The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1917-05-17
TWELVE HUNDRED MEN
M0BILIZING FOR WORK
IN ARMY CAMPS
Three Million Dollars
Being Raised for
Y. n. C. A.
Work

Mobilization for Christian work
in the Army Camps is the proper
word. Those who are acquainted
with the history Of the Young Mems
Christian Association know some
thing Of the wonderful work done
by this organization in the trenches
during the Japanese-Russian War.
No factor was more important in
Mexican Border work than that of
the Young Mems Christian Associa-
ton. This organization is now do
ing and has been doing for two
years wonderful piece Of work in
the Prison Camps of Europe and
also in the Mobilization Camps. Per-
haps the greatest single piece of
work il has yet undertaken will be
TO conduct Christian work among the
million men who are to be mustered
into service by the United States
Army at the present time.
Twelve Hundred Men Needed
Twelve hundred of the choicest
and best trained men are now TO be
called to this work. Two hundred
good Army Association buildings will
be constructed in the various camps
throughout the United States These
buildings will be large wooden
structures with auditorium, writing
rooms, game rooms, Offices, etc. In
each building there will be first
General Secretary who has
large training and experience. These
men will probably be recruited from
the men of the largest City Railroad
and Industrial Associations. Next,
there will be in each building q
trained Physical Director who will
have charge Of play, recreation, lee
lures on First Aid to the injured,
and kindred topics. These men
must be men of real experience and
preferably men Of medical training.
Third, there will be Religious
Work Director who will have charge
OF Bible study classes to be conduc-
ted among the soldiers, the daily
religious meetings to be held, train
ing and personal evangelism, edu-
cational work, etc. Many Of these
men will be recruited from the COL
lege secretaries of the Young Mems
Christian Assoc stations, younger
alumni who are in the ministry, and
other alumni who were active in
Association work during their COL
lege careers. In choosing these men,
undoubtedly preference will be given
to men who have attended one or
more Summer Conferences. In ad-
dition TO the three foregoing men,
there will be located in each army
building from two to four Assistant
Secretaries. Most Of these men are
TO be recruited from recent gradu-
ates, graduate students, senior stu
dents Of marked ability, and others
who have been active in Christian
work.
IL will thus be seen at q glance
that two hundred secretaries with
large experience will be needed, two
hundred physical directors, two hun
dred religious directors, and from
four to six hundred assistant secre-
taries.
Suggested Method of Selecting and
Training These Men
II is expected that the two hun
dred Religious Work Directors and
the six hundred Assistant Secretar-
les will be chosen and trained in
connection with the Summer Con-
ferences to be held at the various
places in the United States. In the
South, this conference will in all
probability be held at Blue Ridge,
N. c., the students coming together
at the same date as our Student Con-
ference, June 10th. To this Confer
ence we are inviting all men who are
qualified to MI any Of these places.
From those coming, the best quail
fled group will be chosen for this
work. Here and there an outstand-
ing man may be chosen ahead but
with the specific understanding that
he will go TO the Conference. Dur
the Student Conference, we expect
that there will be a regular Asso-
citation Course on Army Association
Work. In other words, those who
take this work must have as rigid
training as those in the Officers
Corps. The War Council
Df one hundred men appointed by the
Committee has decided
hat thirty days is TO be the time
required for each such worker.
Government Recognition
presidant Roosevelt has said that