Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1944-01-09
Citizens Groups
Cancel Meetings
In. Schools
Some Prepare
To Gerry on in
Chilly Buildings

Ten citizens associations have
Cancelled meetings in school build
ings for the duration of the war and
Is more plan to meet in chilly build
ings as result of the ruling against
use of school fuel or custodial serv-
ice for single meetings with less
than rs persons in attendance, it
was learned today.
A group of school and recreation
department officials, including Milo
F. christensen, superintendent of
recreation, and Robert l.. Haycock,
superintendent of schools, an
nounced the ban against opening a
school for a meeting of less than Is
people after a conference last No
vember 26 on conservation of fuel
and custodial help. Associations
with small membership were asked
to Shift meetings to school. used
simultaneously by other organiza-
tons.
About 38 associations already
have considered the new ruling.
many OF them protesting vigorously.
Ten of them decided to cancel
meetings in school buildings for the
duration and count on the homes
of members for occasional meeting
places. Ten others decided either
to change to more widely used
school, or to change the date of
their meetings to night when sew
eral other organizations were also
using the school.
Is to Meet Anyway.
Eighteen of the associations have
decided to meet anyway in the hope
that enough heat will remain in the
building from the daytime heating
to keep them reasonably warm.
With many associations showing
"a drop in attendance because of
the wartime activities of its mem
bers, this new edict will result in
even a greater decrease" w. j..
Smith, president of the Southeast
Council of Citizens Associations,
said today.
Mr.. Smith declared the schools
offered as substitute meeting places
were in many instances two or three
miles from the original site.
1T isn't fair for members to be
required to travel that distance and
many of them won't" he said.
Ruling Protested.
The Summit Park Citizens As
ISOLATION. of which Mr.. Smith is a
member, is one of the groups pro-
testing the ruling. He said the as
ISOLATION, which formerly held its
meetings in the Beers School, Ala
bama avenue and Thirty-sixth place
Sc, has been offered the Anacostia
Senior High School as a meeting
place, two and -a-half miles away.
Other groups strongly protesting
the order are the Stanton Park and
the Manor Park Citizens Associa-
tons
james T. Scott, president of the
Manor Park group, questioned the
right Of the officials to make the
change.
LAS citizens We are entitled to
hold our meetings in the schools
nearest our homes" he said.
The association, which has been
holding its meetings for the last 20
years in the Whittier School. has
been offered by the Recreation De-
partment the use of Roosevelt High
School, more than a mile away.
Action Defended
Defending the action, Mr.. Chris
Hansen said:
I'VE are fully coenizant of the
importance of the Districts citizens
associations. since they reflect the
interests of the community. Every
thing possible is being done to Sc
cure for them the closest school
possible now open during the eve
.nings."
He emphasized the associations
would be allowed the use of their
usual school meeting places if they
were willing to meet in heatless
buildings.
1T is an extravagant waste of
fuel in these times to heat school
buildings for meetings attended by
only few people, he said.
Mr. Haycock said that evening
school activities also are being cur
tailed. Many parent-teacher asso-
Citations have arranged to hold aft
iernoon meetings and other school
activities have been curtailed, he
said.
Permits for the various meetings
are issued by the Recreation De-
partment, which is in charge of all
evening activity in school buildings,
other than school affairs.