Evening star., 1952-03-17
Group Formed
For Repression
OF Vandalism
Many Organizations
Distressed by Rising
Cost Of Mischief

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from an imp Of mischief to q giant
Of expense. has a new enemy.
Alarmed over the rising cost Of
maliciously broken windows, Of
streetcar seats and narred
public buildings, the new Civic
Responsibility Committe Is train-
ing its sights on the vandal.
Chairman Of the committee iS
Mrs. Alma M. Shugrue. principal
Of the Kingsman School. Four
teenth and e strets NE. On her
group are representatives Of
schools. police. business houses.
public utilities. citizens associa-
tions, fraternal groups, parent
teacher associations. the Board Of
Trade, Junior Chamber of Com
merce. Recreation Department.
Bar Association and National
Capital Parks, to name q few.
The committees campaign viii
be one Of legislation. education,
public relations and expanded po-
Icing particularly In the schools.
Schools Bear Brunt.
Because the schools bear the
brunt Of vandalism, the campaign
focuses its brightest lights there.
But the authorities point out van
dalism is not confined to children
by q long shot. for hotels. the
public parks. theaters. streetcars
and buses. public buildings. street
lights and other things feel tho
weight Of the heavy hand Of wan.
ton destruction.
The vandalism toll here in.
cludes: $500 annual cost to tho
Capital Transit Co. for slashed
seats, broken windows and other
destruction. The company has q
standing offer Of q $25 reward
for leading to the arrest Of per-
sons causing this damage.
Around 100000 damage yearly
to schools $1,000 of it in broken
window panes alone; $50,00O an
nual loss to the Potomac Electric
Power Co. in street lights
broken-4,000 glass globes being
broken annually by vandalism
mainly by sticks, stones and BIB
rifles.
Some Injuries Noted.
Sometimes children and other
individuals are injured in this
vandalism.
Leaders in the campaign hope
that it will bear fruit in legisla-
ton that will fix responsibility
on parents for financial damage
done by their children. Also needed.
they say, is a public trespass law,
which bans, unwelcome visitorsl
from District buildings. As mat
ters now stand, a school prin-'
cipal cannot legally eject q
visitor from the building.
AS practical moves to reduce
vandalism. these steps are under
way:
A request for 80 additional
Watchmen in the school system.
A slogan contest in public, pri-
vate and parochial schools that
viii end March 81. A daily course
Of social studies in an effort to
impress children that public prop
erty belongs to them, that they
should take care Of it and respect
their own and others property.
Radio and Tv Appeals.
Spot announcements on tele-
vision and radio during May and
June. during station breaks par.
tlcularly before and after chill.
dren's programs. Material pro-
duced during the slogan contest
will be utilized in this effort.
A bill Of responsibilities" to bo
worked out for the City of WASH
ington, to impress on children
and others that there are duties.
as well as rights, under the Amer
lean Government. The Shepherd
School at Fourteenth and Kalrnia
streets NV. has tackled this
problem with notable success.
Mrs. Alice Baker is in charge of
this program. which the children
themselves write. DR.. Carl r.
Hansen. associate superintendent
OF schools, deems this a very
worthwhile project.
The Inter-High School Student
Council has taken over this prof.
ect at the student level In the
nigh schools, DR.. Hansen pointed
put.
We don't expect any miracles.
said DR.. Hansen. "This problem
IS deep-seated and hard to reach
and will take years to meet"
He emphasized that vandalism
S not confined to any particular
section Of the city.
Records Destruction Cited.
John M. Riecks, associate super.
in charge of buildings
md grounds, said that permanent
'ecords. kept in each school build
ng. are sometimes destroyed by
and are irreplaceable. He
aid pending before the District
Commissioners Is a request for
S82,500 for 30 additional watch-
men. He said for the 1T school
now the authorities have
'nly Is watchmen. He explained
he greater part Of the vandalism
s accomplished at night. This
axes the form Of spraying fire
'xtinguisher liquid on walls, floors
md furniture; spilling ink, paste.
,aints, upsetting furniture, rip-
ling into drawers and scattering
heir contents. taking tools, dam
lging blackboards, taking type
writer's and adding machines.
When some vandals took $125
vorth Of drapes from cafeteria
It the Randall Junior High School.
first and ! streets S.W., they said
hey wanted to keep warm while
leeping In the woods.
Charles Reynolds. director Of
he eastern branch Of the Boys
'lub Of Washington. publicity
hartman for the committee, said
chool windows were DESTROYED in