Evening star., 1945-01-20
Night Recreation
Program in Schools
Appears SaIyaqed


Education and recreation officials
today appeared to have salvaged a
large part of the cityis recreational
Z programs threatened earlier in the
week when the Commissioners re-
queSted the Education and Recrea-
ton Boards to discontinue the use
OF school buildings for "other than
school activities" outside CT regular
hours to conserve fuel for light and
heat.
Assistant Engineer Commissioner
Joseph D. Arthur, jr., chairman of
the Commissioners Advisory Com
m1ttee on Conservation, yesterday
gave approval to the conservation
program outlined by the Board of
Education at joint meeting of the
two boards Wednesday, but said
that the modified program of the
Board of Recreation would have to
be studied further to eliminate what
he termed "frills."
Sees 20 Per Cent Saving.
The curtailed recreational pro-
gram would result in closing some
schools after hours, eliminating
some programs parts of the week
and cutting down lighting so per
cent. Milo F. Christensen, recrea-
ton superintendent, said the modi-
fled program would save about 20
per cent of fuel and that for the
months of February and March
about 384 tons of coal would be used.
In regard to citizens associations,
the Board of Education recon-
mended that they hold their meet
ings in xchool buildings that are
open for regularly approved evening
activities, such as night schools and
activities under the direction of the
Recreation Board"
Col. Arthur remarked that he
thought the associations might
postpone meetings for 21s months
and then ''let off steam" all at once
Harry S. Wender, former president
of the Federation of Citizens Asso-
Citations and chairman of the Recre-
alton Board, Immediately took ex-
ceptlon to Col. Arthurs statement.
1S Meetings Monthly.
Mr.. Wender said that at present
only 10 association meetings are
held each month in schools which
have no. other night activities and
that in each case there was no heat
In the buildings. If the new pro-
gram of recreation officials is put
into effect, additional associations
will be without heat because of the
withdrawal of recreational pro-
grams from the schools in which
they meet.
Among the schools which would
be closed to the Recreation De-
partment are Buchanan, Lafayette,
Logan, Montgomery and Monroe.
The number of days of recreational
programs would be cut at Curtis.
Gordon, Langley, Macfarland,
Stuart, Taft, Wilson, Deanwood
and Shaw.
Heat would be cut but not elm
mated at Brown and Dunbar and
programs at Monroe would be trans
ferred to Banneker and those at
Montgomery to Francis and the
Friday program at Smothers would
go to Burville.
Largest Consumers.
In the revised recreation program
the largest consumers of coal in
February and March will be Roose-
welt, 139,500 pounds; Mckinley.
10000 pounds, and Dunbar, los. 900
pounds. The number of persons
participating in the programs are
1850 at Roosevelt, ITO at Mckinley
and 1,500 at Dunbar. Col. Arthur
requested detailed information on
why 1000 pounds of coal per person
would be used at Mckinley.
The Board of Education program
calls for continuance of cadet drills,
orchestra and drama rehearsals in
the afternoon, 'canteens" on Friday
evenings, night schools and wartime
training classes, but discontinuance
of social dances. Parent-teacher
and home and school associations
will be asked to meet in the after
MON