Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1946-11-18

:
For Librory, PIoy
Urged on District
Strong support for the use OF
E. v. Brown School as combined
library and recreation center came
today from the six religious leaders
of Chevy Chase.
The leaders, representing six
denominations. emphasized the need
for some place where young people
could gather informally in whole
some surroundings,
All commended that the facilities
of the churches are being used q.
fully as possible but that they don't
begin to meet the needs of an ares
virtually devoid Of recreationa,
facilities.
Crime Prevention Seen.
I'VE have right to expect the
city will take care of our youth be.
fore they get into trouble as well al
afterwards" said the Rev. ]. Hill.
man HOLSTER of Chevy Chase
Presbyterian Church.
1T would pay to put more money
into means Of preventing crime
rather than having to pay such q
large bill to take care of those who
get into trouble.
1.-THE young people of Chevy Chase
have the same needs as any other
group. They'd like to be together
in a wholesome place that offers
the things young people want and
need"
His church, he said, already had
gone on record in wholehearted sup
port Of the efforts spearheaded by
the Chevy Chase Community Coun.
Gil to secure the old school as q
Misrepresentation center. The
church, he said, has church house
and an assembly hall which "are
all right for small groups but don't
begin to fill the needs of the COM
munity."
Msgr. Smyth Backs Plan.
Msgr. Thomas G.. Smyth of the
Shrine Of the Blessed Sacrament
said his congregation had been "just
waiting for the time" when the
school would be vacated and a rec
reation center could be established
THE Commissioners should real.
ize," he said, "that Chevy Chase as
a community is more than ordinarily
interested in every cultural influence
that can be brought to bear on the
young. 1t would be wonderful If we
had such an outlet for them as q
center"
Msgr. Smyth said the church,s IA.
cilities had been taxed to the limit
because of the growth of the Blessed
Sacrament School with the result
that its facilities for recreation are
limited to an assembly hall.
AS for using Woodrow Wilson High
School, he reported that parents
did not like the idea of their young
sters going to the school alone al
night. On the other hand, he said
the E. v. Brown site was ideal be-
cause you must have something
near at hand to attract young peo-
pie"
Pointing out that hundreds of chill
dren in the area do not belong Il
any church, the Rev. Henry w. Sny.
der, of st. Paul's Lutheran Church
said the principal need was for 9
place where young people could con.
gregate informally.
The assembly hall In his church
he said, was used only for scheduled
affairs because 1t was in such grea,
demand. A Boy Scout and three Cir
Scout troops meet there and the hal
is also used for dances and othel
social activities. The hall, he said
could not begin to take care of the
community's needs.
Others Offer Support.
The Rev. Charles w. Lowry of AL
Saints Church agreed it was "ter.
ribly important" to have a place
where young people could drop II
after school. The church, he said
could take care of Boy Scout troop
meetings but lacked recreation
rooms.
The Rev. Edward o. Clark o.
Chevy Chase Baptist Church saw 9
great need for a directed recreation
program in a center equipped with
game rooms and a place for dancing
The church, he reported, has a socia
hall where Boy Scouts meet but thu
hall is also a utility room equipped
for nothing but quiet games.
At Wesley Methodist Church, thu
Rev. Clarence E. Wise said hi
thought 1t was very unfortunate that
in planning Chevy Chase no provi.
sion was made for a recreation CEN
ter. He said Sunday school rooms
are used for young peoples meetings
and the church has few ping pong
tables, but these have to be put UP
and taken down because there is nc
separate space for game room.
There simply isn't any place for
young people out here" he declared
Right now, they're running all
over the church lawn"