Evening star., 1943-05-26
25PlayCenters
Are Asked for
Prince Georges
$4,000 Is Sought
For RecreutionuI
Areas for Children

An appeal for funds to establish
20 white and colored recreational
centers this summer for children
between the ages OF 6 and IA today
was before the Prince Georges
County Commissioners.
A delegation of seven members of
the County Child Care Committee,
and R. M. Watkins of the Maryland-
National Capital Park and Planning
Commission asked the Commission
ers at their meeting yesterday in
upper Marlboro for an appropria-
ton OF approximately $4,000 to
operate the centers during July and
August.
Included in the group were Mrs,
Joseph Longridge, Miss Mildred
Alexander, DR.. Nelson Podolnick, as
slstant county health officer: Mrs.
Catherine Green, Mrs. Dorothy Og-
burn, G. G. Shugart, assistant SUI
perlntendent Of county schools, and
Mrs. Elizabeth Hamilton.
Location of Centers.
The white centers would be set up
IN schools in the following areas.
Laurel, Beltsville, Berwyn, College
Park, University Park, Riverdale.
Hyattsvllle, Mount Rainier Brent
wood, Cottage City -Colmar Manor.
Bladensburg, Bradbury Heights, Up
per Marlboro, Takoma Park. Suit
land, Seat Pleasant, Greenbelt, Cap-
ltol Heights, Lanham, Green Mead
ows and Edmonston.
Colored centers would be estab-
llshed in North Brentwood, Fair
mont Heights, Lakeland, Bladens-
burg and Laurel.
While the commissioners indi-
Gated approval of the project, they
said the necessary funds would have
to come out of 100000 bond issue
authorized by the 1941 State Legis-
lature. Such a recommendation
they added, would have to be made
by the Advisory Committee to the
county commissioners before action
could be taken.
Members of the Advisory Com
mlttee explained later, however,
that the bond issue is earmarked
for specific projects and could not
De used to finance recreational CEN
tiers.
In view of this the delegation
arranged to come before the Com
missioners at IL am tomorrow to
urge that the funds be. taken from
the county treasury. Mr.. Watkins
said he favored an increase in taxes,
If necessary, to obtain the funds.
Delinquency Held Increasing.
Declaring that juvenile delin-
quency is increasing. particularly
between the ages of 10 and 13, Mrs.
Longridge told the board that more
and more mothers are going to work,
leaving their children without ade-
quate supervision.
She asserted that the Board Of
Education has authorized the use
of county schools as recreational
centers. but that funds are needed
to pay the salaries Of one supervisor,
SO recreation instructors and Is
Janltors.- Equipment and supplies,
she added, would be furnished by
the various communities, while
volunteers would supplement the
paid instructors.
Asked whether Lanham Act funds
would be available for the project,
Mrs. Longridge explained that such
funds are permitted to be used to
take care only OF: children of pre-
school age
Even if we could apply for Lam
ham Act funds she declared, I'VE
probably would have to wait two or
three months before receiving any
definite word from the Government.
while arrangements must be made
Immediately to establish these CEN
tiers, since schools close in abouS
three weeks"
The group also pointed out that
similar centers have been authorized
in Montgomery and Anne Arundel
Counties.