The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-09-04
COMMUNITY HOUSE
DEMOCRATIC H0STtLRY
War Camp Community Service Builds
Community House In \ Camp
Within II Days

Community House In \ Camp
Within II Days
What Is a comm unity house? 1t Is
the physical embodiment OF the spirit
OF war camp community service
which has undertaken Tor the COM
of the war and navy departments to
do everything within the power OF the
communities which 1t organizes to
stimulate the morale and preserve the
physical weli-betng of our soldiers
sailors and marines
What is organizing community"
The story OF the community houses
will help to make this plain. war
camp community service has built six
community houses. 1t ia proud OF
them. 1t hopes to see them stand as
lasting monuments to Americas war
friend1iness which ts the essence of
the organaxation's existence The
state Of Michigan has just appropri-
ated 81, geo from its state war fund
of Sc. ~, So to build another at Bat
tie Creek.
The PRINCIPAL community houses
conducted by war camp community
SERVICE are IL &nliuCothoS S-s Aso@ SAA
worth, Kan, junction CITY. Kan.
Manhattan. Kan. and San. Antonio,
Texas The erection OF the ffrst one
OF them. the Camp Sherman commu-
nifty house at Chillicotheh, was com
pleted tn tust twenty ono days
On the morning Of the twenty-ffrst
day, SIX truckloads of furniture and
decorative equipment drove around /
a driveway leading TO a colossal CLUB
hvVt1ASv.~ nho nj ertrah bv a strong
odor OF fresh paint The furniture
Was Installed. Odds and ends were
arranged. Amber shades Of silk were
plaeed on the lights. Logg were fired
In the hearths, Linens were spread
on cory dining room tables. Rugs
were laid. Nooks and corners were
banked with palms The bird cages
were hung. The I'D TO the great con-
cert grand piano was lifted There
was q pause for admiration The keys
Of tbs instrument were touched And
tnus was ushered into the pages OF
hAkory the Camp Sherman commu-
nifty ho9se.
Entering its inviting doorway, the
observer finds an expansive enclosure
shaped Ike a Maltese cross ana zoo
feet hong each way. A rich blue cur
tain OF deep velvet hanging at the
end of the auditorium wing or the
clubhouse, offers perhaps the WIDEST
contrast to the Quieter tones OF Drown
and gray used almost uniformly else
where Tucked behind an open stair
case, which leads from the southwest
wing OF the room, stands mission
fireplace of brick. stone and rough
hewn wood.
This hearth looks out upon vast /
loungfnE lobby. containing no fewer
than TWEEN ~ two huge davenports, up"
holstered In brown leather and in Ia
pestries OF subdued tones. Brown
stained wicker has been used to vary
the monotony. and there are one or
two sets OF psrlor pieces in colonial
design OF dark walnut The rugs are
OF oriental patterns. Here ana there
a small Navajo has found its way
under n table lamp
The Camp Sherman community
house would be too expensive LOT
most Of It's guests IL II were operated
for profit Hotels. similarly equipped
and with such elaborate resources ior
entertaining their patrons can usuai
w be patrcnixed only by persons OF
considerable means, Folks who spend
only seventy-fve cents day Tor
room, and less than that for a dinner
are not custornarily entertained by
an orchestra during meals. and ny
concerts and dances nightly
But the guests Of COMM unity
house E$ gsSteit hNltf sHs1ii ~N+NNN
al them when 1t went into every
.horne in the country ard called into
ma KANE can1p and company men /
who never before had been associated
with each other or each others KIND
The community house Is me Vlsioie
sign Of the commuuity's spirit toward
these men.
The guests of a community mouse
include D. ps, PHI DIS, l. l. d. hlgh
mi ~ country folk,
PROSPEROUS Ford downing farmers
presidents Of small twon banks, per
sons whose names appear IN me so
ciai registers Of the largest cities, ana
millionaire manufacturers They IN
rrude commissioned and non commits
stoned officers from the armies ana
nsytes of America and Of her alhes.
They include preachers. masofE''
r~vfmasters. insurance agents, bag
rnsnnen. ticket sellers. cooks, police
r.S-n and stock raisers and brokers
7-N.~ include former presidents OF the
Yrnfted States blacksmiths, hartend-
srx and writer's OF best sellers. They
fnch,de fathers and mothers come 10
Mia n last farewell to an only son
about to depart on the Great Adven
,rra And they have included al
Chu,,,o,he--by actual observation
a frantic little yellow dog in the arms
~ a wtrp OF a golden haired sister
axhubcrantly wagging its tail In the
rrnsence Of it's master, lately evolved
into heroic khaki
They all hive together in the com
,runity houses They all eat and chat
and sing and play games and write
letters. and smoke and read books and
shave and shine their shoes and press
their suits and check their parcels
and laundry. and dance and mehd
,heir clothes and do all the common
,..t,a .cts Of life which are performed
-r.rx dax in every community In these
great community houses which are
maintaining the democratic Ideals OF
our common community life.