The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1917-08-18
A Visit To Sea Grit.

Editors P~leasantville Press
On Sunday last we motored to Sea
Girt-Mr. and Mrs. Hugh Collins, Miss
Helen Collins, Miss Edith Jenness and
myself. Mr.. Collins had provided two
baskets of tomatoes and two of lima
beans. Mrs. Collins and | provided
cakes, pies, fruits and confectionery
for the boys of P~leasantville in Bat
terry D, Field Artillery, National
Guards. We left home at $50 a. m.
We had a pleasant trip through Abse-
con, Port Republic, New Gretna, Tuck
erton, Barnegat, Toms River, Point
Pleasant and. Manasquan. We arrived
at the Camp at 9.45 o'clock. Oh, what
a sight greeted our eyes. Hundreds
of tents, thousands of soldiers, hors-
es, mules, wagons, ambulances, etc.
Automobiles were not allowed in the
camp and so we got out of the car
and went up n of the streets and
the first one we met was Capt. Sooy
of Battery D., who received us court
eously, and when l inquired for my
son, Harry Newell Jenness, he direct
ed one of his men to find Harry, who
came out to meet us smiling. 1t "a
one happy meeting, and in spite of
myself | felt a tear coursing down my
cheek. Oh these mothersl No one
but God can tell how we feel in this
sacrifice hat WI are making for our
country. After greetings were over,
Capt. Sooy gave us the privilege of
Battery DIS street, the fourth street
upon the grounds, and the use of my
sons tent. The tent was a round one
and contained eight cots, a mattress
(filled with straw to be emptied when
camp breaks and refilled when need
ed), the grass was the carpet, and
under each cot the men kept their
suit cases and belongings that were
not placed under their mattress at
the head of the cot.
Each soldier boy will have two suits
of clothes, one pair of shoes, 2 shirts,
2 blankets, 2 suits of underwear and
a heavy raincoat and a hat and cord
furnished by the Government. The
Battery boys wear a red cord around
their hats. They are allowed to wear
a ,f~our-in-hand black tie if they choose
to furnish it themselves. When the
boys left for camp the order issued by
Capt. Sooy was: 2 suits of underwear,
2 towels, 6 handkerchiefs, 6 pairs of
socks, toilet soap, shaving outfit,
brushes and comb. The things fur
nished by the boys are to be sent
home when they leave for the train
ing camp at Admission, Alabama. We
spent an hour conversing with the
boys in my sons tent, and the other
boys of P~leasantville who were in
camp, came and shook hands with us
and stopped to talk awhile. All of
them are happy and contented and
anxious to get to France and help end
the war. The boys told us that they
seldom thought of war. 1t was the
newspapers and the folks at home
who bore it in mind.
We walked around the camp and
visited the Woman's National League
for Woman's Service canteen, where
the boys are treated royalty by the
motherly looking women in charge.
It's here the boys car get a big sand
witch of ham, egg or cheese, a glass
of milk or lemonade, a cup of tea or
coffee, for sc each. They can visit
as long as they like. They can play
the Victrola or piano, and if any of
their friends call they can entertain
them there. They have thought of
about everything, even to a crib for a
child to rest in. The ladies along the
coast in the vicinity, take turns in do
ing the work at the canteen. Sunday