Evening star., 1947-10-22
Resident Shifts
Bring 5tudy>of
backgrounds
Recreation Board
Fails to Rule Out
Joint Use Plan
By Colt HendIey, Jr.

"A study TO determine how to get
the best use out of six Fairgrounds
located in sections of Washington
where the colored and white popu-
lation is shifting rapidly, was being
started today by the District Recre-
alton Board.
The carefully worded resolution
approving the study, which the
board adopted yesterday at its meet
ing, does not exclude the possibility
that segregation on the Fairgrounds
may go. The complete board will
serve on the committee conducting
the study.
Harry Wender, board president,
put it this way:
IF the committee brought in a
report suggesting joint use of the
Fairgrounds which is against the
rules of the board-the board then
has the option of changing the rule
Fairgrounds in question are Rose
Park, in Georgetown; Rosedale,
Seventh and Gale streets NE;
Parkvlew, Warder and Newton
streets NV; Hoover, Second and N
treets S.W.; New York Avenue, First
street and New York avenue NV,
and Happy Hollow, Eighteenth
street and Kalorama road NV.
S Now for Whites.
Rose Park now Is designated for
colored persons The other five are
assigned to white residents. Present
board rules forbid mixing of the
races in any manner on the play
grounds or in the schools under the
boards community use program.
The action followed protests of
the National Association for the Ad-
vancement of Coiored People, the
Southern Conference on Human
Welfare and various local civic
groups about racial segregation prac-
ticed by the Recreation Board. Col
ored members of the Board of Ed
Iucation also have attacked the
segregation policy of the Recreation
Board.
M. Melvin Sharpe, who is on the
Board of Education as we'll as the
Recreation Board, announced at the
meeting that his Board of Educa-
ton Committee will meet soon to
discuss the question of commun-
ity use of the schools by the
Recreation Department. Permission
to use the schools and school grounds
is granted by the Board of Educa-
ton.
Invites Recreation Members.
He invited all members of the
recreation group to attend the meet
Ing.
"I feel we need a wide discus
sion of our policy" Mrs. Alice
Hunter, colored member, told the
group. She said that, in the neigh
borhoods in question, children are
being run off the Fairgrounds If
they are of the wrong color or are
playing on them without supervision
or equipment.
The board refused to withdraw the
permit granted to the Brookland Cit
liens Association to meet in school,
as demanded by the Lincoln Civic
Association because of a recent
speech by Clifford H. Newell, presi-
dent of the Federation of Citizens
Associations Mr., Newell discussed
the covenant question frankly at
that meeting.
Board members were unanimous
in their decision that nothing should
be placed in the way of free and
open discussion of community prob
lens, even of a controversial nature,
by citizens groups when they meet
in the schools.
Origin of Controversy.
The controversy about citizens
groups discussing covenants and
racial matters began with an earlier
incident at meeting of the Dahl
gren Terrace Citizens Association.
At that time, Milo Christensen, rec
reation director, sent a form letter
to the civic groups, reminding them
of the rule which forbids statements
OF an acrimonious nature or which
tended to incite violence.
The board backed Mr.. Christian
sens action in sending this letter.
The letter brought criticism on the
recreation department for trying to
control thought and speech of cit
izens, as well as for allowing inflam-
matory talk in the schools.
I'VE sought to prevent anybody
from using our schools. as a spring.
board for violence" Mr.. Wender ex-
planned. "It had nothing to do with
freedom of speech"
The letter was sent after Mr..
christensen had consulted with Mr..
Wender and it was decided that the
recreation directors administrative
powers allowed him to send the re-
minder. Other board members knew
nothing about the letter until 1t was
sent.
Sharpe Challenges Procedure.
Mr.. Sharpe took issue with this
procedure, saying that, if he was
going to be ignored, he was going
to get Off the board.
I'm the future, if you proceed this
way, I'll demonstrate, he declared.
Mr.. Sharpe said that after the
letter was sent, he received numer-
Gus telephone calls from citizens
wanting to know what was happen
ing and he had to answer that he
knew nothing and had not been
consulted although he was a mem
ber of the Recreation Board.
Progress Club Plans Teo
The Progress Club of College Park,
Md, will entertain at a tea from
4:30 to $50 pm. Sunday at the
home of Mrs. c. w ThornthWaite