Evening star., 1941-12-07
Former Track Star Heads
Unit l Month After Joining
Ingalls, at 25
Is w Washington
Highlands Chief
By THOMAS G. BUCHANAN.

Curtis w. ingalls, joined the Wash
ington Highlands Citizens Associa-
ton In October of this year One
month later, at the age Of IS, he
was unanimously elected president
OF the association, thereby becoming
one of the youngest leaders in local
civic history.
The election of Mr.. ingalls, was
symbolic of the rejuvenation taking
place in the association he now
heads. Until recently the Washing
ton Highlands unit appeared to be
suffering from combination OF re-
membership. Meetings were more
and more sparsely attended; even
tually. Mr. ingalls, declares. the active
membership had dropped to seven
or eight.
This fall. reused by the possibility
that the group might be forced to
disband. some OF its members ini-
tiated an intensive campaign to
bring new blood into the organiza-
ton. Among the many persons who
had recently moved into the neigh
borhood and were found to be inter-
ested in civic work was Mr.. ingalls,.
Membership Boosted.
At the November meeting of the
association a new slate of officers
was named. headed by Mr.. ingalls,.
who succeeded Walter E. Nair. BY
the December meeting last Thursday
membership in the unit had leaped
to total estimated by the new
president at 80. About a quarter
Of these. Mr.. ingalls, believes, are
former members who have been in
duced to renew their civic work.
while most of the others are new
arrivals IN the community. He hopes
the number Of active members will
be increased still further through
the city-wide drive next year
planned by the Federation Of Citi-
| Zens' Associations.
Mr.. ingalls,, who lives at 4028
Second street S.W.. believes his
eventual participation in civic work
was inevitable. since politics has
always been his chief interest. But
his rise to the presidency, he admits,
was complete surprise to him.
Washington Highlands principal
problems, Mr. ingalls, said, are char
acteristic of a growing community
at the very fringe of Washington's
expanding Southeast section. Ale
Walton of the traffic congestion of
the entire area Is urgently needed
and construction OF the proposed
South Capitol Street Bridge is ex-
pected to clear the situation up
very we'll" he said.
Remaining after the construction OF
such a bridge, however, Mr.. ingalls,
pointed out. would be the problem of
Washington Highlands and other
outlying districts to obtain ade-
quately paved streets in newly es-
tablished residential developments.
"A great many of them are paper
streets yet" Mr.. ingalls, asserted
"and we want to get them built as
soon as possible"
Was College Track Star.
Mr.. ingalls, looks forward to the
building Of the school now planned
for Nichols avenue and Atlantic
street S.W., and hopes the associa-
ton may be able to use the school
as a meeting place. He is also in
terested in maintaining the resi-
Dental nature of Washington High
lands through zoning restrictions.
In addition to his citizens associa-
ton duties, Mr.. ingalls, is vice chair
man of his local Committee on Civil.
ian Defense. We're quite interested
in defense here because we're sc
close to Boiling Field" he explained
Born near Aberdeen. S. Oak. the
youthful president did not come tt
Washington until 1899. He was 9
student at Billings Polytechnic In.
stitute in Billings, Mont. where hi
was editor of the paper and assist
ant editor OF its annual publication
The Poly whose editor later be.
came Mr.. Ingalls, attractive younf
wife, now also an active participant