Evening star., 1942-05-03


bers of new families have moved
here from out of town. A goodly
portion of these families have young
children, those who are in the pre-
school age group. and for whom no
adequate provision for play areas
has been made in our recreation
program. This is no reflection on
the Department of Fairgrounds. be-
cause it is difficult to segregate a
portion of recreation area so that
small children may play unmolested
Older boys and girls. by the very
nature of the games they play. must
have large areas. and frequently,
although unintentionally, crowd the
little ones off the Fairgrounds.
Tots Lead Traffic Death Roll.
Appallingly enough, more children
In the is age group were victims
of traffic accidents last year-in fact
In the past several years-than in
any other group. This must mean
that our little folks are less we'll
cared for than are their older broth
erS and sisters.
In sections of the city where no
playground exists, the commonest
place for small children to play is
on the sidewalks. Bouncing a ball,
or playing tag, or hopscotch, or
some other such innocuous game,
may lead to death or injury in an
instant. For it takes only an in
slant for a youngster to dash from
the sidewalk into the path of an on
coming car-whose driver cannot
possibly stop soon enough.
1t Is for these little people that
the back-yards' Fairgrounds contest
was devised. 1t is hoped that enough
interest will be stimulated through
out the city to assure many of these
children safe play areas this year
away from the dangers of traffic.
Suggestions for Supervision
There are many unused back yards
In the city. One of the. majer draw
backs to their use is lack of super
vision of the children. Two WAYS
suggest themselves as solution to
this difficulty. One, and of course
the better one, is that mothers serve
as supervisors on alternate days;
the other Is that older boys and girls
be charged with this responsibility.
Either alternative would provide a
solution and would result in much
vacant ground being used for play
space for children. The commonest
complaint about group of playing
children Is the noise they make.
But almost always these noises are
happy noises-they are the squeals
and the laughter of children going
about their normal business of grow
ing up. They are not the anguished
screams of victims of traffic injuries.
If we can look at this problem in
the light of conservation of human
resources; if we can remember that
every adult was once a child, and
more than likely noisy one; if we
can discount the slight annoyance
we may feel when the grass in
back yard Is trampled into dust by
eager, active feet-if we can COM
bine all these factors into the one
great possibility of the elimination
of child traffic accidents, I am sure
we shall enter whole -heartedly into
this contest, and make it a really
worthwhile investment in happi-
ness for the whole community.
Mrs. Charles B. Sinclair, ways
and means chairman for the Dis
trict Congress of Parents and Teach
ers, announces chairmen from local
rent-Teacher Associations are CO.
operating with the schools on the
sale of tickets for the annual Ma
tional Folk Festival to be held at
Constitution Hall May 6, 7, 8 and g.
Arrangements have been made for
buses for schools with a sufficiently
large group to require them
Growing Pains" will be present.
ed by the Rose Robson Cohen
Children's Studios of Drama at
Roosevelt High School Saturday at
2:30 pm. This performance is spon-
sored by the Community Center and
Fairgrounds Department.
Gage.
The nominating committee has
presented the following slate: Mrs.
Ellsworth Condron, president; Mrs.
Thomas Kelly, first vice president;
Miss Grace Bush, second vice presi-
dent; Mrs. Roy Sewers, recording
secretary; Mrs. Viola Marshall. cor
responding secretary; James Will
son, treasurer.
The executive board will meet
Tuesday at $50 am
Curtis s-Hyde-Addison.
Open house was observed at the
last association meeting. Parents
were invited to visit the classrooms
and observe the children at regular
school activities A short business
meeting followed. An appropria-
ton was made to the National Sym
phony Orchestra Miss NJ. Geiger'S
fifth grade received the award for
having the most parents present
Refreshments we're made and served
by the girls of the Curtis Occupa-
tional School.
Randle Highlands Orr.
The executive board will meet to-
morrow at / 80 pm. at the home Of
Mrs. c. J. Bid, 2117 T street Sc.
Stoddert.
The following officers have been
elected and will be installed by
Mrs P. c. Elicit, president Of the
District Congress. at the next as
sociation meeting scheduled for the
evening Of May 18: Mrs. M. B. Fet-
zer, president; Mrs. Mildred Nc
Garry, first vice president; Miss
Blanche l.. Fawcett, second vice
president; Mrs. Ralph Thompson,
recording secretary; Mrs. Joseph
Turco, corresponding secretary;
Mrs Ralph Bender, treasurer
81 Oh, L..