The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1917-11-08
Reports Show Much Has Already
Been Accomplished.
SOCIETIES HELP IN WORK
Purpose Is to Convince Citizens In
Communities Adjacent to Camps Of
the Good That Can Be Done by Sup
plying the Proper Environment for
Boys in Camp.


new American army, and the manner
in which this recreation is to be car.
ried on, is explained in a report made
to Raymond B. Fosdick, chairman OF
the war and navy department COM
missions on training camp activities.
The report was made by Victor r.
Manning, one of the field secretaries
of the Playground and Recreation AS
ISOLATION of America, through whose
experienced workers in the field pro-
vision is being made for furnishing
leisure time recreation of all sorts for
the men in uniform at the eighty or
more camps throughout the country.
Three dollars for each soldier and
sailor"-a total of $3,750,OO0 is to be
raised for this purpose. A national
committee on which number of. prom
lnent men and women are serving has
been named by Secretary Baker to con-
duct the campaign for the war camp
community recreation fund. To bring
camp and community into happy,
healthy contact is the purpose of this
fund.
Mr.. Manning in his report to Mr.
camp community recreation fund to
the work which is being done inside
the camps by the Young Mems Chris
tan association, the Knights of Column
bus, the Young Mems Hebrew associa-
lion and other agencies, and in the ex-
clusion of vice and vicious resorts
from the neighborhood of each camp.
He shows also how the Playground
and Recreation Association of Amer
lea, through work done by its repre-
sentativeS already has demonstrated
the great value-indeed, the impera-
live need-of building up all sorts of
proper recreation and amusement for
establishing. camps and communities
On the best basis.
Objects Much the Same.
'The community organization work."
says the report, (which is that of in
terpreting the adjacent community to
+ tine boys in camp and of interpreting
the life of the soldier to the citizens, is
to be done by the Playground and Rec
reation Association of America through
its workers experienced in this field
What this service means is explained
IL CiAC AOiiONihS olAeSiiShe W w ~
these community organizers, Ira w.
Jayne of Detroit, as follows:
""The object in each community is
much the Same-to convince the citi-
zens that this boy in uniform is still a
human being; that he has been up
rooted suddenly from his native soil,
stripped Of every social prop and safe
guard-his family ties, his friends, his
church, his neighborhood, his fraternal
groups, his business connections, and
the influence of women of his kind, and
so suddenly transplanted without their
gates; that they should become inter-
ested in him as an individual as per- |,
son, helping him to re-establish those |
social connections with this community |
upon which he was accustomed to de-
pend at home that he should be nei- |
Their patronized nor exploited; that he |
was civilian yesterday, as they still |
are, and that he will, let us hope, re-
turn to his home civilian"
AS to the manner in which the work
will be organized, Mr.. Manning reports
that in each city, near a camp, social |
and recreational forces will be brought |
together in,one committee-represe
tives of churches, clubs, lodges, schools,
recreation centers, parks, moving pic
ture agencies, womens agencies-in
fact, every force for good in the COM
munity that can be used in working
for the highest welfare of the enlisted
men. A census to be taken will show
the mems church preference, trade or
profession, of what societies they are
members, what their special interests
In dramatic, athletics, music or other
amusements or recreatiOns may be,
and what other special interests they
have.
AS to the need of providing proper
surroundings for the men in camp, Sec
rotary of War Baker is quoted as fol-
lows: "Our responsibility in this mat
ter is not open to question. We cannot
allow these young men, most of whom
will have been drafted to service, to be
surrounded by vicious and demOraliz-
ing environment nor can we leave any
thing undone which will protect them
from unhealthy influences and crude
forms of temptation. Not only have
we an unacceptable responsibility in this
matter to the families and commune
ties from which these young men are
selected, but from the standpoint of
our duty and our determination, to Gre
ate an efficient army we are bound, as
q military necessity, to do everything
in our power to promote the health
and conserve the vitality of the men
in the training camps" 1,
Work of Two Broad Types.
Mr.. Manning's report explains that
the community work is of two broad
types, that of large cities and that of
small communities. He says that zone
of the great problems is how to pro-
vide recreation in the city of small
size," and points to one Western camp
of 10000 men, located near town Of
less than 5000. the entire capacity Of