New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1917-07-18
LETTER RECEIVED
from Y. N. {. A. UNIT
Local Men Tell Of Activities
At QuantiCo ]

~ XudullGU
A letter from the Y. M. C. A unit
of New Britain consisting of Clarence
II. Barnes. Warren S. Slater and
James Z. Gripp now stationed at the
Quantico Marine Barracks, having
arrived there July 2. has been receiv-
ed by the officials at the local organi-
cation.
The letter follows: The Y. M. c., A.
unit from New Britain consisting
OF Clarence H. Barnes. Warren S.
Slater and James c. Grip, arrived
at Quantico Marine Barracks July
End, and was Immediately given tenn
porary quarters in a Mess Hall, where
writing material and reading matter
was furnished for the Marines. A big
sign lettered Y. M. c. A. announced
to the men that the association was
on the job. Soon the room was filled
with men who were glad of a place to
sit and write under electric light. Let
tiers began to go across the continent
to the home folks many of whom
live in the west( as a large number
of the men here were recruited on
the Pacific coast and the Western
States. .-.
Limited equipment mas not nlnOer-
ed the Y. M. c. A. from going ahead
and organizing the recreational life OF
the men in camp. In cooperation
with Captain Edwin B. Niver, Chap
lain, the Association is providing mo-
ton pictures, Tuesday, Thursday and
Saturday evenings out of doors, u.s.
ing a screen painted and set up by
marines. Five or six hundred men
gather in the evening after a hard
day of drill to watch favorite screen
actors in the best plays that can be
secured.
A college teacher is giving instruc-
ton in French to men who are about
ready to leave for France and who
are anxious to pick up some of the
language of that country.
Mr.. Slater is already very popular
with the 9th Company Artillery which
has recnetly come back from Haiti
and is crack veteran company. The
men call his "Shorty" and as is usual
in the case of nicknames, is a mark
of their appreciation and esteem. He
is running baseball games each eve-
ming and yesterday the port team
played the team from Washington
Barracks.
- Finding that many men could not
swim Mr.. Slater offered his services
to Lieut. Col. Barnes, who Immediate
ly ordered the schedule changed and
beginning today the Marines will be
marched to the Patomac River for
swimming instructions as part of the
daily routine. AS Slater is an expert
teacher in swimming the Y. NJ. c. A.
will render great service to the Ma
rine Corps.
..I;ly
ton and will have over 800 wooden
buildings when completed in a few |
weeks Units of four buildings to |
accommodate 200 men are going up |
',ery fast. Two buildings are for bar
racks, one is a mess hall and the |
other is a laterne and contains ten
shower baths with hot and cold wa
ter and lavatories. The buildings
have electric lights and telephones.
In addition to these units there are
officers quarters, guard houses, hos
pitfalls and a post exchange where the
men can buy almost anything they
need The profits go to buy various
things for the comfort Of the men.
The camp is located on what was
a few weeks ago a forest, but a force
of LOO men have quickly changed
the woods into a cleared slope on
which the buildings are going up in
streets about one-half mile long. The
government has leased a tract of land
which stretches back from the Pa
tomac river to the Richmond Pike
twelve miles away. This large piece
of land is necessary for an artillery
range which will he laid out later.
The Y M. c. A force is accepted
by the officers as part of the camp
and everything is open to them-a
pass by order OF Major General Bell
entities them to enter any military
camp. Consequently the secretaries
can watch any of the drills they wish
to see.
AT the end of a perfect day" in
this hot country the men know they
have been working and anything that
offers diversion is very accepta BILE to
them, and the Y. NJ. G. A. is ION the
job" AS one marine expressed Its
remarkable how you Y. M. G. A. men
come in without noise or fuss and get
things going for us fellows"