The Community Service League was responsible for twenty-six
of these Saturday night parties for service men, and the participation
indicated the men's appreciation. The discontinuance of the parties
at the end of January, with the withdrawal of all WPA assistance, was
a tragedy for Lawrence, but there was no choice. The major part of
the game equipment had been loaned by WPA, and extra janitor service
had been provided for the building; these relatively small items when
added to the services of the director and the nearly 500 hours of
weekly leadership, however, left the League with no funds other than
the sponsors! contributions.

Realizing that both the city government and the school
officials-- the two agencies which could be counted upon for public
support of a recreation program-- were taxing their legal limit and
hard pressed for funds, the mayor's committee felt it justifiable to
ask for federal aid for the duration . Such action seemed particularly
fitting since the major share of the recreation participation was
either from the service men in training here or from the influx of
population due to the powder plant, both federal rather than local
in character. The city council, asked to outline the projects which
they felt most urgent, refused to consider the application for any sum
or to make constructive suggestions as to possible alternative proce-
dure. Part of the council's opposition may have been due to purely
political aversion to the WPA and a reluctance to accept the generosity
of the administration, but there was evident also the erroneous idea
that the entire recreation program might be carried on a purely
volunteer basis. Confronted by no funds and little or no cooperation,

the committee resigned.