The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-10-24
xxx
Life and Adaptabilities of tht
Prison Camps.

In Ruhlebes the educaJed prisoners
volunteered to teach the ignorant; two
hundred and ninety seven different
educational courses were offered to
those who desired to improve their
minds splendid orchestra was or
ganlzed a dramatic society which gave
plays in French and one which gave
plays in English and another one
which gave operas on New ear g
Day. 1915. attended az Ruhlebcn "A
really wonderful performance Of tn"
pantomime OF "Cinderella,' and in
January, 1917, a performance Of The
Mikado" in a tfeater under one OF
the rranGstsiids In these pFodac-
tons Of course. the female parts were
taken by young men and the scenery.
costumes and accessories were all
made by the prisoners.
There Was a camp library Of more
than tlve Thousand volumes sent over
~ the British government and read
Jag and meeting hail erected by the
American Young Mems Christian as-
seeiation. There was even system
OF postal service, with special stamps
SO that q prisoner in one barrack
could write 10 a friend in another
and have q letter delivered 10y the
camp postal authorities. The Ger
man authorities had not hired the
entire race track from the Race Track
association, so that I made special
contract with the race track owners
and hired from them the iuteld and
other portions not taken over by Ger
man authorities Here the prisoners
had tennis courts aud played hockey,
football and cricket and held athletic
gamea. Expert dentists IN the camp
took care Of the poorer prisoners as
b -
ish funds and glasses from the same
funds we're given the poorer prisoners.
SPECIAL ACCOMMoDA TIONS
IN CAMPS
The prisoners who needed a littl"
better uGurtshmep than that afforded
by the camp diet and their parh Is
from England could obtain cards Civ
ing them the right 10 eat in the casino
or camp official restaura Mt. whore they
were allowed a certain indicated
amount of wine or beer with their
meals: finally arrangements we're ar
rived AT by which the German guards
left the camp. simply guarding the
camp from the outside, and the polio
ing OF the camp was taken over by
rFa camp P0TtCe department un5fer tfe
rharge Of the prison camp commander
ard committee The worst features,
Of course were food and the housing
Human nature scenes always To be
the spme Establishment Of clubs
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