Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1917-12-21
$ To FORMER PUPILS
c. ]. Dunbar Writes to La Sale School
Regarding Life and Experiences in
Camp Sherman.
Decenher g 1917

December 8, 1917.
My Dear Young Friends:
l was very glad to get your let
ters of the sixth of last month. No
doubt you think me very tardy in
answering them. l think so, too.
However, this is the third time,
have begun, and hope to finish it..
Perhaps you would be interested in
knowing just where l am writing this
letter, so I'll tell you that first:
l have a box that once contained
two dozen large cans of "Pet brand
Evaporated Milk" (Do you know
one place where they manufacture
"Pet Milk"?) For this box made
four legs and braced them well and
made a cover from two nice smooth
boards. This serves very we'll as a
writing desk and place to keep my
clean clothes. But we have no chairs
in our barracks-that's our house-so
l have a board across from one cot
to the other and that serves as a
very good bench rather than a chair
Usually we go to the Y. M. c. A. to
write our letters, but as everybody
else goes there, too, the writing
desks are almost always taken and
we have to wait long time or go
back to the barracks without writing.
That's why l made my desk. Now
l can go to the "Y," get paper and
envelopes and come back and write
without disturbance or waiting, if
the lights don't go out.
5o H.,
drill and play very hard; when it is
bad, we are in the barrack listening
to lectures or studying and practic-
ing signaling with flags, if we are
not on special duty such as guard
duty, kitchen duty, or hauling coal,
gravel, or garbage. About one day
each week we dig trenches. The re-
mainder of the week we hike, march,
drill with rifles and bayonets, prac-
tie throwing bombs, and play games
Games are a part of our work and
every one must play. Most of the
boys think the kitchen is the hardest
place to work, and l think so, too
Nearly all of you want to know
how l like camp life, or how l like
to be soldier. Now, we don't hear
very many say they like camp life
Some seem to be contented; others
are thoroughly dissatisfied, and don't
mind saying so, and still others are
all the time complaining and crouch.
| ing, making themselves and every
body else miserable. For my part,
hate the complaining and groucn1ng
more than anything else about the
whole camp. I can't say that l an
in love with camp life, but l am a
least well contented. I think ever!
one has the power to content them
selves in most places and under mos
all circumstances if they will, evel
though it is sometimes very hard t,
do. We have about all the necessi
ties of life, but not many luxuries
We have plenty to eat, if it is plain
Our beds are small but comfortable
although we have no pillows or whit
sheets. We each have one comfor
and three blankets, very much lik
horse blankets; these keep US quit
warm. For pillows we usually plac
a few boards under the straw tick a
the head of the bed.
We have been having a very ba
day so far, but it now looks and act
as though it might get worse. !
showed all last night and until to
day noon, when it began to rain. Nov
it has stopped raining and is get
! ting cold rapidly. If 1 mistake MOI
we'll all be shivering before morn
ing.
; 1 was very glad to hear that yo
are all getting along so well. Wit
so boys and girls of all grades, yo
will all have to do your best to hel
your teacher.
Now, l must close. If l can, l hop
to get pass next Saturday for abou
five days. So it may be that ca
see some or perhaps all of you. Don
forget to write again, and I'll try t
be more prompt in answering. If
should not be able to get home, an
l shall take this opportunity in cas-
l should not, to wish you all Merr
Christmas and a very Happy an
E Prosperous New Year. / am,
L Ever your friend,
} c. J. DUNBAR.
' Co. B, 329th Inf, Camp Sherman
r. Chillicothe, Ohio.