Evening star., 1941-05-23
School Control
Of Recreation
Urged by Quinn
Ex-Member of Board
AssoiIs Arrogance
OF U. S. Officials
By JOHN w. THOMPSON.

h6Cr6d ulOn subcommittee Glldt Hi
supervised recreation should be
transferred to the control of the
Board of Education.
He said the Office of National
Capital Parks should be left to con-
troll its golf courses and tennis
courts and to let them out on con-
eession if they wish.
Mr.. Quinn. a member of the
School Board from 1888 to 1889,
appeared before the subcommittee
on invitation of Chairman Hunter
of Ohio, as the subcommittee was
considering two other solutions to
the recreation problem. One would
establish a nine-man board with
five citizens members. The other
would set up a three-man recrea-
ton department of superlnten-
rient, the head of the Playground
Department, and the head of the
Community Center Department.
Schwab Backs Nine Man Board.
Testimony at today's hearing con-
eerned only the nine-man proposal,
which was supported by James E.
Schwab Board of Trade, but op-
posed by Mr.. Quinn. The hearing
was recessed at noon to be con-
tinued Tuesday at 10 am. Mr..
Quinn advanced his solution as
sensible, proper and economic" ="
although the Board of Education
has approved the nine-man proposal.
Call Supt. Frank w. Ballou back
to the stand tomorrow and ask him
his honest opinion on this matter,
Mr.. Quinn said, ''anG he'll give you
the same solution I have"
DR.. Ballou and Mrs. Henry Grat-
ton Doyle, president of the School
Board, testified yesterday in favor
of the nine-man proposal.
Mr.. Quinn said the board had ap-
proved the nine-man plan because
1t had been sold on the idea his
solution was impossible to get
through Congress. He said several
efforts have been made in past years
to effect transfer of control to the
School Board, but they had been
blocked by Federal officials.
At present, supervised recreation is
controlled jointly by the Board of
Education and the Commissioners.
Mr.. Quinns position was sharply
contested a moment later by Mr..
Schwab, who told the subcommittee
he did not think too much consid-
Grafton should be given to lame duck
statements"
Mr.. Quinn charged the "arro-
eance' of Federal officials was shown
in the recent resignation of Recrea-
ton Co-ordinator Lewis r. Barrett
and the appointment of Milo F.
Christensen from the National Park
Service as temporary successor.
Neither the Commissioners nor the
Board of Education, Mr.. Quinn said,
knew of Mr.. Barrett's resignation
until advised of it by Federal off,
cials and that Mr.. Christensen was
brought here before they knew OF
the resignation.
Ilc DodI lllClllbCis WIN
represented the board for some time
ON the Presidents Recreation Com
nittee. declared the committee rarely
met. did not give coordination fair
trial and as far back as 1887 was
pressing. through some of its Federal
members, for consolidation similar to
the present bill.
Committee established in 1885.
The Presidents Committee was es-
tablished in 1885, under the chair
nanship of Frederic A. Delano,
chairman of the National Capital
Park and Planning Commission, and
Included a representative OF the
Board of Education, the Commits
sioners and the Office of National
Capital Parks. Mr.. Quinn resigned
as School Board representative, he
told the subcommittee, after it was
hinted by other committee members
that he was blocking committee
progress. He was succeeded by DR..
Ballou.
Mr.. Quinn denied there was fric-
tion between the School Boards
Community Center Department and
the Commissioners Department OF
Fairgrounds and praised the work
of the former particularly in con-
nection with boys clubs, an activity
which he said is now being cur
tailed.
Mr.. Schwab, however, insisted
there was friction and that the
Community Center had gradually
taken over operation of school play
grounds from the playground unit.
IF that's not evidence of friction"
he said, II never saw it,"
Settle Returns to Stand.
IN questioning Thomas S. Settle,
secretary of the National Capital
Park and Planning Commission,
who returned to the stand today,
Chairman Hunter asked if there
should not be an amendment in
the nine-man board measure to
give recreation jobs to District
residents through a District Civil
Service setup.
Mr.. Settle, co-suthor Of the bill
with Mr.. Barrett, said the measure
authorizes establishment of a merit
system by the proposed recreation
board and he thought this was broad
enough coverage of the situation.
He warned, however, against tying
the hands of the board in selecting
o capable recreation administrator.
Chairman Hunter pressed Mr..
Schwab as to his feeling as to the
participation of the Parks Office,
which Office Mr.. Quinn had said
should "be kept out of this picture"
Mr.. Schwab replied that the Parks
ONCE and the Planning Commis-
sion are necessary adjuncts to the
recreation setup, adding that they
had always co-operated in the past
and that he did not fear their domi-
nation. He refused to agree that
the present system by which some
park facilities have been leased to
private operators is fundamentally
wrong.
81 think it is fundamentally
wrong" Chairman Hunter said.