Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1917-12-19
A HOSTESS HOUSE
WHAT IT REALLY is
The Hostess House At Camp Meade
Described
WHERE GUESTS ARE WELCOMED
The Good Work Being Done By Young
Women's Christian
Association

is? When you gave your money TO
the Y. W. c. A. big part of it went
toward the construction of these great
necessities in the military camps.
On the train lately one woman was
overheard to ask another, What is
Hostess House2" and the answer
came. "A Hostess House is little less
than revelation" which was not
very definite. but she had just visited
one and spoke from the fullnes of her
heart
The House at Camp Meade is huge
size. picturesque. shingled bunga-
low, sieuated near the electric car
station One enters through a glass
enclosed veranda into an extensive
room. A room beautiful in its delft
blue hangings and upholstered easy
chairs, beautiful with its two great
open fires cracking away in the big
center chimney, with its grand piano
and refreshing ferns and plants here
and there; but most beautiful because
of its entire homelike, welcoming,
cheering atmosphere. 1t is here the
soldiers bring their guests, when
these come from far and near to catch
a glimpse of their beloved men and
boys; il is here that happy meetings,
grieving good-byes-joy and sorrow
are sheltered
Have you. woman, ever come
from a long. long distance, tired.
weary, ignorant of army ways,
stranded in a comp of just thousands
of men, and wondered how on earth
you'd find that precious soldier-man
you'd journeyed to see? Pretty hard,
isn't ie? but think of the terribly
ignorant, foreign sisters, strangers in
strange land, unable to speak Eng
lish, but just as brave and willing to
give soldiers to the cause, as just as
loving as American women. These
are some of the great problems that
the Y. w. c. A. is solving with its
Hostess House.
On camp visiting days the House
is swarmed with fathers, mothers.
sisters, brothers, wives, children,
sweethearts, with their soldiers A
cafeteria, occupying the further end
of the room. dotted with small tables.
serves wholesome refreshments at
cost price at certain hours. 1t is a
real sight to witness the soldiers
keen enjoyment of a real cup of
coffee and a sandwich, not to men
ton pie. for each is a true American!
All day and evening the House well
comes it's guests, and on non-visiting
days the soldiers frequent the happy
place.
A lady from Annapolis. who is
quite a musician, and was recently
ION duty" for the Y. w. C. A. at the
House, played for several hundred of
the khaki-clad of whom all kinds and
all sorts gathered around in large
circle, both about the piano and
their glowing log fires. They sang
to their hearts content. songs and
hymns, old and new. Several calls
came for the "Swanee River" and
lover There"
After their songs and enjoyed
recreation in the Hostess House, they
went back to their work in line of
duty, and to the barracks with re-
newed spirits, their hearts gladdened,
their hours frightened for the mem
DRY of that delightful hour spent in
the Hostess House. They spoke of
it with pleasure, most Of them, and
those who did not, looked it,
Maybe it was the good food, the
warmth of the fire place, perhaps,
too, the music and their singing, all
of which must have brought back the
thought of Home" and the unfail-
ing inspiration that it brings The
thought of home, father, mother,
wife, sister, sweetheart, urges a fight
ing man on through trials and suffer-
ings of war-this warrior this fight
is surely a fight for the protection of
home and all that home stands for.
But to the subject of this great
centre. Some may ask who conducts
the Hostess House. There are four
Young Women's Christian Associa-
ton workers, than of whom there are
no finer, nobler women They give
their time. energy, talent, foresight,
and executive ability to this work II
means incessant work, thought, and
management on their part, but they
never weary. They love their work,
and in that is their -success-loye for
their work.
Several Annapolis women have been
asked to volunteer their services for
q day at the Hostess House at Camp
Meade, and have gone and worked
with pleasure. If any woman is so
fortunate as to be asked for this
work. she should not let the oppor-
tunity slip, that she may see for her
self the splendid work that is being
done there. It will be an inspiration,
and she will not wonder long that
this government is begging the Y w
c. A. for these Hostess Houses.
There are about sixty camps still
needing them, and with a successful
issue of the Young women's Chris
tian Association drive for four mil
lion dollars (s4,0O0.O00) they will
have them.
To realize how the one at Camp
Meade is appreciated, is but to quote
many Of the soldiers who exclaimed: