The proposal aired last week in North Attleboro to abolish the town pool committee and assign its duties to the park and recreation commission is a sensible one.

North Attleboro has had an abundance of committees, but hasn't always had enough bodies to fill them. That's been a growing problem in recent years. Abolishing the pool committee would reduce the volunteer drain, however slightly. The parks and recreation commission handles similar duties; indeed, most cities and towns that do have pools assign the maintenance and supervision duties to a recreation commission.

But let's not forget how North Attleboro got a separate pool committee in the first place. In our story last week, officials explained that is because the pool, even though it's open only two months, needs maintenance year-round. True enough, but the stories about World War II Memorial Pool -- and they are abundant -- suggest that it was given a separate committee because it was the pride of the town when it was built in 1951.

It was constructed in honor of the 50 North Attleboro men who lost their lives in World War II. Funding came from a community chest set up for veterans, who reportedly rejected a parade or other celebration and asked for something of use to the town's children. The pool that resulted was the biggest and best-appointed outdoor one in the region. It made North Attleboro youngsters the envy of neighboring towns, on hot summer days anyway.

That's more than a half-century ago. It was before the Hockomock Area YMCA or above-ground pools were even thought of. To be sure, World War II Pool has held up well through the years -- for which the pool committee deserves enormous credit -- but it is not the showpiece it once was. Still, it remains special. It's still a place where North Attleboro youngsters find a cooling refuge on a hot day and where many learn to swim.

To be sure, the pool can continue in this role regardless of which committee is responsible for supervision and maintenance. But the approvals needed from town meeting to accommodate the committee change will come all the more freely, we expect, if the parks and recreation commission produces a resolution of assurance that the pool will be a top priority and will remain a very special place for North Attleboro children.