Evening star., 1946-11-12
New Hearing | |
0nChevyChase
Library. Offered
Commissioner Order
Survey on 2 Possible
Sites for Brunch

1nc 0A6tIlCt CummlSSl0nefS TO-DAY
expressed willingness to grant an.
other hearing TO the Chevy Chase
citizens who want the Z. ". Brown
School converted into q combined
recreation center and public library
branch.
At the same time the Commits.
sioners directed the District Space
Committee to make IN immediate
canvass Of al possible sites for thu
Chevy Chase Branch Library, nov
located at 1915 Livingston stree,
N.Ws the lease On which expires
NEXT june.
After calling in coming and con-
struction oficials at their board
meeting, the Commissioners an
nosinced they had reached no de-
eision on the school.
Follows story In Star.
A month ago, the Commissioner,
notified the Chevy Chase scommu-
nifty Council, which is spearheading
the drive to turn the old school into
d library recreation center, that the
project could not be considered.
sEeopening the discussion on the
schol by the Commissioners came
two days after The Star reported
the organized efforts Of the Chevy
Chase community 10 secure the
school for recreation and library
use. ~
Engineer Commissioner Gordon
r.. Young said after the meeting
that the first question to be decided
is whore the library Is going to 60.
Site Must Be Found.
"A place for the library must be
found" Gen. Young said. "The
library cannot fold up. The Z. ".
Brown School Is one possibility for
1t. There may be other possibilities,
or 1t may be possible to renew the
lease on the present quarters. The
Space Committee will 60 into those
possibilities Immediately"
He said the Commissioners had
no money TO finance transfer of the
library to new quarters and, II any
money is to be spent, it must be OBJ
'tatned by deficiency appropria-
ton
Commissioner Guy Mason, under
whose jurisdiction come library and
recreation matters, said that II the
citizens of the area want another
hearing the Commissioners win give
1t to them.
Hope 70 Keep Present Location.
He said the Commissioners had
the matter under study but hoped
to keep the library at its present
site.
A delegation of residents from the
area, including group of school
children, appeared before the Com
lnissioners in June. At the same
meeting, representatives of both the
Library and Recreation Boards sup
ported the Chevy Chase citizens in
recommending the use Of the schools
at Connecticut avenue and McKin-
ley street as Q combined recreation
center and library.
h The Stars story brought q prompt
furry Of telephone calls for resi-
dents wanting to volunteer their
services, campaign leaders reported.
Arhitect Promises Aid.
IAN architect called Sam Higger.
chairman Of the community council,
to announce he lived in the neigh
borhood and would be glad to draw
plans free of charge, check the
building for needed alterations and
repairs or do anything else that
might be needed to get the center
started.
The architect said he had several
children of his own. That was why
lie would like to see q center started
for the young people. Once the
center was underway, he added. he
would be glad to take q class In
Mechanical drawing.
Al chemist was on the line few
minutes later. He said he knew
how interested boys were in chemical
Experiments. He would be- glad to
help them develop this hobby, show
them chemical tricks and how to
20 harmless experiments rs q regu-
1arifeature Of the center's recreation
program, he said.
b Newman Offers Services.
I One man stopped in to see Mr..
bigger, told him his wife was active
IN civic affairs and was sure she
could talk to some people who would
help. A newspaper correspondent
offered his services In getting IN
touch with ''the right people"
S Mr.. Higger has been talking to
Chevy Chase residents for months
about the project, bat he confessed
Re was surprised by the stimulating
effect Of one story.
Meanwhile. campaign leaders
hoped to enlist the support Of the
Library Board, which meets Thurs
day, to tackle the problem Of finding
1 new home for the library. The
library now Is housed in three con-
verted stores. The owners have mott
had the board the lease will not be
renewed when 1t expires next June.
To Look Into Costs.
Public Librarian Clara w. Herbert
said the library trustees were ''en-
thusaistic" about moving into the
school but have not wanted to press
the Commissioners until they have
al the facts.
AThe library trustees, Miss Herbert
said, win make their decision after
they hnd out the minimum amount
II. would cost to make necessary al
terations In the school.
EtCheyy Chase is a reading COM
inunity," she said. I'VE would like
to.giye them something suitable and
large enough for a community Of
that size. It would take us several
years to get site and build q new
building. We have been told we can
n6t re-lease the present quarters.
The library branch has to have some
place TO CO."
Miss Herbert said the trustees
liked the idea OF q close tieup be-
tween library and recreation facil-
ties. and both the library and recrea-
tioi1 boards have devoted months of
study to the combined library and
recreation center project.
Engineers Meet Tonight Il