The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-12-01
RECREATION HALL
Material on Ground to Go "Over the
.TOp."

The benefits to be derived from the
building of a recreation hall by the
confined to the soldier, who Will be
within a five-minute walk from it at
any time, but the folks at home, the
mothers, wives and sweethearts of the
Kansas boys, will come in for their
equal share of the comforts of the
building
Owing to the fact that the 353rd is
a Kansas regiment, composed of men
from every county in the state, 1t IS
easy of access to the whole state. 1t
is swamped every Sunday and holiday
by an influx of thousands of visitors
There are no means within the regi-
ment to provide properly for the en-
tertainment of them, the larger part
of whom are women.
The principal object of the Regi-
mental Fund of the Arkansas infan-
try is the construction of a Recreation
hall, wherein will be found reading
and rest rooms, a basketball court,
concert stage, facilities for writing
letters, an old fashioned fireplace, and
many other conveniences of untold
worth to the boys themselves and
those who will come here to visit
them. In the rest room for ladies,
where the friends and home
folks come down to see the
soldiers, can see them with some
pleasure and privacy, instead of hav-
ing to stand around the barracks in
the wind and dust as they do now.
There will also be provision to eat
Sunday dinner together The need for
such a building has been impressed
upon the mind of every mother, sister
or wife who has visited the boys OF
for quarters of this kind cannot be
realized to the fullest extent until
you have made a trip here to see your
boy or some friends boy.
When the Recreation hall, with its
cozy fireplace. rest and reading rooms,
a place to eat Sunday dinners, with
facilities for writing letters and many
other comforts now unknown to the
soldiers and those who love them,
is completed, then it will be that the
soldier will be happy and content and
his moral environment will be greatly
improved.
While it may seem to some that
owing to the fact that the S53rd in
fantry may be ordered to foreign ser
vice within a few months and that
the outlay therefore, would not be
justified by that fact, there is no
question out what successive Kansas
regiments will be organized and
trained at this cantonment. The plan
is for each Kansas regiment to occu-
by the quarters now provided by the
353rd so that it is not alone for the
present the work is going on, but for
the future as we'll.
The regimental officers of the 353rd
infantry also want to provide adequate
means of healthful and normal
amusement for the men beyond that
which the very limited facilities at the
present time afford. In other words,
they want to give Kansas boys from
Kansas people a, place for themselves
where they can be made happier boys
and better soldiers
n & q
is not even a benevolent enterprise
that is to be administe ed for a dis
tant people in a distant land. 1t is a
| necessity that helps your boy, and
every boy drawn from Kansas to
serve his country.
The Recreation al hall and other
uses for the betterment of the gem
eral moral and physical welfare of the
| boys OF the All-Kansas regiment and
those who will follow in training
after this regiment has gone across
will fulfill a want which in the short
space of time the regiment has been
here has become crying necessity.
The regimenta1 officers hoped to
| have $40 subscribed for every man in
the regiment, but at the present time
they find that this amount has not
been secured. The fund is $4,000
| short of the required amount. Now
it is up to the people of Kansas, if
| they are to retain their splendid rec
ord for the equipment of Kansas in
proper manner, to make W. this
deficiency.
| When the All-Kansas regiment goes
across it will be necessary to have an
| adequate sum in reserve to furnish
the many necessities that are bound
| to come up.
! The material for the Recreational
hall is on the ground. The actual
| construction started Saturday and will
be pushed forward at a rapid rate.
All OF the labor is being perform ed
by men of the regiment.
II you have not already done so
YOU are urged to send your check for
this fund to Col. James H. Reeves.
Commanding officer. 353 Infantry,
| Camp Funston, Kan