Evening star., 1953-09-30

Vandalism Costing
$1,000 Each Year
Juvenile vandalism is costing
National Capital Parks and Rec
reation Department more than
$4,000 a year.
The ravages of the vandalS in
clude broken goal posts, slashed
tennis nets, young trees cut
down, park benches destroyed.
gashes dug in golf greens, mutt
lated statuary, bases ripped from
their anchors on baseball fields,
drinking fountains damaged.
walls defaced and many broken
windows in field houses.
In one escapade this year.
vandals cut down $400 worth Of
trees at Fort Stanton Park.
In May, Park police caught
two boys methodicaIly digging
up all the newly planted rose
bushes behind the Pan American
building annex.
Frank T. Gartside, assistant
superintendent of National Cap
ital Parks, said he believes talks
being given to school assemblies
by naturalists and historians
are helping to improve the sit
uation.
"A lot of this is inexcusable."
he said. but some of the kids
are on our side"
A Park policeman took a dim
mer view.
The more we do for them"
he commented. "the more they
tear things up"
For instance:
Palisades Field House has a
record player donated by Wom-
ems group for teen-age dances.
Last month, vandals tore loose
the wires, took the motor and
broke all the records. scattering
the broken parts all over the
field house area.
Golf Greens Damaged.
In March, vandals broke into
the Kenilworth Recreation Gen.
ter. punched holes in the walls
and ceilings of the field house,
broke the piano Keys and ham,
mers, pulled the supply room
door off its hinges and stole ten
mis- rackets and basketballs.
Four or five times a year, Park
Police report, juveniles drive cars
or Scooters over the golf green's
of Anacostia Park, 'eaving the
expensive turf ridged and un-
uSable.
Last April, brothers. 7 and II,
cleaned out an entire bed of
flowers in the park area behind
the Shoreham Hotel and were on
their second bed when caught.
Last April, two I4-year-olds
were arrested while using tomb
stones in Congressional Gene
terry as air-rif1e targets.
Early this year. juveniles
forced open the door CT a shed
beside the archery range north
of Morrow drive. cut the strings
on eight bows, broke 19 arrows
and slaShed the archery targets.
Seven Boys Felled 100 Trees.
Last fall, a group of seven boys
went on tree cutting spree and
had felled 100 trees beside Suit
land parkway before they were
caught.
Park Police reported COM
plants from every public golf
course that juveniles are break
ing up the flags marking the
greens.
Last December a group of ju-
veniles were rounded up for
breaking into the fieldhouse for
the miniature course at Lang
ston golf course. They destroyed
vending machines, broke the
tops off ice cream freezers and
tore the telephone off the wall.
The Recreation Department
said it always removes the
equipment Immediately after
any special program at the New
York avenue playground, scene
of repeated break-ins last sum-
mer. If the equipment is left
there, the department explained.
1t is damaged or stolen.
No Area Is Free.
The department said no area
Is free of the vandals. During
the past year, the high chain
link fence at the Chevy Chase
Playground was cut with pliers
and pulled apart with sticks; a
fire was started in a building at
the Phoebe Hearst Playground,
the door and screen of the shell
ter building we're damaged and
three windows were broken; the
drinking fountain was damaged
and the fence broken in two
episodes at the Jefferson Play
ground; Palisades fieldhouse had
three, different sortieS resulting
in broken windows and doors;
fences were broken at the Ban
neker and Barry Farms Play
grounds and locks were forced
or window panes shattered in
score of other Fairgrounds.
We're trying to provide good,