Evening star., 1948-11-17

It was a proud moment for the
neighbors of Chevy Chase.
Together, the parents, children,
merchants, teachers, ministers and
civic leaders had worked for years
to convince the Commissioners and
Congress that the old E. V. Brown
School should be converted into
community center.
Last night the interior of the
building cleaned under a fresh
coat of paint. Colorful drapes hung
at its windows. Books lined the
walls of one wing. Bobbysoxers
chartered in the other wings can
teen. Comfortable leather chairs
were arranged attractively in the
new lounge.
And on the steps Of the building
q group Of teenagers sang of their
new center. Their song ended,
Many thanks we give to you"
500 Witness Ceremony.
Nearly 500 youngsters, their par
ents, teachers and friends filled the
school yard to witness the formal
dedication of the old building at
Connecticut avenue and Mckinley
street NV. to its new use as the
Chevy Chase Community Center.
The night air was brisk and there
were lot of speeches, but the peo-
pie In that crowd had waited long
time for this. Many of them had
contributed money, books, equip
ment and much of their time, first
to get the center and later to make
it an attractive place for their chill
dren.
Their applause was particularly
generous for people like Druggist
Samuel Higger, chairman Of the
Chevy Chase Community Council,
who spearheaded the campaign for
the center. The men and women
who had worked with him empha-
sized the role he played in winning
a second hearing from the Com
missioners, after they vetoed the
project, and in seeing it through
the difficult days of getting a con-
gressional appropriation to convert
the building. ...s.~-..a..-a-
Seen IS Memorial.
Mrs. Henry Grattan Doyle, presti-
dent of the Board Of Education,
also won cheers when she spoke as
the mother Of three who attended
the old E. v. Brown School and as
chairman Of the center's Program
Committee.
Recalling all the boys and girls
who carried their schoolbooks,
through the doors of the old school
and the ones who will not come
back Mrs. Doyle said the center
will be a living memorial to the
hundreds of youngsters who learned
their first lessons there.
Former District Commissioner
Proctor L. Dougherty predicted that
the seeds of good citizenship will
be planted here" in the center. To
the many boys and girls in the
audience, he said, Maybe when you
grow up, Congress will have granted
us national representation"
DR.. Charles w. Lowry Of All Saints
Episcopal Church, speaking also Tor
the Chevy Chase Ministerial Council,
CONGRATULATED the people on the
courage and faith" they had shown
In campaigning for their center.
Capt. John E. Fondahl OF No. .
Police Precinct said the community
IA fortunate in having such public
spirited citizens. He reported fewer
depredations in the area this Hal
loween than ever before. The center,
he said, contributed to that happy
state of affairs, because 900 children
were in the building at the time.
Teen-Agers Password"
Cheered by the youngsters were
their two spokesmen-David Doyle,
president of the woodrow Wilson
High School Student Council, who
said the students appreciate what
YOU have done for us" and Robert
Zupnik, president of the Alice Deal
Junior High School Student Council.
Fourteen-year- -old Robert said the
center has become password on
the lips of every teen-ager."
Those who worked to get their
center emphasized how much re-
mains to be done.
Mr.. Higger, reviewing the history
of the campaign, said the community
now has a sound nucleus for an
active plant, with much room for
expansion" but the center still needs
many things.
Edward T. Stafford, treasurer of
the Chevy Chase Community Coun-
Gil, reported that $5,400 had been
raised in the area to buy the equip
ment that has made the rooms SO
usable and attractive. The money