The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1917-10-25
WHEN WOMEN VISIT CAMP

"'ioh' iol TIE I. NJ. t. a. press bu-
reau, tells how much it is needed.
Miss Byron writes:
When first heard of the plans of
the y. w. c. A. for erecting Hostess
Houses at the big army encampments.
said, Women haven't any business
visiting army camps. They ought to
stay away" Since then | have learned
that there are some legitimate rea.
sons for a m going to an army
camp.
One of these reasons took me to
Camp Dodge. Emergencies and err
rands of various kinds may make it
necessary for the wife, mother. sister.
or sweetheart of a soldier to visit
him, as the leisure of the drafted man
is limited. Moreover, it seems to me,
women have a right to see what is one
of the greatest sights of VI genera
ton, the giant implanted city, the re-
plea of the giant implanted cities all
over the United States, where the
greatest army which the world has
ever known is being created.
But to visit a city of $4,000 men
would not under any circumstances be
an easy thing for a woman to do.
The bus which comes from Des
Moines runs we'll through the camp,
upon the main road, which like all the
roads in the camp is lined with bare,
implanted barracks, all exactly sim
liar. In the open spaces, rockies"
are drilling; along the roads, much Of
the time, rockies" are marching.
Upon alighting from the bus, a wom-
an might well be perplexed as TO
which way to turn. She is forbidden
to enter the barracks, and she is at
tracing all the attention she wants
from the soldiers without approaching
any of them. She may have alighted
neal one of the 4 army Y. NJ. C. A.
buildings where she will receive cour-
teous treatment and be directed to
wherever she wants to go.
Perhaps, however, she has been
wise and made definite arrangements
as to where to meet her soldier. Just
where this would be, it is hard to de-
eide. Not possibly could she see her
soldier alone or in a quiet comfortable
spot, where they could chat in peace.
After that ten mile bus ride, she
might wish to wash up a bit and pow
der her nose before meeting her sol
der. But there is not a corner, in
all the length and breadth Of Camp
Dodge, where she could yield to so alb
surd a within.
Mealtime might catch her unawares
within the confines of Camp Dodge.
but if 1t did she would have to go
hungry. She could not "mess" with
the men, nor buy anything in the can
teen. Even if she had been thought
full enough to bring a lunch, there
would be no place where she could
eat it. To erect a restaurant in Camp
Dodge where women might eat has
evidently seemed unnecessary.
What would happen if a women
should faint from fatigue, hunger or
cold. l should say, it would be ter
rible to have to go there with small
children.
But Camp Dodge will have a Hos
tess House soon. probably by the first
OF November. 1t is being erected
there at the request Of Major-General
Plumer by the National War Work
Council Of the Y. W. c. A.
Centrally located, at the intersec-
ton Of Depot and Main streets, in the
heart Of all the camp activities, near
the newspaper and telephone build
ings and the headquarters of the Ma
sons. Hebrews. knights of Columbus,
and Army Y. NJ. c. A. a woman's
building is to stand.
Here a oma can alight from the
bus, can through a competent once
secretary have a telephone message
sent TO her soldier to meet her there,
can rest, wash and clean ", can read
or write letters while she waits Tor
him in a warm comfortable spot, can
receive him, if she is his sweetheart,
under chaperonage, can talk with him
in a honey room beside a blazing
warm fire, can eat with him in a "ozy
restaurant where warm, wholesome,
home cooked food is served, can if
she be a young wife with small chill
dren. leave the children in a nursery
in the care of a trained nurse, while
she goes with him to walk about the
camp. and can, if she is by any chance
taken i'll, have a bed and proper care.
Miss Ada Starkweather of the Ma
tional War Work Council of the Y. W..
c. A. is now in Camp Dodge, super
intending the erection of this Hostess
House which is to cost approximately
con 0O0