Evening star., 1947-01-03
D. {. May Buy
School Lands
Before Need
Plan Is Revealed
At Joint Meeting
On Recreation

Inc OlStrlCt COMMISSIONERS aFo
considering q plan whereby unim-
proved property can be bought for
future District buildings, especially
schools, in advance of actual need
for the building, 1t was learned to.
day.
A hint that such a plan is being
considered came at joint meeting
today between members of the Dis
trict Recreation Board and the Rec
reation Committee of the Board Of
Education. The meeting was held
to discuss the joint use of school
property for playground purposes.
Discussion turne dat one point to
the inability of the Board of Edu-
cation to make far-sighted land
purchases which could be co-ordi-
mated with long range property
acquisitions by the National Capital
Park and Planning Commission for
parks and Fairgrounds.
DR.. Hobart Corning, superintend-
ent of schools, commented: 1--WE
should have the money well in ad-
vance so that we would not be forced
to buy improved property for school
buildings on short notice"
Such Plan Considered.
T. G. Jeffers, recreation planner
for the Park and Planning Commis-
sion, who was asked to the meeting,
answered that a move was being
considered to improve this condi-
ton by buying land for schools well
ahead of time.
Adelbert w. Lee, School Board
member, said he thought this was q
good idea, but that he thought 1t
would be desirable to extend the plan
to include improved as well as un-
improved property.
1t was not made clear just what
was meant by "unimproved prop
erty" In real estate parlance, Mr..
Lee said, the term meant land with
no buildings on it. Mr.. Jeffers said
the Park and Planning Commission
looked on any land less than so per
cent built up as unimproved.
Mr.. Jeffers said after the meeting
that he could not elaborate on de-
tails. But from a reliable source 1t
was learned that the Commission
ers are sponsoring the plan, that 1t
is to be a corollary of Engineer
Commissioner Gordon r. Young's
| $228, ,0O0,0 six-year program for
capital improvements in the Dis
trict and that it would extend to
sites for all District buildings.
Year-Round Pools Sought.
From the joint meeting there also
emerged the fact that an engineer
ing consultant is about to be hired
by the Recreation Board to draw up
plans for year-round-use pools
4 which can be covered in wintersand
Eopen In summer, for the Randle and
Taft Junior high schools.
1.-The Recreation Board is sponsor.
ing the plan for dual-purpose pool'
so that they will fit into both the
school and playground programs Of
| the city.
/ The School Boards Recreation
Committee took the matter under
advisement pending the study to be
made by the consultant. Some
members said they would have to be
convinced that high maintenance
costs of such pools could be met.
Harry s. Wender, Recreation
Board chairman, said the two pools
"are at the top of our list" They
were described as having removable
sides and roofs. 50 feet long and
from 40 to 56 feet wide.
Responsibility Is Debated.
Today's meeting also saw dis
cussion of the problem OF which
agency should be responsible for
playground apparatus on school
grounds used also as Fairgrounds.
The Recreation Board wants to in
stall at it's own expense $24,515
worth of jungle gyms, see-saws,
slides and other playground equip
ment on AZ school grounds used
after school hours and during vaca-
tions as Fairgrounds.
The School and Recreation De-
partment staffs are to make joint
report on the question to their re-
spective boards.