Evening star., 1949-10-12
'Non-Segregated
Pool Fund Asked
By yPresident
Swimming Facilities
May Ease RociuI
Tension in Anucostiu
By Colt HendIey, Jr.


President Truman has sent q
request to Congress for an imme-
diate appropriation of $175,000 to
build a new swimming pool in
Southeast Washington, a project
of the Interior Department that
might solve the deadlock over the
use of Anacostia pool.
The new pool will be built at
Fort Stanton Park and could be
completed by next summer if Con-
gress appropriates the money. The
Interior Department said it would
be conducted on an inter-racial
basis.
The Anacostia pool was closed
most of last summer following ra-
cial disturbances there when COL
ored swimmers tried to use the
pool.
Believed to Be Answer.
The pool request was accom-
panied by an explanation that
the pool was needed to relieve
congested conditions at Anacostia
pool" But. it was believed this
| is the Interior Departments
answer to the Anacostia deadlock
Fort Stanton is in a neighborhood
largely of colored families. The
hope of the Interior Department,
it Isl believed, is that the new
pool will be used by colored swim
mers and that Anacostia pool will
revert to it's former white status
without incident.
This request was presented to
Congress yesterday by Acting
Budget Bureau Director F. j..
LaWton while the District Recrea-
ton Board-unaware of this de-
velopmerft in a problem which in
wolves the board-was holding its
regular monthly meeting.
Most of the boards meeting was
taken up with racial problems,
one resulting in the board voting
to make study to see If an inter-
racial playground should be estab-
lished in the Brookland area in
Northeast Washington. There are
no Fairgrounds designated for
colored children in the area.
The Recreation Board study of
the possibility of an inter racial
playground in Brookland was
voted yesterday. after the board
heard DR.. Frank M. Snowden, jr..
chairman of the Education and
Recreation Committee of the
Slowe Elementary School PTA,
ask that colored children be al
lowed to use the Noyes. Turkey
Thicket and Edgewood Play
grounds.
For 20 years there has not
been single square foot of play
area for colored children" DR..
Snowden declared. They still
have to play in the streets"
| DR.. Snowden also said colored
and white children use these play
grounds neutrality-suspicious. in
inter-racial groups. sometimes in
separate sections-when the Rec
reation Department supervisors
are not present to enforce the
segregation.
The nearest playground desig-
mated for colored children is Ban
neker Recreation Center, nearly
4 miles away, he declared.
Says Integration Exists.
This is one community where
integration is possible" he told
board members. tegratio o n
exists now, and whatever tension
there is will be a created thing by
outside groups"
In another matter involving ra-
cial matters, the Recreation Board
turned down the request of the
Trinidad Community Association
a colored civic group, that it be
allowed to hold its regular month
ly meetings in the Wheatley Ele-
mentary School, a white school.
The association has been meet
ing in the Hayes Elementary
School, which is for colored pupils.
but is just outside the area COW
erred nv the association and aho,lt
seven blocks from the Wheatley
School.
The Recreation Board voted to
inform the Commissioners it did
not consider necessary the House
bill calling for transfer Of the
public golf courses here from
Interior Department control to
the Recreation Board because ne
gotiations are progressing on the
boards taking over the operation
of the links