La Junta tribune., 1917-10-18
Y. NJ. c. A. NEWSPAPER DAY
Day Set Apart for Rockies To Write
to Home Town Papcr-Only
One Response

to write a letter to our home town
paper and tell them of our life In
the great U. s. Navy so far as we
have gone, also the good the Y NJ.
c. A. is doing for all of us. who
are so many miles away from home
and friends.
I will endeavor to do my bit in
this line by writing you a short
letter.
Mr.. Homer Cuttrell, machinist's
mate. first class. John Imblum.. ma
chinists mate. firA class, and my
self are all that Is left at this sta
ton of the ten that came here In
May. We are from the Santa Fe
shops and all machinist apprentices.
Our rate is Machinist's Mate. Second
Glass. in the Navy.
The above mentioned three have
been sticking together like three
balls over a pawn shop for these
three months. However. we expect
to get transferred In different direc-
tions most any time. Sonny Steph-
ems is helping on the construction
Of q rifle range out In the forest.
The rest OF our little bunch OF La
Juntaites are stationed at various
points along the coast.
All OF them were well and get
ting along fine when heard from
them recently. The three Of us at
this station are doing fine as well
~ hundreds OF other boys from all
parts Of the United States. Mr..
Cuttrell Is captain OF the camp base
hall club. That season being nearly
over. he has started to organize a
football team. He had football ex-
perience In the Santa Fe shop teams
Of lll5 and 1916. He II picking
IN iSo and lso pound men. so I
feel sure he will have rs good q
team. all navy. ~ the University Of
Washington. Nevertheless. I hope to
see a game between the two teams
this fall. ! have seen Cuttreil In
numerous games. and they are al
ways interesting. as he IL auburn
headed. He Is known as sorrei top
here. Mr.. Imblum and myself are
not athletically inclined so We are
given other duties 70 pass away our
time. Imblum is operating biige
pumps on the receiving ship and !
am doing patrol duty in the city OF
Seattle five days per week. having
Saturday off 10 wash clothes and
clean up In general. and Sunday for
rest and wophip. The latter We
do nj the tents OF the Y. NJ. c. A.
located on terra firma within a city
block OF the receiving ship.
The Jaekies who 70 TO the front
from this training station will be
able to talk to the people at the
French ports which they visit. pro-
viding they take advantage OF the
French class which has been started
by the Y. N. c. A. A class In
French was started recently with Mr..
NJ. Roiean ms Instructor. He started
with forty pupils enrolled for con
ycrsationai "Francais. A special
book is put out by the Y. n. G. A.
for this course and especially de-.
signed for the military man who es.
poets 10 visit some part Of France
during the war. The educational
work Of the Y. N. G. A. will not
be confined 10 French. for other
clauses will bc started soon. Mathe-
matics will be given special attsn-
tion and other subjects for the boys
who enlisted before finishing their
high school and college courses. The
The colleges and high sihoois Of the
country will give credit for work
performed In the Association classes
and = recruit will therefore be- able
70 continue his education In spite
Of the war
Athletics for the recruits started
last Monday night when over 400
boys turned out for basket ball. vol.
tiy bali. and exercise with the med.
icine ball. The boys are showing
great enthusiasm for the work. and
nearly every man In camp will prob.
ably BE- drawn into some form Of
athletics before long. Mr. cuttreli
and myself put on q boxinG match
for the entertainmsnt Of the fellows
. few days ago. To BE- sure Il wasn't
entertaining for me. NY stArboard
light h still housded BY . shade Of
black. Cuttreii he'd black end blue
spets o. bis neck the next morning.
and accused ne Of bitins hin. !
AAve ~ bess abls - taks sdvas.
taoe ef ths vaSioes e1uealleaAl an1