The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-08-12
RICHMOND FAMOUS
FOR HOSPITALITY
Through War Camp Community
Service Richmond Has Given En-
listed Men Recreation.
WOMEN OFFER SERVICE
DIR. ". ID. c. MacLachIan Leads In
Planning Pleasures, Sings, Dances
Club Rooms and Beds for Men.

| AS chairman of the executive com
| mittee of the Richmond commission,
| the Rev. DR.. II. p. c. MacLacn man
| has been the hub of a colossal wheei
whose every revolutions has meant
| something definite for the pleasure
and the uplift of Uncle Sans boys
in khaki. Day in and day out ne
has been called upon to decide mat
| ters and devise schemes reIauns W
| the splendid endeavors or the war
camp community service.
Every Monday he may be found at
the Army and Navy club with dozens
of people Juggling at him Tor aoVlce.
| or in conference with committees
ana individuals who, like himself, are
| bending every effort to help the men
| In service.
Soldiers apd sailors who come 10
the Virginia sapital openly avow tnat
liz beats all tfAe places they have ever
seen for hospitality and for the goou
cheer that awAits uniformed visitors.
Furthermore they declare that tney
will never forgAt the kindnesses that
| il the reward Which comes to such
disinterested soul$> as DR.. MacLachlan
and his assoctatesA
Here's what the chairman says, IN
| mart of the war camp community SER
vice In Richmond:
1 The past seven months twhlch
| were also the firsD OF the comfnis-
sions existence in Richmond nave
been a period largely OF experiment
there being few precedents for the
kind of work in which we are en-
pared We have had necessarily to
cnt out channels for ourselves, with
the average Of failure usual in all
nioneer work, but not without many
patent successes.
The keystone of our work has been
the Army and Navy club, at SeVen.h
land Franklin streets. This, from the
beginning. has been a pronounced
success There have been installed in
lit an attractive and well-furnisheo
reading and writing room, with IL
hrary of approximately 300 books,
six pool tables, with proper equip
ment: f25 beds on the second moor
piano and victrola, together WIN
Office space and equipment for both
the committee and T. S. Settle. the
superintendent of our division. Sitic.
the opening of our bed service z'oi =
men have been accommodated, being
: an average of ninety every week
= Red and bath cost only 30 cents
= (Note--These figures apply TO the Pc
riod prior to July Is. 1918, since
which time scores of applicants FOR
beds have had to be turned away on
account of increasing crowds.1
i THE dances given every SATURDAY
|. might at the club have been, from the
G beginning, an unqualified success
n Chaperones have been selected win
$. care and the character OF the dane
e. ing has been above reproacn- On q
l. rough calculation. an average OF oo'
r men in service have attended ines
lie dances every Saturday night. on tn'
ar night of July 6 "a count was taken
&c and it was found that 1000 PEI 'o'''
n were in attendance.
l. Sunday Sings Successful.
The Sunday sings when were HeIo
during the winter and spring mohth'
were also very successful lFo"oeN
8 out of the high school building, we
adjourned to the city auditorium
which thereafter was filled. sometimes
10 overlooking, on each occasion I'M
-. expense of these gatherings at mrs
was met out OF the funds OF the com
!" mission. but finding that the lum pc
- of men in service who attended WI
10 comparatively small, it was later DE
- cided to appeal to the puollc 10
~ funds to continue this form OF 'hte1
CT tainment on a community rather thai
a. sum of s63923 being raised IN
al sings were continued until the en-
~ az The spring being discontinued d
~ The approach of warm weather.
G. VAS contemplated that during IN
summer similar gatherings nisht "
u held in the city parks. with the assis'
a. ance of the military bands lroI
L Camp Lee, which would SO .euu
n the EXPENSE as to make 1t a legitlma'
OF charge on the funds of the commls
j, sion but the. rapid removal OF troop
e from, camp has, up to the preseh
er prevented this program from PEN
~ carried out.
lie "At the beginning OF our Wor1
iA there was an organized ana ior
~ while. very successful enort 10 secu'
nj in.,itattons for week ENDS" and SUI
- day dinners TO the men IN SCI WV, W
~ for various reasons, this has been
se lowed to fall into allegiance. The am
NJ however. seems ripe, with the arriF
~ ~ fresh troops at Camp Lee ana
hu the Fair grounds. to renew TINS emo
on even more systematic basis. SO TN
- no man in service can come INTO "
= CITY or attend any of our church
e without receiving at least one ihVte
a. tion to Sunday dinner
"a For the past three months we ha'
> been making use Of the services OF q
- Ntnsicians' club and other volunte
~ artists to send over groups OF ente
o. ,afners To. the Y NJ. c, A. and oth
canters at Camp Lee, an average
he four such groups going each wee
Nd Each group fills from one TO three Q
IN garments in different places or anus
nent. In order to facilitate transpc
ga 5tation. the commission purchased !
"a. autom obile. at cost of s7oo Lun
H. is also furnished the entertainers
In the commission, at cost OF iol
ew cents per head. These entertalne
he are very much appreciated by the m
Of thcrities in camp. Similar entertai
far r,ents have been provided TOT I
I'VE school of mechanics at the II
av- grounds, with like success.
for Certain Of the churches in the G
ne have. from time to time. given soei'
nal and lawn parties torthe men in vi
ing form under the auspices of the col
nj mjssion--its work being TO furnish I
the men for the occasions. A like serv
aks has been rendered by various Gu
ate and several literary organizatio
'5.- There is room for much enlargeme
iir this line OF work.
The committee on commercial
iIk. lations, of which w. H. Schwarzscn
Ade is chairman has in charge the nj
am ter OF seeing that the men In serv
rg- are not overcharged by Richmo
bill merchants. hotelkeepers, etc. "
ore orn ~. tu,a rnp1pjaif1fs have, so Il