The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1918-02-26
Jack Oakley, Formerly Of
This City, Writes From
Camp In France
SOLDIERS TOOK UP
COLLECTION FOR EVENT
Praises Army Y. M. c. A. AS
Best Friend Men Have
In Field

In the Piedmont, Cal. Weekly News
OF Feb. there appears letter from
Jack Oakley, who is somewhere in
France with the American aviation
corps Jack lived here u number of
years ago when his father. Major
Frank Oakley, was draughtsman at
the Mt. Vernon Bridge Co. He has a
Younger brother. Arthur (ToO. who
Is now stationed at Camp Turncy.
Presidio, Cal, in the army.
Jack has often visited in this city
with his grandfather, the late Capt.
j. G. Stevenson Of East High street.
. His letter follows:
Somewhere in France.
I'VE are very comfortable in big cc.
ment barracks which wero originally
intended for French officers school
1t is right on the edge of the quaint.
est little French tclNn imaginable.
They had seen no American soldiers
until we came here. and the towns
people welcomed us most cordially.
There is a French officers school In
tho town and the cadets are young
men who have seen service in the
trenches and were picked for the
school on account of their education
and thcirsability as soldiers. They are
fine fellows and became chummy with
"a ,NTt l,l,, /
a little English, but we get along fine
even with those who can't. They have,
Il Rugby football team and we are 20.
ing TO get up a team and play them.
81 + st T. = ~ q It
ut has showed the last two days.
so we have had nothing to do except
guard duty and enough exercise to
keep us in condition.
Il Il It f. a
"The sun is coming out today, and
! am afraid will melt the snow, max.
ing 1t wet and sloppy. The people
here are just like those natives of
California. They hold up their hands
and call heaven to witness that they
never had such weather in twenty
years.
Il am getting along famously with
my French. | try to acquire a few
words each day. The bookstores in
the town will have some dictionaries
in day or two and with one of these
II will be easy to get along any place.
We get the European edition of the
New York Herald, which is published
daily in Paris.
1--WE found ont that the children
around here have not had IL real
Christmas since the war started, so
we are going to take up collection
and give them a big Christmas tree
with presents for all of them All the
fellows are tickled over the PROPOSE,
ton. We feel that we ought to do
something to repay the townspcoplc
for tho way they have welcomed us.
and we viii have as much fun out of
it as they will.
q It
'As you see, am writing this in
Paris, although will have to take it
back to the barracks to mail got
II pass for over New Years and scv.
eral of us came here to look over the
town.
'It is lots of fun travelling and stop.
ping at hotels where you don't know
the language and have TO use n die
tionary every three words. New
Years is "A bigger holiday here than
Christmas with most people, and the
trains are crowded. soldiers going
homo and people travelling around,
'll You want to make any donations
or give any money, in my opinion the
Y. NJ, c. A. is the best thing to give
to. Their work here is invaluable.
They have rooms at all the camps
whore soldiers can meet and write
letters or play games or read, and
sell chocolate and cookies and tobac.
co at reasonable prices. They also
distributed Christmas gifts candy, to.
l,,ii -