Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1916-09-02
CLUB HOUSES FOR
The BORDER TROOPS
Cool and Comfortable Y. M. C. A,
Buildings Are Crowded
Night and Day

In 20 military camps along the
Mexican border, extending from
Brownsville on the Gulf to San Diego
on the Pacific, 3S big Army Y. NJ. c.
A. buildings rear themselves above
the cities Of white tents. They are
the coolest places in the camps
screened from flies; dry in the heavy
rains; well lighted at night; comfor-
table and home like. The buildings
are centers which the men appreciate
so greatly that their facilities are used
to the utmost during leisure from camp
work and drill and throughout the
evening hours until the bugles sound
taps.
All day long the graphophone whirls
out music. In the evening groups of
soldiers put on their records of popular
songs and their voices ring out into the
Texas night in rollicking choruses. And
they like to sing hymns too If there
is no record for what they want, some
FELLOW who can play sits at the little
folding organ and leads in the grand
old hymns of the church or the faster
measures of one of the Billy Sunday
collection. Some of the more opulent
branch Associations have piano
rented by the month. and this is rarely
silent.
Club Houses of the Men,
Reports to the National Headquar-
ters of the Army Young Mons Chris
tan Association, 124 East 2Gth Street
from the $50 secretaries in charge Of
the buildings, say they are crowded
with troops night and day. In fact
the simple frame structures are look
ed upon as the club houses of the men
and are being used continually as the
centers of the social and recreative
life of the camps. At the same time
weekly program of religious work is
carried out and clean living is tact
fully but vigorously urged as the
standard for soldiers of the United
States.
The work is thoroughly organized
and its efficiency and widespread in
f1uence for good are highly praised
by General Funston and the command
ing officers associated with him. Sec
rotary Baker Of the War Department
and General Scott, Chief of the Gen
eral Staff, recently wrote letters COM
mending the Associations work in
helping to preserve the morale Of the
camps.
"Write Home" Reads a Sign
From the opening day of each build
ing. writing paper by the thousand
sheets has been given out at the sec
retaries' counter and letters by the
bushel are daily sent homeward. In
every building is the sign-"Write
Home" reminder to many thought
less and careless young men. Up to
the end of August the consumption of
writing paper averaged about $4,000
sheets day.
Forty tons Of magazines and other
reading matter were sent to the Asso-
citation buildings on the border be-
tween July LIST and September 1st,
and there were many individual ship
ments from soldiers relatives and
friends. When the soldiers are not
writing letters or listening to the
graphophone they are reading. Dom
inc and checker tournaments are go
ing all the time with full entries If
the quoits are all in use. any Y. NJ c.
A. secretary can produce horseshoes
as a good substitute.
Movies and Vaudeville
At night there are the movies" and
impromptu entertainments, with talent
furnished by the men themselves.
There is a surprising amount Of good
/ talent among the troops and while the
programs are not always up to the
highest vaudeville standard, they fur
nish a lot Of amusement and good
wholesome fun for the men. Only
those who come early are able to get
into the buildings at all.
When all the motion picture equip
ments are installed, thirty buildings
can be turned into movie" theatres
every night, il necessary. The motion
picture film trade has generously
agreed To nrovida free film aaxuioo Cor