New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-12-29
Women Plan Old-Fuski0ned
Ne1v Year for Wounded Men
Boys From Our Hospitals Are Invited to Attend a
Party Such Grandmother Knickerboc~er
Used to Give Years Ago on January LIST

"Your Wound Stripe Is Your Pass
That's the slogan of the Chateau
Thierry Club, which caters exclusively
to wounded soldiers. sailors and ma
rines; more especially to hose still
confined to the hospital, yet able to get
out or to be taken out for n few hours
daily, as welcome relief from hospi-
tai routine.
The club had planned a Christmas
! celebration, but such an elaborate pro-
gramme III the hospitals had been ar
ranged by the Red Cross that it was
decided to make New Years the great
day. Some one suggested that an old
fashioned New Years such as New York
used to boast and delight in be ar
ranged, and so an old fashioned New
Years it is to be, one of the kind our
grandmothers used to have, where the
main attraction is long. laden table,
with gorgeous centrepiecc of fruit
and bonbOns, and Glove stuck sugarcd
hams are set out whole, to be cut as
the guests require them with chicken,
jelled meats, salad, game patties, pies,
cakes, coffee, and in lieu of wines 1919
cider
There will be music and dancing and
general jollifcation. The arrangements
for the old-fashioned table setting viii
be under the supervision of some real
Knickerbocker grandmothers to whom
this will be revival of old memory, as
we'll as a loving service to the boys
they delight to honor.
The club has huge buses which make
the rounds of all the hospitals and
transfer these weary, ofttimes home
sick boys into a world of brightness
and relaxation. The idea for such a
club originated with Mrs. Shepherd K
Il ~.
OF her volunteer work in the hospitals
had sensed this need, though it was not
until she CHANGED upon an article in a
London paper by John Galsworthy
that the idea crystaliAed in definite
form.
For Boys With the "Hosptal Face"
Galsworthy had used the phrase
hospital face" in describing the weali-
ness which confinement produced, and
Mrs. de Forest noted that even those
able to be out came back as spiritlcss
as they went out. Not being able to
meet their fellow mon on :he same
plane Of interest, strength or enthusi-
asm, they usually wandered aimlesslv
about and returned quite unrofreshoa.
Mrs. de Forest determined to solve this
problem and to this end interested
number OF people; the outcome is the
Chateau Thierly Club. which is under
the auspices Of the New York CbaDter
Of the American Red Cross.
The clubhouse, donated and fur
nlshed by Mrs. William X. Vanderbilt,
lr., is set upon bluff directly over
looking the East River in what is
known as the old Beekman Hill section.
1t contains everything that should I'M
terest the mind, cheer the spirit. rest
the body and delight the eyes. and q
tree canteen is served every afternoon
LOT Jaded appetites. One very much
appreciated rule is that Of absolutely
prompting. without exception, the
feminine clement on floors above the
hrst. This gives the boys sense of
uhfestralned freedom on the three
loorS Whlch are theirs, and which arc
htteu with billiard ard pool tables.
RESI-, reading, writing and smoking
rooms, games, music, ETC., viii the
ladies do the feminine "homey"
touches on the two floors below.
One of the boys, marine. WAS +o1l-
ing fortunes to a group in big bav
window overlooking the river. where
as one boy expressed it, you could IS
ana watch the scenery 60 by" Among
ohem was young Canadian with hon.
ors on his breast and his arm in a
sling. 80 &
>, YOU" said the diviner bv cards
glance" '0"i "iie'
The chap from up north smiled af-
lectlonately around and said 81 don't
Know exactly, but do know | like the
people I've met here in New York. and
IKE the kind Of people | meet in tbi~
ciup' IheS are genuine. | don't know