Trench and camp. (Augusta, Ga.) 1917-1919, October 31, 1917, Page Page 11, Image 11

Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page.

Oct. 31, 1917. THE ARMY Y. M. C. A. AT CAMP HANCOCK x Spending SB,OOO a Month. Six Buildings, Forty-five Secre taries and Touching Directly Ten Thousand Men a Day in Great Army Camp. World-wide in its scope of activ ities, knowing neither racial nor religious bounds, operating in the armies of every nation now at war with the exception of the Turkish, the Young Men’s Christian Asso ciation is one of the few organiza tions offering the soldier gratuit ous services- Its work is limited only by the bounds cf the possible, and its value to the men in the field in inestimable, both in its direct and in its psychological effects to the men in khaki. Roughly speaking, the Y. M. C. A.’s activities may be divided into three classes: recreational educational and religious. Just which of the three is cf the most benefit to the men of the army is difficult to ascetrain, but a popular vote among the soldiers would Undoubtedly decide unanimously in fa for of the first mentioned, as recrea tion is as essential to the soldier’s wel fare as is sleep. It is especially a vital need in the training camp, more so, in fact, than In any other part of the army life where the work is limited to the daily grind, with none of the excitement of the bat tle to alleviate the monotony of the routine. Work on the Border. During the nine months of last year, while the national guard of the country was encamped at the Mexican border, the Y. M. C. A. spent more than $280,- 000 for the maintenance of places of amusement and writing rooms for the citizen-soldiers, approximately three dollars for every man under the colors. The present program calls for a stu pendous expenditure. A whirlwind campaign for thirty five millions of dollars will be opened on NX-ember 11, to last a week, the entire proceeds of which will be spent on the soldiers of the United States and her allies. Call for Needed Funds. Pennsylvania’s quota has been fixed at three and a half millions. Os the thirty-five, eleven million will be spent on the soldiers of the United States in this, country, twelve on our soldiers in France, three and a half on the sol diers of the Russian »rmy, two and a half of those of the French, one on the Italian, ai.d one on the prisoners in the various war camps. Five millions have already been sub scribed and will be included with the total of the Y. M. C. A.’s November drive. Spending SB,OOO a Month at Camp Hancock. Upon the soldiers of the Keystone state alone, encamped at the Georgia cantonment, the expenditures of the as sociation last month amounted to SB,OOO not including the movies, entertain ments, or supplies, which are paid for by the New York office. At present there are five Y .M. C, A. shacks at Camp Hancock, costing $4,000 apiece, and one large tent. Plans for the erection of several additional shacks are being rushed, and they will j be built as soon as the conditions make . it posible. Each is supplied with a : piano, a talking machine, stereopticon, l moving picture machine, and a com plete athletic outfit, Basketball, foot-! ball and baseball sets, costing $250 apiece. i Each week there are at least four- ' teen moving-picture shows given at the camp free, in addition to entertain ments and lectures. The secretaries, endeavor to furnish some kind of en- ! tertainment every night for the boys ini khaki, and the crowds that attend fur- ' nish an unanswerable indication of, their appreciation. Six expert physical instructors have ' been detailed to the camp to look after the men of the 28th division, and al though the strong, straight forms of Pennsylvania’s fighting sons make their positoins almost superfluous, they find plenty to occupy their time as athletic directors. A comprehensive educational system has been put into effect at the camp. There are now more than twelve hun- ( dred men studying French, under com- i petent instructors, and it is planned to' increase the range of the classes until every man in the division may study the course. Classes for promotional examinations are also being held, so that the ambitious enlisted man may• prepare himself for the responsibilities of the shoulder bars, and be prepared to step into the commissioned ranks ■when the opportunity presents itself. A great deal of trouble has been ex perienced in some of the up-state reg iments with the foreign elements whose grasp of English is so alight that they are unable to understand the com mands of their superior ofifeers. For these an English course has been insti tuted, and already the benefits are making themselves shown. A Chautauqua Circuit. The regular Chautauqua Circuit has ; been established at Camp Hancock, | and all of the best speakers are billed j to talk there- Each Y. M. C. A. shack maintains a TRENCH AND CAMP circulating library, where the enlisted man may secure books to suit every taste. These are furnished by Penn sylvania and Augusta individuals and societies, and many come from the American Library Association. The latter will send an increasing amount each month. Home newspapers are kept on file, many of the Pennsylvania papers sending twenty-five copies ev ery .day for the use of the soldiers here. Weekly Publication. The Trench and Camp weekly is an other of the Y. M. C. A.’s institutions. Each ’week more than ten thousand copies are furnished th > men, and great interest is felt in pbulication throughout the camp. A “Thrift Campaign,” put into ef fect la§t month resulted in the sending of more than $40,000 to the home folks during the week after pay-day. A sex morality campaign is b&ng encessantly waged, the effects of which are incal culable among the men removed from the influence of the home. In addi tion to weekly talks on the subjevt of morality awd sex hygiene, pamphlets are distributed among the men, car rying the work even further. Religious talks and prayer meetings are held in all the shacks several times each week, and regular services every Sunday. The Y. M. C. A. also fur nishes clergymen to conduct the Sun day regimental services when the units are without a chaplain. The quota for Camp Hancock of Y. M. C. A. workers has been fixed at forty-five, although at the present time the full numbers is not yet here. Many of these offer their time and services free for the benefit of the soldiers, — others receive only the expnses neces sary for the Work, and refuse salaries. AGED CARPENTERTONATED HIS BIT FOR WAR WORK At Camp Hancock, there is a car penter named Rushing. He has had charge of the erection of one of the buildings of the Army Y. M. C. A. For six weeks he has seen the activ ities of Army Association work. At first, the work was conducted in a tent and during wet weather, he and his men were invited into the tent, where they continued their work, mak ing benches, shelves, etc. Before the building was finished, the secretaries moved in and abandoned the tent. There were many handicaps. The noise of the hammers and saws con tinued for several days. The old mas ter carpenter tried to live up to his name. At times the work went Rush ing. Then the materials gave out and the construction lagged. These conditions did not daunt the secretaries. They planned and labor ed as though they were working in a modern $300,000 building. Thousands of men brushed by the carpenters as they toiled day after day. They were given writing paper, parcel post rates were given; soetimes a young soldier wanted the secretary to wrap and address his package; ink, pens, pencils, blotters, stamps, post cards, money orders —all these were furnished by the untiring secretaries and the old carpenter witnessed the room full of men writing home, or lis tening to an entertainer or religious speaker. The Augusta Herald Delivered to Your Company Street At Camp Hancock. Afternoons and Sundays, 60c a Month. Phone Your Order to 2036 Augusta. Notify Herald Wagons. Write a Post Card and say, Send Me The Augusta Herald Daily Sunday Evening Morning One day, the religious work secre tary was called, to leave the building for two weeks to organize the small communities for the coming $35,000,000 campaign. He was leaving the building, when the old carpenter asked: ‘Are-you go ing to leave?” Yes, for a time,” said the religious director, explaining that he was leav ing to assist in the $35,000,000 cam paign. "What’s all that money for?” in quired the old carpenter. Then the religious secretary stated that is was absolutely necessary to carry on the work at Camp Hancock and all the other camps in the United States, as well as the work to be done in France, Russia and Italy. “I want to do something for the work,” said the old man. 'I want to start the fund. Here’s a new dollar bill. It isn’t much, I know, but after what I’ve seen at this buildi.ig, I don’t need anybody to tell me whta the Army Y. M. C. A. is doing.” And the religious secretary started off on his campaign fired with enthu siasm because of the old carpenter's practical appreciation. BUY A COPY OF HISTORIC AUGUSTA Read it. Keep it for reference, and send a copy to your friend. Price 25c. A. W. DELLQUEST BOOK CO., Publishers. Leonard Building. 213-215 Seventh St. Augusta, Ga. PHOTOGRAPHS Come in and let us make your photograph for Mother, Wife or Sweetheart, and send to them Christ mas, Sammie Boy. Many Camp Hancock boys are hav ing their work done here. WE DO DEVELOPING. R. E. QUARLES, Photography 842 Broad Street. Phone 462. THE MERCHANTS BANK Extends a Most Cordial Wel come to Soldiers, Visitors and New Citizens. Our ample capital, favorable connections, conve nient location and large corps of efficient assistants who are trained to courtesy and the transaction of business in the simplest, most direct manner enable us to offer a most satisfactory service to those desiring to transact banking business, large or small. Accounts, subject to check, large or small, are invited. We conduct a Savings Department in which we pay interest at the rate of 4 per cent per annum, compounded. Deposits are accepted in any amount from SI.OO up. We have a large number of safe deposit boxes which we offer for rent for storage of valuables and other papers, at very low prices, ranging from $3.00 to $25.00 per year. Please remember our bank is located at No. 821 Broad street, in the center of the city. MERCHANTS BANK AUGUSTA, GA. CAPITAL AND SURPLUS $500,000.00. ALBERT S. HATCH, E. E. ROSBOROUGH, President. Cashier. , Wm. H. BARRETT, B. H. ELLISON, Vice President. Assistant Cashier. WASHINGTON AND JEFFERSON ALUMNI. Washington and Jefferson College alumni in the 28th Division are planning a celebration to take place in Augusta at the time of the annual football battle between W. & J. and the University of Pittsburgh, on Saturday, November 10th. These two colleges have always been bitter rivals in all branches of sport and especially in the November gridiron clash which is he’d in Pittsburgh each year. Wire reports will give the game play by play as it progresses. The whole affair will be staged at one of the local hotels as soon as it is de termined how many to provide for. Lieu tenant Braden of Company H, 110th Regiment, and Corporal Hague of Com pany K, of the same regiment, have charge of the arrangements for the cele bration which will wind up with a,, ban quet. All who have not been “interview ed” as yet are requested to inform Cor poral Hague of their whereabouts, and as to the likelihood of their being pres ent on this occasion. There are fifty or more Red and Black Alumni in the Pennsylvania division and at least seventy-five Pitt men, so the Western Pennsylvania, men who know what happens in Pittsburgh on the eve ning of one of the big battles can look for a small sized edition of the celebra tion here. Page 11 I I® tn ■' Wr rSir Ur \Y '' i ’I 003