Evening star., 1945-08-10


Of the white pools are on Federally-
owned land, as well as three wading
pools for children. ..
u Two Pools Authorized.
i In 1926 the director of Public
Buildings and Public Parks was au-
thorized to locate and construct two
pools, one for whites and one for
colored. Three years later, when the
act was amended to include the
construction Of not more than six
pools, no mention was made OF
white or colored designation.
i Under terms of the act, the pools
Immediately were operated by the
Welfare and Recreational Associa-
ton, the nonprofit organization
: managed by Government employees
which recently changed its title, to
Government Services, Inc.
In President Roosevelt's Govern
ment reorganization program of
1888, the Once of Public Buildings
and Public Parks was merged with
the National Capita Parks, thus
causing the Welfare and Recrea-
tional Association to do its con-
tractual business with an Interior
Department Agency.
But swimming pools still are seq
regated. What is the answer under
the liberal Interior Department
policy?
Points to Inconsistency.
The Recreation Board pointed out
the inconsistency in an Interior De-
partment policy which generally
dictates nonsegregation but calls for
separate swimming pools and lin
tied use Of golf course facilities.
According to Oscar L. Chapman,
Assistant Secretary of the Interior,
the answer to that is that the In
terror Department, as well as Gin
telligent colored leaders," realize
that slow, steady progress is the
sensible approach to eliminating
segregation barriers.
Groups of well-informed colored
persons have called on me and ex-
pressed that conviction" Mr.. Chap
man said. They were in accord
with our approach to the golf and
swimming problems.
However, Mr.. Chapman said, the
Interior Department would be
forced to withdraw Federal lands
from Recreation Board administra-
ton if segregation is continued" and
added that "the Solicitor General
tells us we have the authority to do
that"
Inclined to Leniency.
In cases of confused jurisdiction
where Federal land has become a
part Of a school playground, the In
terror Department would be inclined
Ito be more lenient," Mr.. Chapman
said.
The system of day camps for chill
dren 8 to IA years Is another pug
zling aspect Of the Interior De-
partment VS.. Recreation Board phase
of the issue. Under the Recreation
Departments program six of the
camps are for white children and
four for colored, yet eight OF the
camps are on land controlled by
National Capital Parks.
Never has the. question been raised
as to whether segregation would be
practiced in the camps. As super
intendant Of the parks office, Mr..
Root said his function merely has
been to ascertain that ground
chosen for camps was safe. The
question of segregation has been
eliminated because camp leaders,
both white and colored, largely have
selected their own groups of chill
dren, he added.
Miss Sibyl Baker, assistant super
intendent of the Recreation Depart
ment, said children are registered
for two-week periods and assigned
to camps by the department.
Eight Units May Be Affected.
Should the Interior Department
enforce its nonsegregation edict on
the Recreation Board and find legal
authority for withdrawing from the
recreation system, at least eight
recreation system would be affected
in their entirety.
These are the River Terrace, Gar
field, Virginia avenue, Montrose.
Woodley and Fort Bayard Play
grounds In the white division and
the Lincoln and Garfield Park units
IN the colored division. The Recrea-
tion Department recognizes these
lands as Federal without dispute.
Confusion is added by the fact
that on six other units sponsored
by the Recreation Board part of
the land is Federal and the rest
either District or school. These are
Hoover and Anacostia units in the
white division and Francis, Lang
ston and Randall Recreation Cen
tiers, and Rose Park in the colored
division.
Hodge-Podge Setup.
In most of these cases, the Recre-
alton Board pointed out, assign
ment Of Federal land was made to
the District Commissioners for rec
reation purposes by the old ONCE
OF Public Buildings and Public
Parks. When that agency was abb
sorbed by the Interior Department,
these assignments remained un-
affected.
An example Of the hodge-podge
complexion Of some of these areas
is the Hoover Playground at Sec
ond and N streets S.W., which en-
braces in one inclosure three types
of purchases.
The original purchase was made
by the Commissioners in 1928 and
later the National Park Service, the
Interior Department agency with
which National Capital Parks Is af-
f1liated, transferred to the play
grounds portion of the old canal
land east Of Hoover. Still later the
Park and Planning Commission
purchased another small addition.
58,627 Attendance.
Last year the Hoover. playground
had an attendance Of 5s.627 white
children.
Much Of the land making up the
j Fairgrounds system was purchased
under the Capper- Cramton Act OF
May 29,. 1880, authorizing the ex-
penditure of up to $16, 900 900 for
i the DEVELOPMENT OF park. parkway