The citizen., 1918-06-13
University Column
EVERETT d. STAFFORD WRITES
TO HIS BEREA FRIENDS
Curtis Bay. Md. MAY %. 1918

Curtis Bay, Md, May %, 1918.
MY Dear Friends
promised so many OF my Beroa
friends to write 10 them; can hard
ly do IL unless do so thru The
Citizen. shall ask my Berea friends
TO accept this as a personal letter
10 each.
Tuesday morning-May 2i-Mr
Chrisman kindly took Sam Davis and
myself TO Richmond where we
answered roll call at 10 a. m, ate
our first dinner with Uncle Sam
and spent the afternoon and night
very pleasantly with friends. We
answered roll call at II Wednesday
again had dinner with Uncle Sam
and left Richmond and big crowd
OF friends at the depot. Every body
was in fine spirits except two OF
three newly married couples. After
n jolly ride TO Covington, we took
street cars for Fort Thomas, arriv-
ing about eight o'clock in a heavy
rain. We were lined up and march
ed TO the mess hall and each given
q tin knife, fork, spoon, cup and
pie pan, which we still carry with
lis and use three times a day. After
mess, we each washed our mess kit
and keep it under our cot. After
supper. a shipping tag, bearing our
name and number were hung from
our neck with string and we were
marched TO big building for
physical examination. As we enter
ed the door, our number was writ
ten on the forehead with black
crayon. We then undressed land
lined up and passed before some ten
or fifteen doctors, who made thoro
examination Of each of us, ending
with weight height, peculiarities
and irregularities-color OF our hair
and eyes, and prints of all fingers
and thumbs of both hands. Next, we
got a spot Of iodine on the left arm,
into which they stuck long hypo-
iermic needle which inocculates for
typhoid and just below said spot, we
got two nice scratches with a red
not needle which vaccinates against
smallpox. II this vaccination does
not take, it is TO be repeated at
intervals Of seven days and I
understand that the hypodermic or
shot" is to be repeated also. About
o'clock Thursday morning, we re-
.ired on little cots covered with
heavy cotton drilling-not springs.
morning uniforms were
ssued TO us an we donned them on
he spot, packing our civilian
in suit cases and barrack
Rags (big sacks issued by the Gov
'rnment, containing an extra shirt,
Underwear, socks and two blankets
We were lined up with suit case be-
lind, bag at right and mess kit in
Iand for inspection by officers
hen came the grand march Of
bout two miles TO the railroad
tation led by the band. playing,
We won't come back till its Over
'ver There" ''The Girl Left Be-
lind Me-" and other cheerful
ieces. Each man carried his suit
ase. Yes, | got a little warm.
Ifter we boarded the special train
rafting for us, we were informed
hat We were going TO Baltimore,
3D.. and that we should not leave
ur cars till we got there. The win
ows were fixed so that they could
ot be raised more than about six
1ches. suppose this was 10 pre-
ent homesick boys from leaning
ut too far. Supper time came some
here in Ohio and each man got
he tin ware out Of his grip and a
ase OF cOrned beef, salmon, bread I
nd buckets Of hot coffee were pass
d through the train. About dark, C
he train stopped for a few minutes e
/ ChillicOthe, Ohio. About ten a
clock, lights were dimmed and the a
oys piled up in the seats and tried =
sleep. About a. m, we passed h
arkersburg, w. Va, About noon O.
thursday we were in Maryland and "
ad a nice ride along the Potomac o
liver, seeing Harper's Ferry and n
Dhn Browns Fort. The train stop u
al ahOuf fpn nninufas ~ XUoohino II