Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1918-04-11
MAKING ARMY
MEN ENTERTAIN
SELVES IN CAMP
Army Y. M. c. A.. Has Plan
Which Will GO Far in
Helping Soldiers. \

+. To make the soldier boy as near
self-entertaining as possible while in
camp is the purpose of a new plan
just announced by Army Y. NJ. C. A.
headquarters in the central military
department. With the aid OF hun
dreds of enlisted. me- who formerly
were actors, vaudevillians, musicians.
veptriloquists and magicians the Y. NJ.
c. A.. entertainment director will form
a can1b troupe that will be ready at
all times to supply entertainment Of
every variety in barracks and Red
Triangle huts or in the large audi
forums hat now provide an amuse-
rnent center for each of the six big
cantonmentA in the central military
department..
Clean ENTERTAINMENT Of an informal
nature is one OF the principal recre-
atins in the military centers. accord
ing to secretaries of the Y. NJ. c. A.
who are perfecting theEdetails Of the
new move. It Is so important. in fact,
that they are putting forth every cf-
entertaining. SO that when they are
ready I o go lover there" they will
know how to amusc themselves and
thus avoid the pangs of loneson1eneSs
and hof1esickncss.
At Camp Sherman Y. NJ. C. A. Di.
rector of Entertainment, r. H. Kirken-
| dali has enlisted 800 former profess
| siohal entertainers for work in the
camp. The aid-de-camp acts >as the
! military head Of the entertainment
program and both Mr.. kirkendall and
Private >Stromberg. a former theatre
cal promoter. cooperate with him in
booking the talent of the division and
/ putting on programs. JOHN Scott,
! formerly with Henry Savage, .theatri-
cal producer. devotes much of. his
time as an enlisted mar to directing
the entertainment programs.
Sufficient equipment has been Sc
cured by private subscription for any
form of show the soldier boys IRE to
produce, whether it is OF the minstrel
type, a costume play or even a>circus.
All Of this equipment. it is said, will
go over to France when the division
moves across.
Under the direction Of the Y. NJ. C.
; A. entertainment and singing di-
rectors the men of Camps Grant,
Custer. Taylor Dodge and Funston
also have been taught to entertain
themselves with local talent produc-
tions and with sings. The "sing-song'
is one of the most popular forms Of
entertainment in the camps and is the
kind of recreation that a be pro-
noted without equipment or much
previous training. The song leaders
now make it a part OF their business
to visit the barracks at~night and con-
duct sings in which. practically
every enlisted man is glad to take
part. '
During peeiods when the men have
1-been in quarantine the Y. M. G. A,
secretaries and SONG leaders have
opened miniature Red Triangle head
quarters in the midst Of their isolation
ana have promoted various kinds OF
entertainments in which the men
themselves were the actors. In many
companies throughout the entire N
trail ], military department concert
troupes have been Iorganised, so thai
entertainment programs car be
rendered within 1--WE minutes notice
even on board ship II need be. Re.
Gently, while regiment was III
quarantine the z. NJ. G. .-secre.
taries moved their piano into. tins
company, street, selected 4 group Of
tniAnted rrivAtes ana proceeded tt
put4on an opeA-aif show" for the
henent Of the msn who were forced &c
Iremain within y restricted area.
The entertainment lofthe soldiers 1T
the hospital wards ALTO has. grown t.
be d biz feature offY. n. 6. A. work
lin the Camps. Phoncsraphs. motiot
1 L. ST. E- NESE HFHH A.4Na ElfL 49, rH