Evening star., 1944-04-12
Citizens Protest
School Control
Over rP|dySites
Appear at Hearing
Before Arlington
Advisory Council

Strong protests against Schoo
Board control of proposed Arlington
County recreational areas marked
a public hearing last night when
more than 100 residents appearec
before the County Recreational Ad-
visory Council.
DR.. j. B. Nash, recreational plan
ming expert, opened the discussion
with his report on possible methods
| of developmenG and administration
of countrywide recreational pro-
gram.
He said that the needs of ele-
mentary school children could be
met by the repair, extension ano
adequate supervision of present
school Fairgrounds and recon-
mended district Fairgrounds of II
to Is acres to provide athletics fol
Junior and senior high school stu
dents. The planning expert called
for establishment of three county
centers with bleachers for athletic
contests.
Urges Recreation Center.
He recommended that director
OF recreation be appointed on rec
ommendation of the school super
mtendent with approval of the
school board and the county board
Mr.. Nash admitted that for the
time being administration of the
broad program probably would be
80 per cent school board response
billty," but he said that "if the
school board were challenged as
to operating activities off the school
area the authority would be clear
for operation of same under the
county board"
Termlng such an administrative
plan "idealistic," DR.. Victor Meyers.
chairman of the Executive Com
mittee of the Civic Federation.
asked that department of parks
and recreation be established under
the county board and be sep
arate and distinct from any other
department of county govern
ment."
He suggested that school play
grounds be repaired and supervised
through the school budget to take
care of the needs of school-age chill
dren and that the bond issue funds
go for the purchase of land for
adults and child recreation alike
He said the establishment of three
community centers as recommend
ed by DR.. Nash was the major rec
reational need of the county at
present.
Four Groups Back Protests.
His protests were concurred in by
representatives of the Westover and
Allencrest- Berkshire Citizens AS
sociations, the county Boy Scout or
ganization, the Nauck Colored Citi-
zens' Association and the National
Association for the Advancement OF
Colored People.
Harold G. Schilz, member of the
New Arlington Citizens Association
said he believed the general opposi-
ton to school board control OF
county recreation sprang mot from
criticism of the board but from the
old political theory that as the
management of schools Is set UP al
present there Is no direct control
by the people"
Paul A. Hill, executive secretar,
OF the Chamber of Commerce, pre-.
sented a resolution by the Board Of
Directors asking that primary EN-.
phasis be placed on establishment
OF Fairgrounds for children o.
grammar and high school age.
William MacMahon, Chamber Of
Commerce member, said that thu
scnool administration to date hae
been mot overgenerous in the ust
OF playground areas" He added
this might be attributable to bulge
limitations, but asked that thu
county retain title to the land ir
ORDER to retain voice in thu
control.
Play Site Purchase Asked.
In comprehensive report on pres.
ent and probable playground needs
~-' A~ASOCi, D1dllIllIlk
commissioner, recommended imme.
date acquisition of 80 acres to full.
I'LL needs for community play.
grounds and playfields. These land.
could be purchased from available
funds within a tolerance of S to II
per cent. he said. He reported SITS.
900 available, $l5O,0O0 of which is t.
be raised by bond issue.
He listed SIS acres already in USE
as neighborhood Fairgrounds with
no acquisitions necessary.
Ten sites ranging from Az to Il
acres each should be acquired TO,
community Fairgrounds, he said
Two of these are recommended fo,
colored children and eight for white
AS AZ acres already are count,
owned, only "a need be acquired,
Mr.. Dieter recommended acouisi.
ton OF IS acres to be used in con.
junction with II county-owned acre,
Tor establishment of two playfields
ono fnr vrnifn