The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1917-10-18
Foundation Column
LETTER FROM THos. L. PARKER

Camp sherman, o., Oct. 9, 1917.
Dear Prof Edwards and Foundation,
I have been here nearly a week,
came last Thursday at $3.50 y. m.
Left Granville at II 80, after lunch
spread by A. +. +. w. At Newark
they had big celebration at the
Court House. The whole town and
most Of the country was there. The
celebration lasted two hours. There
was music and speeches. After that
we paraded with the Newark City
recruits 10 the II. & o. depot where
we entrained for Chillicothe via.
Columbus and Washington Court
House. We had great trip.
There were lunch baskets illled
with good chicken and lots OF
things. Then too the people OF the
county subscribed money TO present
each one Of us from Licking County
with a beautiful service medal. by
way of an identification tag. We
expect TO wear these around our
nccks.
Tpon arriving at Camp sherman
the roll was called. All present,
none drunk. none even showing the
effects Of liquor. We were marched
the three miles across the big cimp
10 our Barracks in Section 5 on the
extreme east side of the camp. IL
was the east side. hut now several
new buildings - horse sheds, bar
racks, mess halls, etc. - have been
built further on.
Even before our arrival we were
all assigned to Battery ID OF the
heavy Field Artillery.
Our Barracks where am is long
two story shed. one room to each
story. with room on each floor Tor
Is recruits. The building looks like
our old Barracks, or Jimmy Barns
except they are not painted and do
not have those cupalos. ! happened
TO get neighbor hoy from home as
my bunk mate. The beds are ar
ranged in pairs, put close together
with a little space between the pairs
and three rows in the room, one
down each side and the other in the
middle.
After supper we were issued two
blankets and bed tick apiece. Then
we filled our ticks with straw and
made our beds and crawled in.
Then my Berea training showed.
I am proud Of the fact that was
the only one 10 kneel by my bed be-
fore getting in. I'm glad because |
had the courage to do II. ] prayed
Tor myself. for the other fellows, for
my home folks. do ! need To tell
ito for friends and then Berea and
President Frost. tried To include
all Of YOU. and ! want you To re-
member me in your prayers, too,
every one of you. I'll need them be-
fore I ever get away from here.
Every one was noisy that night
and we didn't sleep much.
Friday we went for physical OK
animation; were vaccinatcd Tor
smallpox and inoculated in the back
for typhoid. Two tainted during
the business. ! got along fine, had
done il at Berea.
That night few slept. Backs ach-
cd. four or five were delerious, three
tainted. and some Of us more rugged
ones acted as nurses. My inocula-
tion at Berea must have been good
for ! was only sore, not sick at all.
I made some nurse. One had a nj
and tried 10 chew his tongue OF,
and was the only one handy to
help him out. He fell just in front
Of the Barracks and piled out OF
the window To help him. Next
morning ! had lost my appetite,
didn't go TO meals at all Saturday
head ached. due 10 the supernuous
tobacco smoke in the barracks. All
but three Of our ~ use the weed and
we were miserable. II was too cold
10 open windows for we have no
heat. We Just bundle on all we have
and then SILVER at night for two
blankets won't keep man warm