Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1949-01-30
Arlington Fails
To Decide on
Playground Site
Halls Hill Residents
Oppose Purchase Of
Truct,in Area

The Arlington County Board yes.
terday almost settled the months.
old controversy over a site for .
Halls Hill Negro playground. but
finally voted to postpone it indefi-
nitely after a Commute hearing.
After the meeting, however, board
members expressed the hope that d
decision suitable to all groups still
could be reached on the basis Of q
suggestion made by Board Chairman
Basil M. DeLashmutt, heretofore
apparently opposed to all but one
site.
Despite MIR. DeLashmutt's earlier
attitude, though, the board would
have voted, 80, to acquire a 20.
acre tract in the center Of the
community but for the opposition
of the Negro residents themselves.
This was clear when Daniel A.
Dugan, who, with Mrs. Florence A.
Cannon, has fought for a play
ground for Hall Hill, moved that
the site referred to as No. 6. be
purchased His motion was sec.
onded by Alfred A. Frisbie.
Cost Called Too High.
Chew said the site, at $50, 900 for
land and an estimated $4,000 for
development, would cost too much
and they would vote against buying
it.
Before vote could be taken, how
ever, speaker after speaker, include
ing Halls Hills residents and inter-
ested white persons living elsewhere,
declared that the Schultz tract at
North Frederick and. Twenty first
road, was the one the board should
acquire. They objected to the fact
that three houses would have to b
moved from site No. 6 and their
occupants would have to find other
places to live.
The Rev. Willard r. Pierce, pas
tor of the Mount Vernon Baptist
Church, Arlington, made plea for
action on a playground and said
that the cost Of the site No. 6 was
not out of proportion to expected
overall expenditure" for white play
grounds.
After the clergyman's talk, Mr..
DeLashmutt withdrew his opposi.
ton and suggested that all Of the
site No. 6 except the land occupied
by the three houses, be purchased.
Under his plan the vacant areas
would be developed for recreation
Immediately and the dwelling sites
acquired when suitable to the own
ers.
Postponement Asked.
Speaking for the Negro groups,
Grant Clark, colored, said the dele
CATION had no authority to accept
that proposal and asked post
ponement to allow Halls Hills resi-
dents to confer.
Mr.. Dugan then withdrew his mo-
ton and the postponement was
voted unanimously. AfGerward, Mr..
DeLashmutt asked County Manager
A. T. Lundberg to see what could
be done about carrying out his
suggestion.
The Schultz tract site and several
other sites suggested have been OPP
posed by residents of white com.
munities surrounding Halls Hill or
by residents of that area.
The board also deferred action on
a playground for the Aurora Hills
area.
Other Board Actions.
Turning to other matters, the
board agreed with suggestion of
Mr.. DeLashmutt that the county
manager determine if low bids sub
mitted last October by Lee T.
Turner, Washington, for construc.
ton of a north wing to the court
house, are still good. The bids. for
shell structures only, were $377,92
for three-story, full-length wing
and $280.s57 for a wing slightly
more than half that size.
Mr.. DeLashmutt also asked Mr..
Lundberg to investigate possibility
of financing the construction in
three payments over a 15-month
period
Mr.. Lundberg told the board he
had been informed the Federal gov
eminent is in sympathy with a
recommendation of the board that
the Green Valley Trailer Camp be
eliminated The letter noted that
trailers will be removed as vacancies
occur.