
His position was supported by Mrs.
Henry Grattan Doyle, president of
the Board of Education, who told
the subcommittee this was the first
time the agencies involved had been
able to agree on plan. The bill
has the Endorsement of the Board.
of Education, the Commissioners,
the National Capital Parks Office
and the National Capital Park and
Planning Commission.
Mrs. Doyle was asked by Mr..
Hunter if there was conflict be-
tween the playground department
and the community center depart
ment
Not battling" said Mrs. Doyle,
we Just had to clear everything
through so many agencies"
In other words" observed Rep
resentative Bolles, Republican, of
Wisconsin, you've been bothered
by red tape"
Settle Details Bills Effect.
Appearing for Chairman Frederic
A. Delano Of the commission. Mr..
Settle said the genius of the bill was
that it groups around the confer
ence table representatives of the
four agencies commemorative Com
missioners the National Capital
Park Office, the Board of Education
and the Planning Commission-and
five citizens.
He read letter from President
Roosevelt in 1885 to the heads of
the four agencies saying that the
same staff and properties could pro-
duce one-third greater results here.
I'm confident you will enact this
legislation he told the committee.
AS an example of the close con-
nection between the agencies, Mr..
Settle described the Takoma Rec
reation Center, where a tract owned
partly by the School Board, partly
by the commission and partly by the
Park and Planning Commission is
administered as a unit, with the new
Calvin Coolidge High School espe-
cially planned to fit in the recre-
alton picture with its gymnasiums
and other facilities.
Schools Use Football Field.
The football field is on park prop
erty," he said, but the schools use
It,"
Supt. of Schools Frank w. Ballou
described the bill as adequate" and
told the subcommittee the spirit of
the measure is the expected CO.
opera tim" between the agencies
which control the facilities
Pointing to the fact that the parks
Office uses District money in pur-
chasing land, Representative Bolles
asked DR.. Ballou if he thought the
Federal agency should be compelled
TO turn over authority of these prop
critics to the Recreation Board.
DR.. Ballou replied that the parks
Office should contribute as much to
the program AS the schools and the
Commissioners.