Evening star., 1942-05-18
D. T.. Recreation
Board Posts
Filled
Commissioners Name
q Citizen Members
And Budget Officer

With the appointment of four
citizen members and designation of
Budget Offlcer Walter L. Fowler to
represent the District government,
the Commissioners today completed
organization of the Districts new
recreation board which will take
over direction of public recreation
here May 90.
Unifcation of the recreation syS-
tenn under the board was provided
in bill signed by President Roose-
welt several weeks ago. 1t was
scheduled to go into effect 80 days
after the President signed the bill,
The four citizen members and
their terms are: Mrs. Ethel S.
Garrett, who has been active in
child recreation. one year; Harry S.
Wender, executive vice president OF
the Federation of Citizens Associa-
ton, two years; Mrs. Alice c. Hun
ter. colored, president of the FEEDER
alton of Parent-Teacher Associa-
tions, three years, and James E.
Schwab, chairman of the Recrea-
ton Committee of the Board OF
Trade, four years.
Other Official Members.
Besides Mr.. Fowler, official men,
berS of the Seven-member board in
clude DR.. Frank w. Ballou, superin-
tendent of schools, representing the
Board of Education. and Irving c.
IS Notinoo1
Capital Parks.
The board will elect its own chair
man, and according to Commission
er Mason, probably will hold a meet
ing before May 30. Mr.. Mason said
the appointments were made in ac-
cordance with provisions in the law,
in an attempt to represent various
civic organizations. Under the act,
the citizen members must be bona
fde residents of the District for
five years preceding their appoint
ment.
Mr.. Wender, Commissioner Mason
disclosed, has resigned his position
on the recently created District
Parking Commission, for which he
would have received compensation,
to serve without pay on the Recrea-
ton Board Mr.. Wender, who has
long been interested in public recre-
alton, was a vigorous proponent OF
the bill creating the Recreation
Board. An attorney, he has been
civic leader in Southwest Washing
ton for many years.
Student of Problems.
Mr.. Schwab, likewise, long has
been a student of District recreation
problems and worked hard for the
consolidation Of facilities and per-
sonnel,under recreation board. He
is a real estate man and has been
active in citizens affairs in the
Chevy Chase area.
Mrs. Garrett, the wife of George
A. Garrett, broker, has been active
with Mrs Robert Woods Bliss, wife
of the former Ambassador to Argen-
tina, in recreation for children, Mr..
Mason said.
Mrs. Hunter is president of the
Cook Elementary School Parent
Teacher Association, vice president
of the Terrell Junior High School
PIT. A., and vice president of the
Armstrong High School PIT. A. She
also has been active with the Coun-
Gil of Social Agencies.
Will Name Superintendent.
AS one of its first acts, the board
will appoint a superintendent of
recreation, who will be its executive
officer. 1t is believed the post will
60 to Milo F. Christensen, now act
ing co-ordinator of recreation. who
has been loaned to the District by
the National Park Service.
For more than decade various
Washington organizations have
urged consolidation of public recrea-
tion previously administered sepa-
rately by the Commissioners, the
Parks Office and the Board of Edu-
cation. Proponents of unification
said that economies of operation
could be effected and jurisdictional
jealousies and conflict of methods
eliminated.
For the last three or four years,
language in the District appropria-
ton bill has consolidated recreation
al operations of the Commissioners
and the Board of Education under
joint jurisdiction. In effect this has
placed supervised recreation under
the city heads and school board with
jurisdiction of unsupervised play re-
manning with the Parks Office.
The new Recreation Board will
make arrangements with the three
official agencies fN the use of vari-
Gus facilities for recreation purposes
and will operate the program