Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1917-11-12
Rev. Harry F. Shook, Formerly of
This City, Writes Of Need in
Camp Cody for More Y. M.
C. A. Buildings.
AWAIT THE CAMPAIGN OUTCOME
Now Have But One Building With 800
Seating Capacity to Every
1000 Men.

j
letter from Rev. Harry F. Shook, for
merly of Webster City, now an army
chaplain at Camp Cody, N. M. The
letter follows:
Dear Mr.. McMurray:-
am told by the Y. M. c. A. officers
here in the camp, that friends Of the
association work will soon be called
on for further contributions for Y. M.
|C. A. activities in the various army
camps and cantonments and feel
sure you will be among the leaders in
the campaign for funds in Hamilton
county.
Perhaps little testimony from
Camp Cody about the work Of the
association and the need for more
money will be somewhat appreciated.
There are five buildings here, each
4Cx96, and seating probably 500 men.
These buildings were put up as cheap
ly as possible, partly on account OF
the climate here and the belief that
this is only temporary camp, and
partly because Y. M. c. A. authorities
were anxious to provide as many
buildings as they could with the funds
on hand. The plan was to have one
"Y" building to every two sections, or
regiments. This would furnish we'll
lighted auditorium of 500 seating cap
acity for every 1000 men, because the
new tables or organization In the
army give every infantry regiment
E3eeo men. There are writing t.elss
all around the sides Of the building
and benches in the center, with tables
for checkers ETC., in the rear. Each
building is SO arranged as to leave
clear space for motion pictures
thrown on screen in front from a
machine located high up in the rear.
Buildings Too Small.
You can see that building of this
size is wholly inadequate to house the
men Of the regiments. We tried hold
ing our first regimental church service
inside one of these buildings when the
Second Iowa first arrived in camp,
but there was not room for all who
wanted to attend, in our one regiment
of only 1900 to 1900 men. Since that
first Sunday we've held our meetings
out-of-doors, on seats provided by the
association in the rear of its buildings.
To be sure, there are other units
here than infantry, where regiments
are not so large. For example, the
regiment l am chaplain of-109th En-
gineers-has a strength of 1850 men
when its ranks are full. We have up
ward of 1900 now. But we have no
"Y" building-the nearest is nearly
half mile distant. Perhaps that
doesn't seem far, probably the men
could walk over there, if they cared
enough about it, but this particular
building serves two other regiments,
and there are, besides, additional
troops not strictly in its territory,
still nearer than we are.
Need Is Apparent.
You see, the conditions are such
that a warm, well-lighted room with
congenial companship, frequent NOV
les, addresses, athletic and social
stunts-and a piano-has very de-
cided appeal There are eight to ten
fellows in a tent 1Sx1S. They are al
lowed a certain number Of candles a
week. If they want more light, or
other light, they are obliged to furnish
il themselves. They can't read with
any satisfaction in the tent unless
they have several lamps, and writing
under these circumstances Is not the
easiest thing by any means. We are
taking up new training. which is suf-
ficiently intensive to fill up the day.
Well, the conclusion of the whole mat
ter is that when the hours OF lone
someness come, right after evening
mess and in the dark and chilly even
ing, most of the fellows want action
and recreation, and if they are obliged
to walk half mile to crowded build
ing, where the fellows of other units
feel more at home than they, they will
go down town or kill time in other
ways.
have taken up with the association
officials, the need of building III our
district, and they tell me that two
new buildings will be put up here
one near our egiment-when they
have assurance that the campaign fol
funds will win. So we must wait, il
we expect their cooperation, until tht