Evening star., 1917-10-14
Many Problems Solved.

Many Problems Solved.
When Lee F. Hammer of the War De-
partment commission on training camp
activities prepared last spring to place
song leaders in the training camps for
the Army. aviation and ambulance corps
service, he had to find the right kind of
leaders and then persuade them to take
up the work. They had to be men with
good voices. men who could inspire
others: then there was the problem of
what to sing, how to get music in and
grams But Mr.. Hammer achieved The
apparently impossible. He found leaders
-hot so many as he wanted-placed them
| IN , the camps and found that the good re-
dared to hope Later, Mr. Hammer was
also made member of the Navy com
mission on training camp activities and
is now extending the work of providing
as well.
The first pioneers sent out by Mr.. Han
mer We're Geoffrey O'Hara, the young
composer. who went down to the big
mobilzation camp at Fort Oglethorpe
Ga: Kenneth S. Clark. New York music
critic and composer of a large number OF
princeton University songs who under
took the work at Allentown, Pa. Ambu-
Larce training Corps camp. and Robert
Lloyd well known vocal teacher. who
took charge of the work in the officers
training camp at Fort Niagara
1hey mad to face absolutely new condi-
tions. Geofrey o'Hara looked his camp
over and decided the only thing avail
able for q leaders, stand was !, lumber
pile. This worked all risht-until the
carpenters needed the lumber and took II
away. There was no music no scenic
effects in vaudeville stage English; there
We're no boards to help the leaders
get their stuff over They faced men
! who We're physically exhausted with the
/ naTL
| the leader to interest. to entertain his
men, II he couldn't do lit there was
nothing doing in the song business.
There Is no easy TRANSPORTATION meth
| cd for the song leader from regiment ia
regiment; he hikes, and his territory
covers anything from three to six miles
Sometimes he is lucky enough to catch
! y ''Garford Limited' in going from
place to place. This is army parIance
for the trucks. and their only. "linit"
| is when nothing more can be piled on
J them.
! Camp and Community Join.
( While the young song leaders were
! breaking trail" in company and regi-
! mental singing last summer, Harry
. !arnhart. the famous leader Of com
munity singing. conceived the idea of
bringing the men of the camps and
] the people of the community near the
camps together in great song festivals.
/ Il trained the men at the Syracuse
,.ohtli"at'Hn camp and ne community
! Chorus OF that city for a Song ana
7 : 'eht festival neto Al.sn'.t .. in which
$4,000 soldiers and civilians joined.
Later he led a great sing in the
o.. - akca naval jfiirin= station at
Chieasso;s followed by Song and
Light" festival for soldiers and civil
/ ians in Buffalo, and a similar one in
: Central Park, New York, where the
community chorus, and audience ct
100, 600 persons OF the 2Srd and list
Z .si.Ati
marching songs.
| Mai Gen. J. Franklin Boil heard of
The work and 'conscripted" Mr.. Barn
! hart to lead the $4,000 men OF the new
National Army who will be under his
! commend this winter al Camp tpton
II the rncantinoc The Success or the
! work in the different camps had also
disclosed the possibilities an" needs
win tite "earlt tat Er i.affofal COM
| r.i-lec on .r'7H nud 10y "an1r rinsic
was organized early in Septen:h her I"
cooperate with Mr. Hammer iii the
task Of putting singing IN me camps,
book thn contents cf which are based
= on Tire experience Of the men VINO were
in the work last summer; llhiI'nS up
the communities and The camps IN great
B community sings. and stanuafuiZtns
the music Of regimentaI bands This
( committee is headed by W. kIrkpatrlck
Brice. treasurer of the New OK COM
{ munity Chorus. and the lamp Upton
/ Army Recreation Fund. the other
! members including John Alden Car
! penter, the Chicago composer: Lee r.
! banner, of the War and Navy Depart
ment commissions: Mrs Marsarst Bur
rell of Buffalo and NJ Morgenthau, IT.,
| cr Se,, York The chicago civic Music
! Association loaned Miss Francis F.
! Hrundage. its supervisor. to become
/ executive secretary for the new work
Other Song Leaders Respond.
Besides the men who went into the
| camps first as song lenders there have