Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1917-11-22
LIEUT.. GARDNER
WRITES Of "Y
Great Work of This Organic
alton in War lis Told
by Alma Doctor
IS NOW At FORT OGLE1HORpE
l. in Training al Medical Officers
Training Camp at This
ord Fort

First Lieutenant Cyrus b. Gardner.
NOW stationed at the Medical Officers
Training camp at Fort Oglethorpe,
Georgia, has written a most interest
mo letter to Mr.. Blaine, secretary Of
the Gratiot County Y. VI. {. A.,
which tells numerous interesting
things about army life, and especially
about this life and the ~" work.
I 1t is a pleasure TO publish IT,
Nh Blaine Curtis,
Alma. Michigan.
My Dear Mr.. Curtis:
Since have been here fcw weeks.
hut quite long enough to acquaint my
self with the character OF the work
that the Y. NJ. c. 4. is doing. will.
in compliance with a promise made
YOU prior TO my departure, try in my
humble way 10 tell ypu what a very
great work the "N' is doing Having
in mind the problem of social better
nlcnt, there has, rs you know, been
Ia commission appointed with far
reaching power for good, and this is
the Commission ON Training Camp Ac-
uvities. That commission is made IN
Of far-seeing men and women Of af-
fairs. not faddists, Lat practical ideal
lists who know the insidious dangers
and who are planning in an efficient
manner 20 make the training camps
as healthful, SAFE and happy places
for the youth Of our land to train in
as possible. The y VI. C.. 4. is one
Of these agencies selected and off
cially sanctioned and is an agency
whose hospitality most of us have en-
icycd and for whose courtesies | can
vouch safe. ] am certain that most
OF the men her, Il am speaking Of
the Medical Officers Training camp
much like myself failed to realize in
full measure the great good that this
wonderful agency does IN our army
camps. But now that we are here. it
is needless 10 say that we do realize it
Here at camp, away from homes with
their pleasant surroundings. away
from many Of the associations which
help to make cur lives happy, we find
II pleasant thing 10 drop into the
Y NJ G. a to hear good
music. write our letters and 10 chat
with other men who are lost for occu-
patton in their spare time, as are we
II the Y. VI. C. A. suddenly assumes
a place Of great Importance i'm a medi-
cal officers life who Is an educated
man (present com pany excepted. with
many resources within himself, what
must il mean to those homesick re- !
rruits out on the hill. many of whom ,
are away from home for the first
time. often cold because they may not
a. yet have been able TO obtain suit
able clothing or sufficient clothing,
Who have no comfortable place TO sit
IN their camps, and all too little done
10 make them ENJOY their hours of
iuty?
The other day went over to the
'Y'' to get a check rashed (the Chat
anooga banks have representatives at
me "1" buildings). and beheld one of
ne grandest, and az the same time |
most ptiable, sights. A J.. NJ. C. A.
secretary was writing a letter home
On an illiterate conscript Of the army.
could not resist the temptation to
'tand by. This kindly secretary was
writing out the homely phrases ex-
Ictly as this unfortunate adj gave
hem. that the folks back home might
he better understand. And this oc- =
uiTtnce is no uncommon thing. An
ther secretary was conducting a class
n English for the benefit of those i'm
ur army who have not been in this
cunt. long enough to have familiar
scd themselves with our language. .
Il addition the 'Y" provides various {
ndoor games, it supplies entertain ,
ient, music and moving pictures. 1t {
lso organizes and conducts Bible q
lasses. IT takes the place Of the d
cine and church, and even the school.
r some of the ~" buildings one can &
,ake small purchases of necessary ar u
cles and a few have cafes i'm cDnnec- n
on, conducted on the cafeteria. sort
sclf-serve arrangement. At the v
Y" downtown Chattanooga last {
aturday, ] got for rs cents a meal e
hich in any semi-fashionable hotel u
ould have cost not less than So. N
The other day spoke to one of the f.
.cretaries about joining the "Y." He IA
piled, Your uniform admits you b
} all of the privileges" 1t is an ac- <
.pted fact here that the "Y" is the
ic place where all are given n square i
al. Daily comments to that effect
e heard.
To my mind not the least significant A
ature Of the "Y" is that il il abso- cl
tely non-sectarian, and this illus A
ates very beautifully the broad lines nj
which it works. Here Protestant,
.tholic. jew and Gentle may find
ven of refuge and each may worship
his own way. Everyone here is
eply impressed by and profoundly
ateful for the work that the Y. NJ. y
A. is doing. -
Personally, ! am resolved that when
is war is over and ] get home. in -
ateful remembrance for the hospi-
lily accorded by the "Y", ] am going