The Canon City record with which is consolidated the Canon City cannon., 1918-07-25

SINGING ISA
FEATURE AT
FUNSTON

Mrs T. NJ Harding has received
the following letter from G. w. Van
Patten, which will interest many
Canon City readers:
Headquarters Building
Camp Funston, Kansas
July 20. 1918.
Mrs. T. NJ. Harding,
sol Greenwood Ave.
Canon City, Colo.
Dear Mrs. Harding:
You will be interested in the follow
ing ! am sure. because | know it is
particular hobby with you.
AT the city of Manhattan about II
miles from Camp Funston. where |
presume you have visited. they have
on every Sunday afternoon union
service of all the churches in the city
park with a special program OF music
and good snappy address starting at
500 o'clock This takes the place of
the regular evening services. The sol
diers from Camp Funston are all cor
daily invited to this meeting and
usually at least three or four hundred
of the men make the trip to Manhat-
tan and enjoy this open air meeting.
At the conclusion of the service a
basket luncheon is served by the peo-
pie of Manhattan to which all men in
uniform are invited This makes an
especially attractive feature for the
men as they get a taste of home cook
ing in this way. The churches take
turns in providing the program Last
Sunday afternoon il was under the
auspices OF the Congressional church
and Mr.. Gutherie, our camp song
leader. who is here under the Fosdick
Commission lead a rousing community
sing such as you are conducting there
as notice by the papers. They start
IN with the popular camp songs and
conclude with patriotic and religious
hymns. At this meeting the Manhat-
tan Ladies' Community Chorus con
tributed several numbers This is a
group OF 80 business girls of Manhat-
tan. l have been drilling this group
for several weeks and they are doing
splendid work We had them at the
camp several times. including last
evening. for programs. We always
have crowded house and the fellows
hang on the caves of the building in
order to see and hear this bunch of
girls.
! am wondering If something could
not be done in Canon City along the
line of this open air service. making
it a community AFFAIR. The ministers
of Manhattan are all strong for it and
say they would not so back to the old
idea during the summer of individual
services for anything. II creates not
only social and community spirit but
also contributes a great deal to any
visitors in the town and is sure Il
great advertisement for Manhattan as
the people in the smaller towns all
around some to attend this service.
am leaving here Monday for two
weeks work as song leader at the
Estes Park War Work School This
will give me chance to get breath
of good old Colorado air once more
Ny work here is goins nicely but
is rather strenuous as have TO pro-
vide entertainment for about IL points
in the camp at least once a week.
l note by the paper that the Chau-
tauQua is in full blast and trust that
the people OF the community are be-
hind it in their usual splendid way.
II you should want to know any
thing further about this community
sing proposition. mail will reach me
care Y. NJ. c. a. Summer School. Estes
Park. Colo, for the next two weeks.
With best wishes. remain
Yours cordially.