september 2014 hyattsville life & times

HyattsvilleSeptember 2014Hyattsville’s Community NewspaperVol. 11 No. 9

Life&Times

FINDING FALL FASHIONThis month’s Secondhand News takes a look at one of the easiest and cheapest ways to � nd new fashion: a clothing swap. Read on for the author’s do’s and don’ts. PAGE 7

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Included: The September 9, 2014 Issue of The Hyattsville Reporter — See Center Section

FELEGY continued on page 13

REMEMBERING HYATTSVILLE HIGHIn Postcards from the Past, writer Peggy Dee remembers what high school looked like during World War II — when girls took home economics, boys took shop and students worked in the cafeteria. PAGE 8

DESIGN CHARRETTEZoning changes will bring more development to Prince George’s Plaza Metro area. County planners want to know what you think. PAGE 4

by Andrew Marder

West Hya� sville’s new elemen-tary school, Edward M. Felegy, opened on August 25 with new principal Walter Reap at the helm. Previously, Reap worked in Anne Arundel County, where he spent nine years at German-town Elementary in Annapolis. Felegy will be the second new elementary school building whose launch Reap has over-seen, as Germantown moved during his tenure.

“It’s incredible. � is is my sec-ond new school and this build-ing makes my old [one] look like a factory,” Reap said. “� is is how a new school is supposed to be.”

Even from the outside, it’s clear that Felegy is meant to have an artistic feel. � e building’s exte-rior has what Reap calls a “West Coast vibe,” with clean lines and sweeping roofs. � e design is meant to communicate the school’s creative and perform-ing arts focus. Felegy gives chil-dren a chance to explore dance, music, and the visual arts, with extra time set aside for these ac-tivities.

On opening day, Reap was put in charge of 650 new students from four Prince George’s Coun-ty schools. � ose students have all been thrust together in a new

Arts school launches with new principal

by Susie Currie

One of Hya� sville’s many selling points is its proximity to the Anacostia Tributary Trail System, which is bordered by Charles Ar-mentrout Drive at the city’s southernmost point.

But for years, the only direct route from parts of Ward 1 was a steep, crumbling and largely vestigial block of 41st Place.

� at li� le stretch of neglected asphalt was

once a prime cut-through to Charles Armen-trout Drive, but the City put a stop to that at some point in the 1990s by installing a guard-rail at the top of the hill, on Cri� enden Street. A� er that, the amputated roadway seemed to have outlived its usefulness. Virtually inac-cessible by car, it was used mostly by the har-dy hikers and bikers who � rst had to navigate a rotating assortment of obstacles on Cri� en-den. (� e guardrail has given way to bollards, snow fencing and tra� c cones.)

� e idea for converting it into a connector has been around since 2002, when the City � rst applied for a Community Parks & Play-grounds grant from the state. Several plans, grants and DPW directors later, the new Mel-rose Access Trail has nearly come to fruition.

Well, almost. “We’re not quite � nished with it,” Hya� s-

ville Public Works Director Lesley Riddle

New path links neighborhood to green space

by Caroline Selle

� e Hya� sville Police Depart-ment (HPD) has been suspend-ed from the federal military-surplus program that gave the city a Humvee this year – as well as many other previously undis-closed items dating back to at least 2006. (See page 12.)

Among these items are four as-sault ri� es that were acquired in 2006 and 2008, according to a partial list provided by the Mary-land State Police. One of these was stolen from a Hya� sville police cruiser on July 11, 2010, when Ofc. Danielle Gray parked her cruiser overnight in the 1500 block of Madison Street in Chil-lum.

� e next morning, according to the police report, she found the windows broken and police proper-

City police suspended from controversial military program

Ban may stem from stolen assault ri� e in 2010; city will seek reinstatement

SUSIE CURRIEThe Hyattsville Humvee debuted in August at the National Night Out Against Crime. It is one of many military-surplus items the Hyattsville Police Department has received through a federal program, but there will be no more unless the HPD can successfully appeal its suspension. POLICE continued on page 12

TRAIL continued on page 5

Hyattsville Life & Times | September 2014

A community newspaper chronicling the

life and times of Hyattsville

Mailing address: PO Box 132, Hyattsville, MD 20781

http://HyattsvilleLife.com

http://facebook.com/HyattsvilleLife

http://twitter.com/HvilleTimes

Hyattsville Life & Times is published monthly by Hyattsville Community

Newspaper, Inc., a 501c(3) nonpro� t cor-poration. Editors welcome reader input, tips, articles, letters, opinion pieces and photographs, which may be submitted using the mailing address above or the

email addresses below.

Executive Editor Susie Currie

[email protected]

Managing EditorCaroline Selle

[email protected]

ProductionAshley Perks

Website ManagerRebecca Bennett

[email protected]

301.531.5234Writers & Contributors

Amanda Alley, Katy June-Friesen, Lauren Kelly, Gray O’Dwyer,

Molly Parrish, Scarlett Salem, Fred Seitz, Julia Gaspar-Bates

Board of Directors Joseph Gigliotti - President and

General Counsel Chris Currie - Vice President

Susie Currie - SecretaryPeggy Dee, Karen J. Riley, Rosanna Landis Weaver,

Gretchen Brodtman, Debra Franklin, T. Carter Ross

Caroline Selle - Ex O� cio

Circulation: Copies are distributed monthly by U.S. Mail to every address

in Hyattsville. Additional copies are dis-tributed to libraries, selected businesses, community centers and churches in the

city. Total circulation is 9,300.HL&T is a member of the

National Newspaper Association.

InMemoriam: Steve Clements, 1933-2014

by ChristieLyn Diller

I love dogs in a cuckoo-for-Cocoa-Pu� s sort of way. My ad-opted dog, Gwen, is more than a pet — she is my fur baby. She inspired me to start a career in animal welfare, to appreciate the corn-chip smell of her paws, and to think that it’s not entirely crazy for me to moderate a Facebook page for her.

To me, a pet is part of the fam-ily, a part that stays with you no ma� er what. So when I � rst en-countered an abandoned dog in our very own Heurich Dog Park, it was beyond devastating.

She was the tiniest li� le Chi-huahua, roaming back and forth along the fence. When my friend � eresa and I got closer, we saw that she was nearly blind with nails that were beyond over-grown. We saw the half-eaten can of dog food, le� for her in the grass. A� er comforting her, we called Prince George’s County

Animal Control, hoping that they could o� er be� er refuge than an open � eld with no shade.

� at was over a year ago, and to this day, I think about that dog and wonder what happened to her. Perhaps she was abandoned because her guardians could no longer a� ord to care for her. Maybe she got “too old” or “too sick” for their liking. Maybe they moved away, or she was found elsewhere and placed in the park by someone for safekeeping. I’ll never know.

A� er this incident I joined the Heurich Dog Park Facebook group, and started to notice posts about other dogs being abandoned in the park. In one particularly horri� c incident this summer, park guests witnessed an owner purposefully leaving a dog behind.

Some might argue that if a dog is going to be abandoned, the dog park is the place to do it. A dog-loving person is bound to show

up sooner or later, and it is an en-closed area, away from tra� c.

But not only is this illegal in Maryland, it is far from the ideal rehoming solution. � ese aban-doned pups are thrown into a scary environment with no protection from the elements, surrounded by strange smells, strange dogs and strange people.

Once picked up by Animal Control, they have no known history, and are now part of the pet overpopulation problem in the shelter, if they make it that far. � e Prince George’s County Animal Management Division reports that roughly 50 percent of the animals they take in end up being euthanized.

My plea is simple: If you truly can no longer care for an animal, please look into other options before dumping your dog at the park.

Start with your inner circle. Hang � yers, post online, ask people to share and help spread the word, and be willing to wait

MyTwoCentsPets are not disposable until a new family comes along.

You will have the greatest success in rehoming your pet yourself, in part because he or she will not have to compete with all of the other furry faces at an adoption center.

Next, reach out to local animal rescues. Call the SPCA/Hu-mane Society of Prince George’s County at 301.262.5625. Finally, call the Prince George’s County Animal Management Division at 301.780.7201. If needed, they will take in your pet, and she or he will have a chance at a be� er outcome because you can pro-vide a detailed history.

Pets are not disposable. Before welcoming one into your family, make sure you are prepared to care for them for the long haul. And if the day comes when you cannot, do the right thing and seek out help before abandoning.

Hya� sville resident ChristieLyn Diller is the Director of Market-ing and Communications for the Washington Humane Society. She is the proud parent of one hamster, two rats, and one adorable mu� , Gwen.

by Chris Currie

Stephen Arthur Clements, 81, died last month a� er a very brief struggle with cancer. His passing shocked many in our community; a� er all, only a few weeks before he’d authored a retrospective of the early history of the Hya� sville Life & Times, the newspaper he founded, for its 10th anniversary issue ( July 2014).

Although he’d moved with his wife, Marlise, to Reisterstown several years ago to be closer to their family, Steve never seemed far removed from his hometown of nearly half a century. He stayed in touch by email, posts on the community listserv, phone calls and occasional visits. We never guessed that he would leave us

so suddenly, without a chance to say goodbye. � is brief apprecia-tion, then, is our farewell to our founder and our friend.

Steve was the sort of person who used to be called “a pillar of the community,” back when America as a tapestry of neigh-borhoods that people and families were truly invested in, sometimes for generations. He grew into the role later in life, when many others are slowing down or starting to reap lei-sure as the reward of a life of hard work.

Steve was truly a self-made man. Having paid his way through Gonzaga College High School by working nights as a radio announcer, he went on to earn a degree from the Benjamin Franklin School of Accountancy in Washington, where he met and courted Mar-lise, then a recent immigrant from Germany. He worked hard at a series of Washington-area businesses, developing a reputation as a problem solver, someone who could restore an ailing business to financial health. He spent the last years of his career at a business con-

sulting firm, applying his acu-men to the needs of many com-panies in the region.

In 1960, Steve moved with his wife and two young children to the house on Kennedy Street that remained his home for 48 years. For decades, he lived a qui-et life in the neighborhood. A� er his retirement, however, Steve decided that it was time to give back to the larger community the wisdom that he’d accumulated during a lifetime of experience. He served many years a volun-

teer at the Service Corps of Re-tired Executives (SCORE), do-nating services to new and small businesses to help them survive and thrive.

It was during this productive re-tirement that Steve also became more interested in civic a� airs. He got involved in the commu-nity discussion about the fate of the vacant WSSC Building – a turbulent episode in Hya� sville history marked by o� en-acrimo-nious debate between neighbors and civic o� cials. Steve’s leader-ship qualities blossomed, as he showed his allies how to advance a position by appealing to reason instead of ad-hominem a� acks. In turn, he gained the respect of his opponents.

Later, in 2004, he became con-vinced of the need for a local newspaper in Hya� sville, and went about the project in his in-imitable fashion, with hard work, business expertise, and a facility to build bridges in the city’s po-litical and business communi-ties. � e nonpro� t venture was so successful that he was able to help establish the Hya� sville Community Foundation, which received all of its initial funding

from the newspaper’s surpluses. Steve worked as business manag-er of the paper for three years, all of them as a volunteer, and was able to recruit volunteers to � ll all the sta� positions of the paper – an achievement that has not been repeated in the years since he retired.

Steve became the ideal citizen and civic leader. Even-tem-pered, even-handed, reasonable and careful in his judgments, he could di� er without demon-izing. Conservative in outlook, he had the wisdom to embrace change when it renewed the life of his community. He waded through the rough seas of civic politics with a gentleness and geniality that won the respect of all and helped to bring us to-gether. � e stamp of his person-ality remains embedded in our civic culture, and his legacy lives on in this newspaper and in the lives of all he touched. May we all try to live up to his sterling example.

Chris Currie is vice president of Hya� sville Community News-paper Inc., which publishes the Hya� sville Life & Times.


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by Caroline Selle

The National Museum of Language in College Park is crammed into three rooms, all of which overflow with rolled-up maps and posters, stacks of books – and, at the moment, moving supplies. Since 2008, the museum has resided on the second floor of an office building just off Baltimore Avenue. But on August 26, the physical space of-ficially closed to the public. The lease is up, and the museum is moving out.

Its resources won’t be lost, say staff and volunteers. Online, the museum will continue to ex-ist with open doors. And in the long term, said Executive Assis-tant Linda Thompson, the hope is to settle into another physi-cal building. In the meantime, though, “we want to expand the [web] site, appeal to the public in as many ways as we can.”

The museum, which has been faced with budget shortages since its inception, downsized from four rooms to three in Sep-tember 2013. Exhibits, which once occupied the much larger fourth room, are pushed into two rooms, one of which is a glorified hallway. But even in its state of disarray, the museum shocks and impresses with its comprehen-sive look at how languages affect people.

Thompson said there’s been a flurry of interest since the mu-seum announced its physical and virtual moves, one that she and the other affiliated personnel wish might have come sooner. To the best of the employees’ and volunteers’ knowledge, there is no other museum like it in the United States, and only a handful around the world.

The last remaining exhibit is on Noah Webster, whose sur-name is memorialized with the ubiquitous Merriam-Webster dictionary. A narrow table, per-pendicular to windows that give a glimpse of late summer trees, contains – you guessed it – an 1828 Webster dictionary, along with a quill, sample calligraphy, and a 19th-century spelling book.

There’s a framed quiz called, “Do you speak British or Ameri-can?” and the poster providing the backdrop includes a comic strip with frames titled, “What Put Webster Under a Spell?” and “How Did Webster Frame Spell-ing?” It’s a look back at the start of American English, with its slight differences in pronuncia-tion and spelling from its parent dialect.

It was just after the War of 1812, said Thompson, “that Americans really began to think of them-selves as Americans. Their vari-ety of English at that point was

not the same as it was across the sea in Great Britain.” Webster recognized the differences and, in essence, wrote them down.

Though the rest of the exhibits are packed away, Thompson can easily describe them. Parallel to the Webster exhibit was one on the French language, which is commonly spoken in nations on the North American, Asian, Af-rican, and South American, and European continents.

Alan Turnbull, a docent and former board member and trust-ee, was also happy to share his wealth of knowledge. Before he retired, Turnbull was a Russian-language expert at the Depart-ment of Defense.

He described an exhibit that displayed the differences be-tween languages that use picto-grams and ones that use alpha-bets. (Think Chinese or Japanese characters versus Greek or Ara-bic lettering.)

“We had a number of panels,” said Turnbull, but “I was always embarrassed there was no Cyril-lic.”

That exhibit did have a painting created specifically for the mu-seum by an Ethiopian man who made sure to include Amharic words in the art.

The museum was also a re-source on artificial languages like Klingon (spoken by aliens in Star Trek) and electronic languages

like HTML.“Since our space is so lim-

ited, we’ve only had the option to do three or four major ex-hibit changes since 2008,” said Thompson.

But even in disarray, the mu-seum spurs one question after another. How do you create a language? What are the origins of slang? Wait, there’s really a book called The Anatomy of Swearing?

And, most importantly, what

does our use of language say about us? Would-be museum visitors will have to find the an-swer online.

Though the physical space is closed, the museum’s resources can be found online at www.languagemu-seum.org. The museum will contin-ue its speaker series with an event on Native American code talkers, held at the College Park City Hall. on October 4 at 3 p.m.

Language museum closes its doors, moves online

caroline selleThe National Museum of Language’s Webster exhibit displays a handwritten example of 19th-century calligraphy, created by Linda Thompson.


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by Susie Currie

Making a six-lane highway in the shadow of a Metro station into something that appeals to drivers, bicyclists, pedes-trians and business owners alike might sound like a tall order. But that is what Prince George’s County planners hope to do in a three-day char-rette, or community design workshop, beginning Septem-ber 17 at the Hyattsville Mu-nicipal Building.

Earlier this year, the Prince George’s County District Council approved expanding transit-oriented zoning around the Prince George’s Plaza Met-ro station by nearly 30 percent.

Officials from the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC) will explore ideas about how to develop the new space during the three-day charette.

“We want to create a safe, walk-

able, economically and envi-ronmentally attractive area that gives people a range of transpor-tation options [along East-West Highway],” said Prince George’s County Senior Planner Tamara Jovovic. “The charette is the first step to doing that.”

The area was designated a Transit District Overlay Zone (TDOZ) in 1998 as part of a Transit District Development Plan (TDDP). It covered 281 acres and attracted retail an-chors like Staples, CVS, Home Depot and Giant, in addition to helping bring Target to the Mall at Prince George’s. It also paved the way for construction of new apartments and condo-miniums, like Mosaic at Metro, Post Park and the Towers at University Town Center.

Now, the TDOZ has been expanded to 363 acres that encompass parts of Hyatts-ville, University Park and un-incorporated areas of Prince George’s County.

Most of the increase comes from extending the boundary line from Dean Drive north to Rosemary Lane and west to Highview Terrace.

Zoning changes throughout the county are a key part of Plan Prince George’s 2035, which was adopted in May by the District Council. The plan calls for prioritizing invest-ments in what it calls “down-towns” around three Metro stations: Prince George’s Pla-za, New Carrollton and Largo Town Center.

“These mixed-use centers have extensive transportation infrastructure and the capacity to become economic genera-tors for the county while pro-viding a range of housing and transportation options,” said Project Leader Kierre McCune of the Prince George’s County Planning Department.

What will it mean for Hyatts-ville? That is what Jovovic and her colleagues hope to assess

during the charette. Residents can get up to speed on the plans during the September 15 Hy-attsville City Council meeting.

“The presentation to the Council is intended to be a recap of the process so far and a kickoff to the charrette process,” said Hyattsville City Clerk Laura Reams. “It should also include information on what to expect moving for-ward beyond the charrettes.”

Planning officials will re-turn to 4310 Gallatin Street on September 17, 18 and 20. On Wednesday from 6:30 to 9 p.m., organizers will review the TDDP process and goals; share key findings regarding land use and the transporta-tion network; and ask for input from the community on what Jovovic calls the “challenges and opportunities [of the site], particularly in terms of connec-tivity and placemaking.”

A less structured plan for Thursday invites residents to

stop by between 5 and 8 p.m. with additional ideas or con-cerns for the TDDP team, or to review the materials and the progress to date. By Saturday, M-NCPPC officials hope to have two preliminary develop-ment concepts shaped by this community input ready for an-other round of public inspec-tion, from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

The next step is an evening meeting on October 14 at the Prince George’s Plaza Com-munity Center. There, said Jovovic, planners will unveil the “preferred alternative,” developed with input from neighbors, county and state agencies, business leaders and other stakeholders.

For more information, visit www.pgplanning.org/pgplazaTDDP.htm or contact Assistant Proj-ect Manager Tamara Jovovic at [email protected] or 301.952.3910.

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said. “� e � nal phase will be re-surfacing [41st] street,” which she expects to be completed this fall.

Still, that hasn’t stopped some dog-walkers and cyclists from trying it out. � e newly paved trail curves invitingly from the access point on Cri� enden Street down to 41st Street, smoothing the sharp grade into a path that is both accessible for wheelchairs and safer for bicycles and stroll-ers, though it is closed to motor-ized vehicles.

� e path is currently � anked by erosion-control blankets to stabilize the new soil. Landscap-ing will be added next year, said Riddle.

“We want the grass to take hold � rst,” she explained. “A tremen-dous amount of topography changed” in the course of the project.

� e design is still in the plan-ning stages.

“We’ll go with conservation landscaping, so that would in-clude a swale, rain gardens, and native plants and rocks,” she said. “We want to keep the pro� le somewhat low, so probably some medium-sized trees.”

For neighbors, it’s already an improvement.

“Looking out our window at the trail and its landscaping is much more pleasant than [see-ing] the potholes and over-growth that were there before,” said Ma� Bowman, whose driveway was relocated as part of the project.

“It’s certainly a big change, but I’m happy that access to the trail has been improved,” said Jane Stanley, who can see the trail from her living room and has al-ready used it several times with her family. “� ere seems to be more people using the trail now, which is great.”

NEW PRINCIPALS AT UNIVERSITY PARK ELEMENTARY, NORTHWESTERN HIGH SCHOOL

In addition to Edward M. Felegy Elementary School, University Park Elementa-ry and Northwestern High School both welcomed new principals this year. E. Car-lene Murray, the new prin-cipal at Northwestern, is a former Largo High School Spanish teacher and lives in the county. Toi Davis, who is joining the team at University Park, has been a teacher and administrator for 17 years, the last eight in Montgomery County. She is also a resi-dent of Prince George’s County.

NO RECESS AT COLLEGE PARK ACADEMY

The College Park Academy, a public char-ter school that currently offers education for grades 6 to 8, has eliminated recess after receiv-ing a waiver from the Prince George’s County Board of Education. According to an article in the Washington Post, teachers noticed students were tired by the end of the school day. Cutting

recess, said interim executive director Frank Brewer, was a way to shorten the day without taking away from students’ education.

The Board of Education approved the waiver with a vote of 12-0. Prince George’s County Public Schools Chief Executive Officer Kevin Maxwell signed off on it as well.

VOLUNTEERS COMPLETE NEW MONTESSORI CLASSROOM AT ST. JEROME ACADEMY

This summer, volunteers built a state-of-the-art, 1300-square foot Montessori classroom for the St. Jerome Academy Montessori Children’s House. The new space features built-in furni-ture, a kitchenette, and a cork floor, as well as windows that stretch to the ceiling.

The SJA Children’s House, now in its second year, enrolls students aged 18 months to 6 years.

STOP SIGN INSTALLED ACROSS FROM EDWARD M. FELEGY ELEMENTARY

After the first day of school, the City installed a stop sign at the intersection of Nicholson and Mayhurst, across from the new elementa-ry school. The sign was installed the day after parents complained about pedestrian safety, in-cluding the lack of a crossing guard. City and school officials will continue to address the is-sue.

NEWS BRIEFS

TRAIL continued from page 1

CHRIS CURRIEThe new Melrose Access Trail gives hikers and bikers a much-improved path to the Northwest Branch, Melrose Skate Park and other amenities.

Toi Davis


by Katy June-Friesen

� e following is an excerpt � om an Aug. 18, 2014, interview with Frank Key, 72, who has lived in the Hya� sville area since he was a boy. He and his wife Liz bought their home on 32nd Avenue in 1970. Katy June-Friesen edited the text for length and clarity.

I grew up here. My father was a barber by trade, and he came from Staunton, Vir-ginia. It was a German Scots-Irish se� le-ment, down in the Shenandoah Valley. He was taught the trade by an Italian man in Staunton [who] had � ve sons. And some of them came [to Hya� sville] and opened up [two] barbershops in the ’40s.

My father decided that he wanted my broth-er and I to be the � rst in the family to get a col-lege education. He and Mom dedicated their life to raising their sons to get a degree. And my father knew [up] here that you had Catho-lic U, Georgetown, University of Maryland, and all the other schools. He thought there would be more opportunity for my brother and I to a� end college. We both [graduated from] University of Maryland.

We grew up in the Queenstown Apart-

ments [in Mount Rainier]. We were the only ones to live in our apartment – on the third � oor and the back section, on Buchanan Street – from 1949 until Mom le� in 2006. It was a two-bedroom apartment. We played musical instruments in there, I played the drums and my brother played the trombone. We had a train set. But we always made the space work. My brother and I delivered � e Daily News, 25 cents a week.

And the barbershop was less than a mile away [at what is now Queens Chapel Town Center], so dad could come home for lunch.

Right next door to the barbershop was a beauty salon. Next to that was the Mihill’s appliance store, and then on the corner, where 31st Avenue comes down, was a � ve-and-ten. � en there was a li� le al-ley to get into Palmer Ford. Right next to the barbershop was his dealership. Cross over 31st Avenue, you had a High’s [Dairy Store], Goode’s cleaners, Bodanski’s Piz-za, Curzi’s Seafood. And Baskin-Robbins went in eventually [in the ’60s]. And then across the street was Lee’s Restaurant, which was a very famous restaurant, and probably the only restaurant in town for

years and years. Oh gosh, [my fa-

ther] knew every-body from all walks of life. He thor-oughly enjoyed it. He liked listening to people, and he would make the connections: “Oh, why don’t you talk to so-and-so.”

Dad got started o� by cu� ing Cur-ley Byrd’s [hair], he was the president of the University of Maryland. Dad knew the Speaker of the [Maryland] House Perry Wilkinson. [DeMatha basketball coach] Morgan Woo� en was one of his favorite and famous customers, and he cut Morgan’s boys’ hair. Mr. Palmer used to tease the heck out of him. He took very much of a liking to my father, and my father would shave him every day. But my father would tease him, pull his hat down over his ears. Any other guy, Mr. Palmer would’ve shot him.

A lot of his [clients] helped me to get part-time jobs, like Harry Shaw, the chief

HyattsvilleVoicesA boyhood at the barbershop engineer of the WSSC. Because of him, I

got a summertime job running a rod on a survey party. � at was in the late ’50s. Mr. Tingley (Hya� sville postmaster), [had me] take the post o� ce test, and I passed that and got hired part-time. I used to do substitute carrier in the summertime and then I was a night collector while I was going to Maryland.

Barbershops have been known to run as a bookie joint. And run numbers. They didn’t have lotteries back then. So yes, they had a little numbers game going there. Dad never discussed any of the details. I do recall, I think, agents came in and tore the phone out of the phone booth once. It was kind of a raid-type thing.

Dad worked six days, 60 hours a week. He had breaks, you know, but if you didn’t work, you didn’t get paid. Dad said, “If you think it’s easy, stand around this chair, your hands up like this for two hours, and let me know how long you can last.”

� e Hya� sville Voices Oral History Project was recently started by resident Katy June-Friesen to collect stories about our city’s history and the lives of people who live and work here. HL&T will feature edited excerpts of these in-terviews. You can contact Katy to suggest an interview at k.june� [email protected].

Frank Key


SecondhandNews

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by Lauren Flynn Kelly

Twice a year, my neighborhood friends and I get together for a clothing swap. At the start of ev-ery spring and fall, we give our closets a second look. Before hauling stu� we no longer want to Value Village, we pull some of the items we think would work be� er on another friend and save them to trade with each other.

My friend Christine is kind enough to host each time, and she has it down to a science. She separates the dresses, tank tops, sweaters and pants all into neat piles and places them around the room. She saves the co� ee table for smaller items like purses, jew-elry, and even perfume. � en, she sets up a beautiful spread of breakfast goodies and co� ee. I look forward to it every few months.

So as fall approaches and you think about updating your ward-robe, why not consider hosting a clothing swap? Here are a few do’s and don’ts to ensure a fun, successful a� air:

DO keep it to a manageable size of a� endees. We usually stick to

6 to 8. Any more could result in a cat� ght, and no one wants to referee that.

DON’T bring/invite kids. Put Dad in charge and give yourself a

break! � e li� le ones can always play dress-up a� erward with the le� overs. If you can’t get a si� er, make sure you to set your child up with a favorite game and

snack in the next room.DO schedule a charity dona-

tion ahead of time. You don’t want bags of unwanted clothes lying around your house all week. Contact Military Order of the Purple Heart (www.purple-heartpickup.org) or another lo-cal charity and arrange to have the clothes picked up from your porch the next business day.

DON’T put out gi� s from someone in the group. It might hurt someone’s feelings to see those earrings your friend gave you last Christmas on display. When in doubt, consult with your friend � rst. Maybe she re-ally wanted them for herself!

DO set some ground rules. I’ve been to swaps where people were asked to each pick one item from a pile in the center of the room, try it on, either accept or reject it, and then o� er it to someone else. � at took too much time, but there are other ways to set lim-its. You could ask each shopper to try on three things at a time to keep things fair. Or, just take a tote bag and go to town like we do!

DON’T let guests go hungry. I’m not talking about serving a whole meal, but providing a fruit plate or � nger sandwiches will keep people energized. We usu-

ally do a brunch potluck with co� ee and mimosas.

DO have a sense of humor. Some of the stu� people give away is just plain bad. At the end of the swap, lighten the mood by suggesting everyone pick one piece that looks terrible on her and take a group pic. We are still laughing about the last one (it in-volved a bikini, and that’s all I’ll say).

DON’T bring bugs. A� er this summer’s humidity, your clothes might be harboring a few moths or other cri� ers. Give them a zap in the drier to stamp out any un-invited guests. (Oprah.com rec-ommends at least 10 minutes on high heat.)

DO set out a full-length mirror in a nearby room. If people want to try on clothes, then they can do so with a li� le privacy.

I’ve walked away from clothing swaps with items that I’ve ended up keeping for years, and there are usually a few high-end pieces in the mix, like the striped Boden sweater and the silk Anthropolo-gie top that I scored at the last one. Moreover, it’s equally satis-fying to see a nice pair of jeans that just didn’t work for me � t someone else like a glove or a fa-vorite maternity dress make an-other expectant mama feel good.

Update your fall wardrobe with a clothing swap

PHOTO COURTESY JULIETTE FRADLIN PHOTOGRAPHYAt a Hyattsville clothing swap, Krissi Humbard “shops” for items her neighbors are trading.

Hyattsville ReportertheNo. 294 • September 9, 2014 www.hyattsville.org • 301-985-5000

Page HR1 Hyattsville Life & Times | September 2014 Hyattsville Life & Times | September 2014 Page HR2

Every Tuesday and Thursday, September through November 2510:00 AM - 12:00 PMCreative Minds Parent & Child ProgramCity Municipal Building, 4310 Gallatin StreetFor more information: Tony Martinez at 240-299-8395 or [email protected]

Every Wednesday and Friday, September through November 26 10:00 - 11:00 AMAgeless Grace Exercise ClassesMagruder Recreation Center, 3911 Hamilton StreetFor more information: Colleen Aistis, 301.985.5057 or [email protected]

Friday, September 12Summer Jam Series & Police Department Open House, 6:30-8:30 PMCity Municipal Building, 4310 Gallatin StreetFor more information: Cheri Everhart, 301-985-5021 or [email protected]

Saturday, September 13Downtown Hyattsville Arts Festival, 11 AM - 5 PMJefferson Street & Route 1

For more information: visit http://hyattsvilleartsfestival.com or call 301-683-8267

Monday, September 15City Council Meeting, 8:00 PMCity Municipal Building, 4310 Gallatin StreetFor more information and an agenda: www.hyattsville.org

Prince George’s Plaza Transit District Development Plan How can we make the Prince George’s Plaza Metro Station area more walkable, attractive and vibrant?Hyattsville Municipal Building, 4310 GallatinWednesday, September 17 - Community Workshop Kick-off - 6:30-9:00 PM Thursday September, 18 - Community Drop-In Opportunity - 5:00-8:00 PM Saturday September 20 - Alternatives Meeting - 10:00 AM-12:30 PMFor more information: www.pgplanning.org/ PGPlazaTDDP.htm

Friday, September 19Sunset Movie Series: Frozen, 7 PMHeurich Park, Ager Road & Nicholson StreetFor more information: Cheri Everhart, 301-985-5021

or [email protected]

Saturday, September 27, 10 AM - 2 PMWorld of Wheels Family Festival for CASADeMatha Catholic High School, 4313 Madison StreetFor more information: visit www.pgcasa.org or call 301-209-0491

Sunday, September 28Hyattsville International Festival, 12 Noon - 5:00 PMHeurich Park, Ager Road & Nicholson StreetFor more information: Cheri Everhart, 301-985-5021 or [email protected]

Friday, October 3Sunset Movie Series: Despicable Me 2, 7 PMHeurich Park, Ager Road & Nicholson StreetFor more information: Cheri Everhart, 301-985-5021 or [email protected]

Sunday, October 5Hyattsville Cyclocross, 8 AM - 5 PMMagruder Park, 3911 Hamilton StreetFor more information: Cheri Everhart, 301-985-5021 or [email protected]

¡Ir Bilingüe en el Mes de la Herencia Hispana!

¿Sabía usted que los Hispanos constituy-en más de un tercio de la población de la Ciudad de Hyattsville? Hay más de 6.000 mil residentes Latinos aquí, según la 2012 Encuesta Comunitaria Americana de la Oficina del Censo de los E.E.U.U. Los próximos 30 días, 15 de septiembre

al 15 de octubre, son parte del Mes de la Herencia Hispana. El mes se distribuye entre septiembre y octubre porque este rango incluye las celebraciones del Día de la Independencia de muchos países de América Latina. El Salvador, que es donde casi la mitad de los hispanos de Hyattsville cuentan sus raíces, celebra su independencia el 15 de septiembre.En honor del Mes de la Herencia Hispana,

y como parte de nuestros esfuerzos a ser un gobierno de la ciudad inclusivo, el Hyatts-ville Reporter ahora será una publicación bilingüe. Así que, si español es su len-gua materna, o si sólo está buscando una manera de poner en práctica lo que apre-ndió en la secundaria, ¡esperamos que dis-frute leer lo que su gobierno de la ciudad está haciendo en español!

Mercado de Granjeros Ofrece Espacio Gratuito a Vendedores

El Mercado de Granjeros de Hyattsville está buscando nuevos proveedores para el resto de este año, y primeros solicitantes

para el próximo año. Buscamos especial-mente vendedores de pan y pasteles, hue-vos y quesos, miel y preservativos. Actual-mente, ¡estamos proporcionando espacio para vendedores gratis! El mercado se encuentra todos los mar-

tes- a menos que haya tiempo fuerte- de 2 p.m. a 6 p.m. en 3505 Hamilton Street. En semanas recientes, ha atraído más de 100 clientes cada martes. Si su granja o nego-cio se está interesado, por favor póngase en contacto con Ellarose Preston al 301-985-5006 o [email protected].

Edificio del Parque Magruder Está Celebrado por los Campistas

El campamento de verano de la ciudad cerró su año con un corte de cinta para

celebrar las nuevas renovaciones del Centro de Recreo del Parque Magruder. Las renovaciones incluyeron ventanas nuevas, pintura nueva y mejoras en los baños. Paisajismo, y el arco y el patio ex-terior del edificio también se arreglaron.Los campistas, la Administradora de

la Ciudad Tracey Nicholson, y otro personal de la ciudad cortaron una cin-ta afuera del Centro de Recreo el 15 de agosto. El campamento utiliza el edifi-cio durante todo el verano, recibiendo unos 40 estudiantes cada semana, con edades de cinco a 10. Mientras emo-cionados con las renovaciones, muchos campistas pasaron la celebración mara-villándose por las tijeras extra grandes de la ciudad.

Mentes Creativas Programa de Papás e Hijos Ahora Hasta 25 de Noviembre

Si su hijo pre-escolar disfrute mov-imiento, arte, música, cuentos, y juegali-bre, acompáñale al Mentes Creativas Programa de Papás e Hijos. La Ciudad de Hyattsville está re-diseñando el Pro-grama de Papás e Hijos y encantaremos tener Ud. y su hijo como participantes. El programa se encuentra cada martes y jueves desde ahora hasta el 25 de noviem-bre, 10 a.m. a 12 p.m., en el Centro Rec-reativo de Magruder, 3911 Hamilton Street. Residentes de Hyattsville pagan $50 y no-residentes pagan $65. Para más

información: Tony Martinez, 240-299-8395 o [email protected]

Policía Recomendado Para Reacreditación

El Departamento de la Policía de Hyatts-ville fue recomendado para reacreditación el mes pasado, después de una visita de dos evaluadores mandado por la Comisión de Acreditación para los Organismos de la Aplicación de la Ley. La Policía de Hyatts-ville ha estado acreditado repetidamente y continuamente desde 1999. En una con-ferencia de acreditación este año, el Jefe de la Policía dijo que contestará cualquier pregunta que los evaluadores tengan antes que voten en si van a reacreditar su depar-tamento. “Quiero felicitar nuestros miem-bros del departamento de la policía para su trabajo duro y apoyo por este proceso y también dar gracias a la comunidad por su apoyo, lo que era mencionado por el equipo de evaluadores,” Holland dijo.

Recién Acciones del Consejo Municipal

El 4 de agosto, en Consejo Municipal aprobó un decreto para actualizar su siste-ma de monitoreo de la velocidad de ve-hículos para conformarse con los nuevos requisitos del estado sobre anuncios, no-tificación y administración del programa. Para más información o una copia del decreto: Laura Reams en 301-985-5009 o [email protected].

Going Bilingual in Hispanic Heritage Month!

Did you know that Hispanics comprise more than one third of the population of the City of Hyattsville? There are more than 6,000 Latino residents here, ac-cording to the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2012 American Community Survey. The next 30 days, September 15 through

October 15, are Hispanic Heritage Month. The month is spread across Sep-tember and October because that range includes the Independence Day celebra-tions of many countries in Latin Amer-ica. El Salvador, which is where nearly half of Hyattsville’s Hispanics have roots, celebrates its independence on Septem-ber 15.In honor of Hispanic Heritage

Month, and as part of our efforts to be an inclusive city government, the Hy-attsville Reporter will now be a bilin-gual publication. So, if Spanish is your native language, or you’re just look-ing for a way to practice what you learned in high school, we hope you enjoy reading about what your city government is doing in Spanish!

Farmers Market Offering Free Space to Vendors

The Hyattsville Farmers Market is looking for new vendors for the remainder

of this year, and early applicants for next year. We are especially looking for bread and baked goods, eggs and cheeses, honey and preserves. Cur-rently, we are providing vendor space for free! The market takes place every Tues-

day – unless there is inclement weath-er – from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. at 3505 Hamilton Street. In recent weeks it has drawn approximately 100+ customers each Tuesday. If your farm or business is interested, please contact Ellarose Preston at 301-985-5006 or [email protected].

Magruder Park Building Celebrated by Campers

The city’s summer camp closed its year with a ribbon cutting to cel-ebrate the new renovations of the Magruder Park Recreation Center. The

renovations included new windows, an updated paint job, and improvements to the bathrooms. Landscaping, and the building’s exterior arch and court-yard were also spruced up. Campers, City Administrator Tracey

Nicholson, and other city staff cut a ribbon outside the Recreation Cen-ter on August 15. The camp uses the building throughout the summer, hosting about 40 students each week, ranging in age from five to 10. While excited about the renovations, many campers spent the ribbon cutting marveling at the city’s extra-large pair of scissors.

Creative Minds Parent & Child Program Now Through November 25

If your preschooler enjoys movement, art, music, storytime and freeplay, accompany her or him to the Cre-

ative Minds Parent & Child Pro-gram. The City of Hyattsville is re-designing the Parent & Child program and we’d love to have you and your child participate. The program is every Tuesday and

Thursday from now until No-vember 25, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., at Magruder Recre-ation Center, 3911 Hamilton Street. Hyattsville residents pay $50 and non-residents pay $65. For more informa-

tion: Tony Martinez at 240-299-8395 or [email protected]

Police Recommended for Reaccreditation

The Hyattsville Police Department was recommended for reaccreditation last month, after a visit by two law enforce-ment assessors sent by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies. Hyattsville Police have been accredited repeatedly and continuously since 1999. At an accreditation confer-ence later this year, Police Chief Douglas Holland said he will answer any ques-tion assessors may have before a vote is held on whether or not to reaccredit the agency. “I want to congratulate our members of the police department for their hard work and support of this process and also thank the community for their support which was specifically noted by the assessment team,” Holland said.

Recent City Council Actions

On August 4, 2014, the City Council passed an ordinance to update its vehicle speed monitoring system to meet recent State requirements regarding signage, notice and administration of the pro-gram. For more information or a copy of the ordinance: Laura Reams at 301-985-5009 or [email protected].

Cada martes y jueves, septiembre hasta 25 de noviembre10:00 AM - 12:00 PMMentes Creativas Programa de Papás e Hijos El Centro Recreativo de Magruder, 3911 Hamilton Street.Para más información: Tony Martinez, 240-299-8395 o [email protected]

Cada miércoles y viernes, septiembre hasta 26 de noviembre10:00 - 11:00 AM Gracia sin Edad Clases de EjercicioEdificio Municipal de Hyattsville, 4310 Gallatin StreetPara más información: Colleen Aistis, 301.985.5057 o [email protected]

Viernes, 12 de septiembre Serie de Summer Jam & Departamento de Policía Ex-hibición Pública, 6:30-8:30 PMEdificio Municipal de Hyattsville, 4310 Gallatin StreetPara más información: Cheri Everhart, 301-985-5021 o [email protected]

Sábado, 13 de septiembre Centro de Hyattsville Festival de Arte, 11 AM - 5 PMJefferson Street & Route 1

Para más información: visite http://hyattsvilleartsfesti-val.com o llame 301-683-8267

Lunes, 15 de septiembreReunión del Consejo Municipal, 8:00 PMEdificio Municipal de Hyattsville, 4310 Gallatin StreetPara más información y el horario de la reunión: www.hyattsville.org

Prince George’s Plaza Plan de Desarrollo del Distrito de Tránsito ¿Cómo hacemos la estación de Metro de Prince George’s Plaza más caminable, atractiva, y vibrante?Edificio Municipal de Hyattsville, 4310 GallatinMiércoles, 17 de septiembre - Comienzo del Taller Co-munitario - 6:30-9:00 p.m. Jueves, 18 de septiembre - Exhibición Comunitaria - 5:00–8:00 p.m. Sábado, 20 de septiembre - Reunión Alternativa - 10:00 a.m.–12:30 p.m. Viernes, 19 de septiembreSerie de Películas de Atardecer: Frozen, 7 PMParque Heurich, Ager Road y Nicholson StreetPara más información: Cheri Everhart, 301-985-5021 o [email protected]

Sábado, 27 de septiembreMundo de Ruedas Festival Familiar para CASA10 AM - 2 PMDeMatha Catholic High School, 4313 Madison StreetPara más información: visite www.pgcasa.org o llame 301-209-0491

Domingo, 28 de septiembre Hyattsville Festival Internacional, 12 PM - 5:00 PMParque Heurich, Ager Road & Nicholson StreetPara más información: Cheri Everhart, 301-985-5021 o [email protected]

Viernes, 3 de octubreSerie de Películas de Atardecer: Despicable Me 2, 7 PMParque Heurich, Ager Road & Nicholson StreetPara más información: Cheri Everhart, 301-985-5021 o [email protected]

Domingo, 5 de octubreCyclocross de Hyattsville, 8 AM - 5 PMParque Magruder, 3911 Hamilton StreetPara más información: Cheri Everhart, 301-985-5021 o [email protected]

CALENDAR CALENDARIO

Reportero de HyattsvilleelNo. 294 • 9 de septiembre, 2014 www.hyattsville.org • 301-985-5000


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by Peggy Dee

One recent summer afternoon, I visited with my friend Betty on her front porch in the 3900 block of Oliver Street. Her family has lived there since December 1939, when they moved here from Wis-consin, and Betty has many mem-ories of growing up in Hyattsville.

During our conversation, Betty took me back to the fall of 1941 when she entered the freshman class at the old Hyattsville High School. It was located at 42nd Ave-nue and Oglethorpe Street, where the middle school stands today.

Walking up the old wooden steps inside the school is vivid in her memory. Mr. Miller, a tall distinguished gentleman with white hair, was the principal, and his wife worked in the office.

The boys, who were smokers in those days, crossed the street to light up off the school premises, away from the watchful eye of Mr. Miller. The girls concentrated on shorthand and typing, while the boys took shop class. All students had to participate in air raid drills,

as this was during World War II. The school cafeteria, managed

by students in the home-eco-nomics class, was near and dear to Betty’s heart. Like today, students could either bring their lunch or purchase it there. Each Friday, the school’s menu featured a grilled

cheese sandwich with cream of tomato soup. It was Betty’s favor-ite, and her mother provided her with lunch money on those days.

The gym was outside the school in a separate building, and no mat-ter how hot or cold the day, the students were required to walk over. Students were used to walk-ing: There were no school buses in those days, and most kids walked to school. There was also virtually no time off for snow.

Even parties were a little differ-ent. The junior and senior proms were held in the school gym, with a committee established to decorate. There were no further celebrations after the proms; the students just walked home.

After a nostalgic two hours with Betty discussing the old school, I called another old friend, who grew up in this city, John Small. John was the historian for the class of 1943. However, John did

not graduate with his class. As this was during the war years, John enlisted in the Navy at age 17. Many of his classmates did the same. They knew that they would be drafted at age 18, but if they enlisted at 17, they had a better choice of where they want-ed to be stationed. When John left the Navy three years later, he completed his senior year of high school at McKinley Tech in N.E. Washington.

It wasn’t long after his return that construction began on Northwestern High School. When the new school opened in the early 1950s, the old one was torn down and Hyattsville Mid-dle School was built in its place.

Many precious memories of the old school went down, along with the bricks and steel, that can never be replaced. I was glad that some of them were shared with me that afternoon.

PosTcards from THe Pastthinking of you! hope you're doing well! thinking of you! hope you're doing well! thinking of you! hope you're doing well! thinking of you! hope you're doing well! thinking of you! hope you're doing well! thinking of you! hope you're doing well! thinking of you! hope you're doing well! thinking of you! hope you're doing well! thinking of you! hope you're doing well! thinking of you! hope

thinking of you! hope you're

doing well! thinking of you! hope

you're doing well! thinking of you!

hope you're doing well! thinking

of you! hope you're doing well!



you're doing well! thinking of you!

hope you're doing well! thinking

of you! hope you're doing well!



Memories of a high school before Northwestern

photo courtesy hyattsville jr high facebook pageThe old Hyattsville High School building before it was torn down and replaced by Hyattsville Middle.

Hyattsville Life & Times | September 2014 Page 9

Hyattsville International Festival

Festival Internacional de Hyattsville

Sunday, September 28, 12 - 5 PM

Domingo, 28 de septiembre, 12 – 5 PM

Live MusicCultural Crafts

Childrens EntertainmentFun Foods

Musica en VivoArtesanía Cultural

Entretenamiento para los NiñosComidas Divertidas

Admission & Entertainment is FREE. Vendors will charge for food.

La Entrada y el Entretenamiento son GRATIS. Los vendedores cobrarán para la comida.

Heurich Park, 2800 Nicholson Street, Hyattsville, MD 20782

COMMUNITY CALENDARSeptember 11 to 14University of Maryland’s Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center is kicking off its season with a four-day festival of more than 50 events, most of them free. The NextNOW Fest will feature a variety of live music from busking to Bach, plus a theater-department costume sale, aerial dancers, sonic massages and much more. For schedule and admission informa-tion, visit www.theclarice.umd.edu or call 301.405.ARTS. September 13 At the 7th Annual Downtown Hyatts-ville Arts Festival, there will be something for everyone: samples from local restau-rants, hands-on activities for children, and, of course, plenty of street performers and visual artists. Held throughout the Shoppes at Arts District Hyattsville (Route 1 at Jef-ferson Street) and surrounding areas. Free. 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. www.hyattsvillearts.com or 301.683.8267.

Do you own a home in the Historic Dis-trict? Are you interested it what it takes to preserve one? The Hyattsville Preserva-tion Association welcomes returning and potential members to its Fall Mem-bership Picnic Potluck. Bring a dish to share, something to sit on, and come enjoy music from the Wild Anacostians as you close out the summer with your neighbors. 5 to 9 p.m. www.preservehy-

attsville.org or 301.699.5440 for more in-formation, including location.

September 14Looking for a new job, career change, business collaboration, clients or connec-tions? Join the Hyattsville Professional Network for a monthly mixer on the second Sunday of each month from 7 to 9 p.m. Liberty Rucker of Wonderland Gar-den Design will present “Transforming Your Yard into a Magical Retreat.” Free. Municipal Building, 4310 Gallatin Street. [email protected].

Blue Sky Puppet Theatre presents Rufus, a story about a shy, lost and lonely little dog who finds friendship. For ages 3 and up. Free; donations accepted. 3 p.m. Old Parish House, 4711 Knox Road, College Park. www.cpae.org

September 15 to 21Try before you buy at Yoga Space this week, when all classes are free to new stu-dents. The studio offers Pilates and a va-riety of yoga classes, including prenatal, senior and adaptive. See the schedule at www.yoga-space.org. 4206 Gallatin Street. 301.699.5440.

September 16Tonight is the last of three public meet-ings on Hyattsville Branch Library re-placement plans. The project’s architects

and library officials are expected to attend the meeting, which runs from 7 to 9 p.m. 6530 Adelphi Road. 301.699.3500.

September 17, 18 and 20Sooner or later, development sprouts around most Metro stations. The zoning around the Prince George’s Plaza Metro has recently been expanded and changed, and county planning officials will be lead-ing a three-day design charrette to ex-plain them and seek residents’ input. See page 4. Wednesday, 6:30 to 9 p.m.; Thurs-day, 5 to 8 p.m.; and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. All sessions at the Hyattsville Municipal Building, 4310 Gallatin Street. 301.952.3910.

September 20Just how healthy are you? Find out at the Fifth Annual Hyattsville Community Multicultural Health and Wellness Fair, where there will be screenings for hy-pertension, high cholesterol, body mass index and more, as well as free flu shots and information on a variety of other ail-ments. Free. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. First United Methodist Church, 6201 Belcrest Road. 301.927.6133 or www.fumchy.org.

Maida Withers Dance Construction Company presents Trans Action, a dance performance that engages the audience to answer the question: “What does it mean if art lives here?” Free. 8:30 p.m. Art

Works Now, 4800 Rhode Island Avenue. 301.454.0808.

September 25The Hyattsville Historic District encom-passes about 1,000 structures. Do you own one? If so, you might qualify for Maryland Rehabilitation Tax Credits. Find out tonight as the Hyattsville Pres-ervation Association hosts Melissa Archer of the Maryland Historical Trust’s Pres-ervation Office, who will explain the fine print and tell you all you need to know to apply. Municipal Building, 4310 Gallatin Street. 7:30 p.m. 301.699.5440 or www.preservehyattsville.org.

September 27DeMatha’s parking lot will become a World of Wheels to raise money for Prince George’s County’s Court Appointed Special Advocates (PGCASA), who help more than 150 children a year. This family-friendly fun-draiser will feature children’s activities, a visit from Batman and, of course, a display of cars, trucks and motorcycles. Free for ages 2 and under; $5 general admission. 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. DeMatha Catholic High School, 4313 Madison Street. www.pgcasa.org. 301.897.0827.

Today, the rest of the country gets a taste of what locals have loved for years: free

calendar continued on page 10


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admission to stellar museums. As part of Smithsonian Maga-zine’s Annual Museum Day, hun-dreds of cultural venues nation-wide won’t charge an entry fee to visitors who present a special admission card. One card per household serves as a pass for two people; for details on how to get one, visit www.smithson-ianmag.com/museumday, where you will also find the list of par-ticipating sites.

September 28After a brief absence, the Hy-attsville International Festival returns to West Hyattsville for an afternoon of international food, music, dance, crafts and family fun. Community groups, school organizations, churches and civic clubs are also encouraged to set up displays and information ta-bles. Free. Noon to 5 p.m. Heurich Park, 2800 Nicholson Street. For more details, call 301.985.5021.

October 4Axis, an exhibition of visual and literary arts, features the work of 13 former fellows at the Virginia Center for Creative Arts. Many will be giving an art-ists’ lecture today at 2 p.m.; the show of drawings, paintings, sculpture, video, poetry and in-stallation runs through October 18. Brentwood Arts Exchange, 3901 Rhode Island Avenue, Brentwood. 301.277.2863.

October 5The daylong Hyattsville Cyclo-cross starts at 8:15 in Magruder Park, with a series of races in all age groups. The cyclocross is a test of both aerobic and bike handling skills, with a course fea-turing multiple terrains, includ-ing pavement, wooded trails, hills and obstacles that require the rider to quickly dismount and carry the bike. Fees vary;

see www.bikereg.com/25629 for more details or to register. 202.713.5424.

OngoingThrough October 19, the College Park Aviation Museum is showing rarely seen pieces of its collection in the exhibit Hidden Treasures, Hidden Stories. Some of these objects have not been on display since the old airport museum closed in 1997, while others have never been shown. Open daily, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Free with regular museum admission of $4 ($2 for children ages 2 to 18). 1985 Cpl. Frank Scott Drive, College Park. 301.864.6029. www.collegepark aviationmuseum.com.

Free Anacostia River Boat Tours are held Tuesdays through Fridays from noon to 12:45. All ages are welcome to join a park naturalist on a pontoon boat to search for birds and other wildlife. Evening rides will be held on Saturdays and Sundays starting at 5 p.m. Free; registration required for groups of 12 or more. Bladensburg Water-front Park, 4601 Annapolis Road, Bladensburg. 301.779.0371.

The Prince George’s County Audubon society and the Patux-ent Bird Club team up to host an early-evening guided bird walk along the Luther Goldman Birding Trail at Lake Artemesia. Walks are held every first and third Thursday at 6 p.m. and start at the lake park-ing lot at Berwyn Road and Ballew Avenue. Free. 301.459.3375 or [email protected].

Community Calendar is a select listing of events happening in and around Hyattsville from the 15th of the issue month to the 15th of the following month. To submit an item for consideration, please e-mail [email protected] or mail to Community Calendar, P.O. Box 132, Hyattsville, MD 20781. Deadline for October submissions is September 23.

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calendar continued from page 9

MissFloribunda


Prince George’s Plaza Transit District Development PlanPublic Planning Charrette Sessions

Prince George’s Plaza Plan de Desarrollo del Distrito de TránsitoReuniones de Pleaneación para la Comunidad

How can we make the Prince George’s Plaza Metro Station area more walkable, attractive and vibrant? Come join us at all three sessions to help shape its future:

Community Workshop Kick-Off: Wednesday, September 17th, 6:30 PM – 9:00 PM

Community Drop-In Opportunity: Thursday,

September 18th, 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM

Feedback on Plan Alternatives: Saturday, September 20th, 10:00 AM – 12:30 PM

Where: Hyattsville Municipal Building, 4310 Gallatin Street, Hyattsville, MD 20781

To learn more: www.pgplanning.org/PGPlazaTDDP.htm

¿Cómo hacemos la estación de Metro de Prince George’s Plaza más caminable, atractiva, y vi-brante? Acompañanos en las tres reuniones para crear su futuro:

Comienzo del Taller Comunitar-io: Miércoles, 17 de septiembre, 6:30-9:00 PM

Exhibición Comunitaria: Jueves, 18 de septiembre, 5:00–8:00 PM

Retroalimentación sobre Alter-nativas del Plan: Sábado, 20 de septiembre, 10:00 AM–12:30 PM

Donde: Edificio Municipal de Hyattsville, 4310 Gallatin Street, Hyattsville, MD 20781

Más información: www.pgplanning.org/ PGPlazaTDDP.htm

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Dear Miss Floribunda,

I read with great interest your answer to Maddened on Madison Street because I have been plagued with porcelainberry too. I now wonder why you didn’t mention invasive grasses. All kinds of lawn grasses try to get into my � ower beds and I have to weed weekly. � at’s bad enough, but now I � nd myself ripping up something new and really aggressive: a grass that mimics young bamboo. I don’t think it is bamboo because it isn’t hard to pull out, but it spreads so quickly and thickly that I am alarmed. Do you know what it is and what to do about it? I hope I don’t need to use an herbicide, which might kill my � owers.

Grassed-Out on Ingraham Street

Dear Grassed-Out,

� e bad news is that you are con-tending with Japanese stilt grass, which is an invasive exotic plant of great concern to the Friends of Magruder Park and the Prince

George’s County Park Service. � is grass has been taking over forested areas in 26 states because deer won’t eat it and it chokes out the native grasses. It spreads by means of seeds that a� ach them-selves to the shoes and clothing of hikers, and of course our avian friends do much to distribute it.

It came to the United States from China (not Japan) in 1919, used as a packing material for porcelain sent to Tennessee. It has moved up to Maryland, and is now the Hya� sville area. You are right that it is not bamboo. It looks di� er-ent from other grasses that have bamboo-like leaves because of its stilt-like central stem and a silver stripe in the middle of each leaf. It grows only 2 to 3 feet tall but is very good at strangling out any-thing trying to grow near it.

� e good news is that there is no need to go herbicidal. As you noted, this grass is shallow-rooted and can be weeded out of your � ower and vegetable beds. Also, it is an annual and you can prevent its return next year if you pull it up before it goes to seed.

Now is the perfect time to eradi-cate it, because it goes to seed in late summer and fall. Look for it in your lawn and mow it now. If it has gone to seed already, pull it up and bag it very carefully and dis-pose of it in your garbage. Don’t add it to your compost pile.

Good news also comes from our Park Service resource, Ranger Marc. He tells me that a bio con-trol is in e� ect and that if you no-tice brown spots on your Japanese

stilt grass, it’s working. � e fungus being used to combat this grass should not a� ect your � owers. If you or any other reader sees Japa-nese stilt grass with brown spots, please report it to USDA Research Plant Pathologist William Bruck-art at [email protected] or 301.619.2846.

Ranger Marc also asks that you and other readers keep an eye out for another encroaching men-ace: wavyleaf basketgrass. While

he has not seen it in Magruder Park yet, he knows this enemy is at our gates. It was � rst spo� ed in Maryland in Patapsco Valley State Park in 1996 and has cut quite a swath in our direction. It also resembles bamboo, though quite low growing, and is origi-nally from southeast Asia. I don’t know how it got here, but I am ap-palled to see online entries from people actually trying to acquire it as a houseplant! It is of course beautiful, especially the rippling leaves that give it its name. If you suspect you have seen it, please contact Ranger Marc at once at [email protected].

� e Hya� sville Horticultural Soci-ety will not meet in September but will reconvene on Saturday, Octo-ber 19, at the home of Joe Buriel and Dave Roeder at 3909 Longfel-low Street. A� er a brief meeting at 10 a.m., there will be light re� esh-ments and a plant exchange. While it may seem a golden opportunity to divest yourself of some porce-lainberry and Japanese stilt grass, please resist the temptation.

Japanese stilt grass looks like bamboo but is easier to remove from yards.

departments in the U.S have ac-cepted similar armored vehicles.

� e other items the HPD re-ceived were not up for debate, or even, it seems, disclosed to the city’s elected o� cials. Tartaro de-scribed the acquisition of assault

ri� es as “highly disturbing.” “An M-16 is a war weapon,” he

said. “� ere’s actually no reason the police department should have an M-16, in my mind.”

Nicholson, a retired Army colo-nel, sees it di� erently.

“It’s important to explain that we don’t acquire anything we don’t think we need,” she said. “We employ pieces of equip-ment that we think will protect the community in the best way that we can.”

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Page 12 Hyattsville Life & Times | September 2014

ty stolen – including what police say was a Pentagon-supplied AR-15 as-sault ri� e, which has been described as the civilian twin of the M-16. An arrest was made, but the ri� e was never recovered.

Police speculate that this is the reason for the suspension, which reportedly took e� ect in April. But Hya� sville Police Chief Douglas Holland and City Ad-ministrator Tracey Nicholson say they learned of the suspension on August 27, when contacted by ABC News.

Holland said his o� ce noti� ed the Pentagon, the Prince George’s County Police Department, and the Maryland State Police Depart-ment the day the the� occurred. It was – and is – against department policy to store a weapon in a ve-hicle overnight.

However, there is no evidence that the city’s elected o� cials were noti� ed. In 2010, Hya� sville May-or Marc Tartaro was the president of the Hya� sville City Council. He told the HL&T that he was not aware that the police had any as-sault ri� es, and doesn’t recall hear-ing about the the� at the time.

� e HPD is trying to clarify the reasoning behind the suspen-sion, and o� cials say they intend to try to have it li� ed. It’s strange, said Purvis, that there was a four-year gap between the the� of the AR-15 and the suspension.

According to news website Fu-sion, 184 departments have been suspended across the country “for missing weapons or failure

FACTS AND FIGURES ABOUT THE 1033 PROGRAM• Maryland State Police records show that since 2006, the Hyatt s-ville Police Department has received dozens of weapons and other equipment from the program (see graphic below).• Lt. Chris Purvis confi rmed that the Hyatt sville police department joined the program in 1998, which is also when Douglas Holland was hired as police chief. “� e � rst documents we can � nd where we actually obtained weapons would have been in the vicinity of 2001 to 2004,” said Holland. HL&T has requested a full list under the Freedom of Information Act. • Hyatt sville is among 108 Maryland police departments registered with the 1033 program, and one of two suspended from it. (� e

other one is the Worcester County’s Sheri� ’s Department.) Of the more than 8,000 law enforcement agencies enrolled throughout the nation, 184 have been suspended.• Records show that the neighboring municipalities of University Park, Riverdale Park and Mount Rainier have all received military-grade equipment, sometimes to the tune of tens of thousands of dollars. Further north, in College Park, the University of Maryland Police Department has received 49 M-16s since 2006.• Also according to data from NPR, two-thirds of police depart-ments in the U.S. issue Glocks. � e 20 that Hya� sville received from the Pentagon, said Holland, are the same caliber as the de-partment’s standard sidearms. Holland also said that 12-gauge shotguns are the best weapon to use “to destroy animals that are severely injured, like a deer who has collided with a car.”

to comply with other guidelines.” � e lost equipment includes as-sault ri� es, pistols, shotguns and Humvees.

� e program, which has made national headlines recently in the wake of the riots in Ferguson, Missouri, allows police depart-ments around the nation to be supplied with surplus military-grade equipment “for bona � de law enforcement purposes that assist in their arrest and appre-hension mission,” according to the Pentagon’s distribution ser-vices website. “Preference is giv-en to counter-drug and counter-terrorism requests.”

More than 8,000 law enforce-ment agencies are participating in the controversial 1033 pro-gram, with opposition centered around the perceived increase in police militarization. Last year, the City ultimately decided to ac-cept the Humvee amidst a � urry of comments on listservs and passionate arguments before the City Council. Many other police

POLICEcontinued from page 1

BY THE NUMBERS4 M-16 assault rifles

3 12 gauge shotguns

20 40 caliber glocks

2 small arms storage racks

1 holographic sight

1 armored truck

1 utility truck

1 infrared viewing set

1 diesel engine mobile generator

20 field packs

2 shipping and storage containers, communications

3 shipping and storage containers, miscellaneous

small arms storage racks small arms storage racks


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setting, and building a strong stu-dent community is a high prior-ity for the new principal.

“We’re talking about students that have an attachment to their [previous] schools,” Reap said. “That attachment is more than just the building – it’s friends, it’s parents. The students will eventually be excited, but we’ll be dealing with a whole range of emotions.”

Still, the building’s layout helps. With smaller wings of the school for each grade, three play-grounds, and plenty of places for students to work together and mingle during free time, Felegy is custom-built to foster a com-munity of learners. The main hall is dominated by two murals that reflect that communal ideal; one highlighting the history of Hy-attsville, the other showing the architects’ inspirations for the school’s design.

The whole building feels like a cutting-edge campus. Reap showed off the building’s en-ergy efficient heating, cooling, and water collection systems on a recent tour. All the building’s many energy saving features have earned it Silver LEED cer-tification, joining a growing list of schools in the country with LEED designation.

Classrooms are also equipped with SMART boards, which connect to computers and al-low teachers to bring technol-ogy directly into their lessons.

While it’s a step into the future of education, Reap is quick to point out that technol-ogy can’t replace f u n d a m e n t a l s like a solid cur-riculum.

He supports the theory that a student’s environment can have a huge impact on the ability to learn. Exposed pipes run along the ceiling and large expanses of glass reveal the bones of the building. It’s a design that Reap hopes will pique the students’ interest and help them develop an inquisitive mindset while at school.

At Germantown, he helped drive test scores and individual results up, in part, by maintain-ing a clean and crisp learning environment and by introduc-ing school uniforms.

“When you have on your work clothes, it’s time to work,” Reap explained at TEDxAshburn, a gathering designed to help lead-ers share ideas.

But it’s not just up to the stu-dents and teachers. Jennifer Kubit and Diveena Seecharan, both of whom have children at Felegy, emphasized the value of building parent involvement through a PTA.

Kubit, a former Prince George’s County teacher, said that the first year is really about building a group of involved parents. “Get-ting members and volunteers on a regular basis,” Kubit said, “is the most essential [first step].”

A PTA “could help support pro-grams that get the community to participate,” Seecharan said.

Reap also wants to define what an arts focused elementary school can be, to increase the re-spect that a community school can command, and to find new ways to take advantage of the school’s impressive facilities.

Those goals will take years to accomplish, but Reap says he is in it for the long haul. He and his wife and looking for a new home, and after spending time in Hyattsville, he said that he found it a welcoming place. Now he just needs to earn a bigger role for Felegy in that community.

felegy continued from page 1

Walter Reap


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september 2014 hyattsville life & times

Documents

new students

new elementary school

new mel

new arts school launches

second new school

nd new fashion

new principal walter

high school