El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1917-11-26
PRAISESDURKEE
AS He LEAVES
Speakers at Last Reception
for W Secretary Tell of
His Work Here.

I for his ability 20 serve his country
I in the time Of need, were ideas ex-
I pressed by numerous speakers at a
public informal reception given sat
urday evening at the FL Paso Y n
c. A., in honor Of Howard 3. Durkee.
I former secretary Of the organization
who left Monday for New York. from
where he viii cross the Atlantic 10
I engage in the overseas \. n. Q. Il
! war work.
The reception was attended by Q
: large number of friends Of Mr.. and
Mrs. Durkee. most Of whom remained
until the program OF talks was given
I by men on behalf Of interests rep
resented in the Y. ". c. A G. p
Putnam, a member of the board OF
directors, presided
Numerous good qualities possessed
by Mr. Durkee were enumerated by
j. II. Nations. president Of the board
| Of directors Of the y ~ c. A. who
said I'm part;
Il have some wei defined ideas
! about q good man that enables me
to know one when I see him, and in
MI. Durkee we have good man
about whose virtues could talk for
hours. He may have faults, but in
all my experience with him, 1 have
failed TO find any" a sane rea-
sOner," well balanced" careful"
EIAA-0AlAANa4 VI time anu AAUAEIH
tenacious ga slayer" and man
without vanity" were some Of the
terms Mr.. Nations employed in his
eulOgy of Mr. Durkee and his ten
years work in FL Paso.
The part that the outgoing secre-
tary had played in shaping the lives
of hundreds Of Young men, was de-
scribed by Mr.. Nations.
Mr. Nations said that Mr. Durllee,
in his work for others, had been
laying up treasures in heaven" and
he appealed 10 young men TO follow
the example Of the good man who
was about to continue his unselfish
work amid the terrible scenes Of the
" rld war.
business Men Recognize @Y.-
julius a. krakauer who was in
trOduced as representing the busl-
ness interests said, in part, that bus
mess men Of FL PasO were becom-
ing more interested and are cooper
ating in the work Of the Y NJ c. A.
He explained this as due in a con-
siderable part TO the quiet work Of
Mr.. Durkee in the business life OF
the city, bringing employer and en-
plOye close together and to q better
understanding Of each other. Many
an executive TO-DAY has better en-
ployes in his service as the result OF
this work long and faithful serv-
ice Of many employees in the city can
this good man. Mr.. krakauer said.
He spoke Of the extent OF Mr..
Durkee's sacrifice in leaving his
work, his friends and his pleasant
home in the valley, recently acquired,
TO 90 TO France.
In closing Mr.. Krakauer praised
the loyalty and efficiency OF the Y
VI. c A organization in its work FOR
the United States army.
Minister Praises Secretary.
II Mr. Durkee doesn't know what
vanity is, he Will" said Rev. 2. J.
church, humOrously, in beginning his
talk as a representative Of the min
listers OF the city he next spoke
Of Mr. Durkee's work in the min
listers council, saying: He has lent
himself 70 the constructive ends we
have sought TO work 20. He has been
a model for us in Bible study. bring
ing US helpful messages from the
scriptures"
The intimate and confidential re-
latiOns OF Mr. Durkee with the men
under his care were brought out BY
Rev. Mr. Rice. who SAID that the
former secretary had spent hours in
talking TO young men with degree
Of frankness in which no other man
could have talked.
Glad War Gets n Leader.
This war is making many
is taking many Of our best men and
Mr. Durkee is one Of them; but
am glad that the war is taking
some OF our leaders. When ne was
chosen 10 60, 1 said that If we had Q
been asked 20 send a man, that we
would have finally agreed upon 8lr.
Durkee as the man best fitted TO 20 ]
We want him TO feel that he has the
confidence and support Of all the peo-
pie Of Ell Paso."
Secretaries Feel Inspiration. {
The inspiring example" that Mr.. 4
Durkee had set for his fellow work I
srs was described in a brief talk by I
T. H Brown, secretary Of the boys
work in the Y. NJ G. A
The special honor that had come to I
Mr. Durkee in being chosen was en-
1hasized by w. H Day, interstate D
secretary Of the Y. " c. A. He de-
,lared that there were 10000 apply /
ing for the privilege Of going to 4
Europe to help in the overseas work. 4
The work OF the Y. N. C. A. in the /
Russian war camps was mentioned by /
secretary Day He asserted that in .
those camps where there was carried .
Pm the regular "Y' work there had r
been no revolution or desertion from 4
The trenches. He paid a tribute to Mr..
Durkee's work.
Present Travellers Gifts.
NJ Putnam spoke touching words I
work that Mr.. Durkee was about TO
undertake, and then presented him
With sweater. the gift Of the staff ]
n the y " O. A Mrs. Durkee was
presented with a manicure set, q
slIt from the same source.
In replying Mr.. Durkee said that he
-elt that he was going as a represen-
-atlVe OF FL PasO, and that if he could
'epresent the kindness, the generOs-
" and friendship Of FL PasO, he /
would be satisfied with his work I
lVer the seas A prayer by Rev.
!. r knlckerbocSer, pastor Of the
Trinity Methodist church. closed the I
program.
Refers to Fl PasOans in Service.
MI PUTNAM told Of the many good
yes to distinguished men that FL
'aso had assembled for, mentioning
len Hugh l. Scott. Gen. Georse Bell I.
nd Cen John j. PershlnZ. he also
eIerred TO the many Fl Paso lnrn
VINO We're making sacrifices in tive
var He specially mentioned II. ID.
later, president and editor Of The
Herald, who had just been commits
Toned captain at Camp stanley,
con Springs. Tex. He told how Mr..
later nd left his desk at the head
i a great newspaper to Offer his
ervices to his country
Music and Punch Given.
Music was furnished by the or
hestra Of the First Christian
hurch, consisting Of Miss Frances
-utfin, violin; Virgil Gufffin, elar-
net; NJ. L. Means. cornet: A. Guffin,
rombone; Miss Lois Guffiu. piano.
'unch was served by Mrs. c. Il.
'roWn and Mrs p w Mayer. The ma
G0GG2/ /