Evening star., 1941-06-01

around the new Calvin Coolidge
Senior High School. Part of the
area, which is operated as an en-
tire unit, is owned by the School
Board, part by the Commissioners
and part by the parks Office. In
fact, it was brought out at the hear
ings that the part on which the
school football field is located is
parks property. The sentiment Of
the members expressed in their
questioning and comments was that
there was no good reason why the
title to any of that sort of land,
purchased out of District money,
should be in the United States
through the parks Office participa-
ton. 1t did not appear that the
transfer would include actual park
land used for park purposes.
The Federation of Citizens AS
sociations has called for language
in the bill to compel the establish
ment of a merit system similar to
that employed by the School Board
in selecting its teachers. 1t was
pointed out that while the bill
authorizes the merit system, it does
not now compel it. The Federation
position also includes keeping the
jobs for District persons, except as
to the superintendent of recreation.
Both Mr.. Christensen and Miss
Sibyl Baker, former supervisor of
the playground department now a
recreation department official, have
urged that no limiting language be
placed in the bill, however. Their
contention is that it is even now
difficult to get qualified personnel
with the field open and that better
standard of employe would result
from wider field.
The question of leases TO OPP
orators was brought up when the
bill was under discussion before
the Board of Education and at that
time Mr.. Settle, co-author of the
measure. said it contemplated even-
tual taking over by the Recreation
Board of those facilities now out
on lease when the leases termi-
mated.
In the matter of the composition
of the nine-member board the con-
troversy is over whether the Park
and Planning Commission should
be represented. At present the bill
calls for a Commissioner, a repre-
sentative of the Board of Education.
q representative of the parks Office,
representative of the Planning
Commission and five representa-
tives of the public appointed by
the Commissioners. The federation
has asked that an additional repre-
sentative of the public be substi-
tuted for the Planning Commission
members, but a minority of the
delegates supported by Mr.. Chris
tiansen feel the commission as the
land-purchasing agency should be
represented. 1t is further pointed
out that the commission has . re-
view authority in the leases to the
private operators and hence would
be valuable on the board. The
opponents contend the commission
can do its planning and purchasing
work just as easily of the board
as on 1t.
Hearings Resume Tuesday.
With the exception of one ses-
sion all the testimony before the
subcommittee has been directed at
the nine-member board which car
ries the Endorsement of the civic
groups and the agencies involved.
The sessions. will resume probably
Tuesday at 10 am, at which time
Irving c. Root, superintendent Of
National Capital Parks, will again
take the stand to answer some of
the subcommittee questions regard
ing the concessions to private op-
orators.
Representative Bolles OF Wisconsin
has suggested the possibility of a
further amendment of the bill to
provide equal jurisdiction for park
and Metropolitan police on recrea-
ton areas regardless of whom they
belong to. 1t has been contended
by civic spokesmen that the CO.
ordinate authority already exists.
put these persons offer no objection
TO such an amendment to clarity
the situation. A similar amend
ment is recommended by the Fed
Grafton of Citizens Associations
Several methods of appointment
OF the members of the Recreation
Board were brought up before its
transmission to the Capitol calling
1or appointment by the Commits
sioners. One suggestion would have
named five organizations from which
the city heads should pick the MEM
oers. Another would have them
appointed by the District Court
Judges as the members of the School
Board are now appointed. Still
another would have had the five
leading civic organizations name
representatives for the board. Mr..
Settle indicated at that time he had
no objection to having the ciizens
named by the judges. The Federa-
1lon OF Civic Associations, repre-
senting the colored community, has
asked that the judges do the ap-
pointing on the ground that the
commissioners have not given the
colored group sufficient representa-.
ton on local boards where thew
nave the appointing power. They
did not favor writing into the bill a
provision that given number of
the members should be colored and
representative Hebert, Democrat.
OF Louisiana has said it would not
De cOnStltutiOnallv nossihIe to r,,L.