Evening star., 1942-12-09
Schools Cut
YuIe Programs
To Save0 Oil
PIoy Schedules
Trimmed or Merged
With Other Activities

burning school buildings, the Dis
trict Department of Recreation has
cut out its Christmas holiday pro-
gram In all but three of those
schools. In addition, the schedules
will be run only one and two nights
Instead Of during all of Christmas
week.
Recreation Supt. Milo F.. Chris
tiansen made this disclosure to the
recreation board yesterday with the
further information no recreational
programs are now being set up in
any schools without careful survey
of the fuel situation first.
Programs of sports and dancing
already have been closed out en-
tirely or combined with other pro-
grams, he said. ''We have been
requested to supply justification for
our use Of fuel" Mr.. Christensen
added.
Schools in All.
The three oil-burning schools
still scheduling Christmas programs
are the Banneker, Jefferson Junior
High School and Terrell School.
The entire Christmas program has
been cut down from 81 to 7 schools,
Mr.. christensen said, including the
Anacostia High, Gordon Junior High
Garnet Patterson and Eastern High
Schools.
Elaborating on the problem of fuel
rat1oning, DR.. Frank w. Ballou,
superintendent of schools, declared
that defense activities, meetings of
parent-teacher and citizens associa-
tions and establishment of casualty
stations in the oil-burning schools
Is to be decreased "as much as pos
sible.'
DR.. Ballou remarked to Mr.. Chris
Hansen: Il am assuming that steps
will also be taken to reduce recrea-
tional activity as much as possible
60 as to curtail the use of oil"
AS the board assumed responsible
lty for volunteer camp shows as we'll
as Washington Community War
Fund entertainment here, Harry S.
Wender, chairman, declared that it
might become necessary to set up
war activities co-ordinator fer the
board. Under such a co-ordinators
jurisdiction, Mr.. Wender said, would
also come the two recreation2l
houses for war workers at 1925 and
1917 to 1919 r street NV. The ap-
proved plans for these houses are
to be submitted by the Commits
sioners to the Federal Works Agency,
Mr.. Christensen added.
Tree Plans Unsettled.
Plans for the community Christ
mas tree are still unsettled" Miss
Sybil Baker, chairman of the Exec
utive Committee OF the community
Christmas tree, reported to the
board. Her committee Is proceeding,
however, until definite" word is
received against the tree lighting,
she said. War Department and
Secret Service men have not yet
Indicated their willingness to have
the outside lighting around the
White House and the public ap-
pearance OF the President at the
traditional ceremony.
Mr.. Christensen reported from
the War Hospitality Committee that
use OF school gymnasiums for lodg-
Ing soldiers on Saturday night might
not be as extensive as first was
anticipated.
Numbers of soldiers on leave
have been cut to 10 per cent of the
total in each camp, he said, and re-
ports have come to the committee
that all the available lodgings are
not being used. Plans are going
ahead. however, DR.. Ballou said, for
placing OF cots in one white and one
colored gymnasium. He added that
comprehensive health regulations"
have been set up for the lodging by
the District Health Department.
Program Developed.
About 200 working mothers at the
Bancroft School have developed an
after-school recreation program for
their children, Mr.. Christensen
said. He said 43 per cent of the
mothers at the Bancroft have full
time working jobs. About EIGHT
mothers who are not employed run
the program, he said
The board decided to ask the
Commissioners to seek Lanham
funds for the purpose of additional
playground land in the Barry Farm
area to compensate for the ply
ground land which the recreation
department has loaned as the site
Of temporary school.
Mr.. Christensen also reported to
the board that the Commissioners
and budget officers had approved all
but $4,000 of the departments 1914
budget estimates. The corporation
counsel has handed down a ruling,
he said. that special pGrt-time and
seasonal employees of the District
Recreation Department would be
covered by the Workmen's Compen-
sation of the Recreation Services.
Inc, instead of the boards being
liable for apv in j,,,-u IN tbep,