The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1918-10-18
News From Our
Boys in Service

| EXTRACT from letter from Donald
E, Stetson, aPrivate in the United
States Air Service:
As former newspaper man, I'm
accustomed to putting what | think
into words which attempt to be cold
and concise. TT.
No doubt I've been in the army
as long in this country, before going
across, as most of this wars volun-
teers. I've been in more various
gled with all kinds in much work and
some play; I've done my share of
kitchen police, guard duty and pick
and shovel. AS instructor, I've known
many more. And I'm still "buck"
in the ranks.
We've appreciated and used the
work of the Y. M. C. A. and X. of c..
with their writing and reading places
and their evening movies that make
camp worth living in. But we've not
expected them to provide for us out
side the camp; that has been a mat
ter of our own trying; to 60 out for a
movie or show, to visit park or a
dance and pick some girls-that's
about the sum of it, whether our re-
creation in civil life We're shooting
pool or attending symphonies.
The idea of meeting civilian fam
lilies and getting acquainted and in
vited out, to mingle freely and regu-
larly with the human beings of the
great outside, is something we often
long for but don't think possible. And
for most of US it is impossible.
-Four of US came up to Rockford
from our flying field, accompanying
two ships" to take part in maneuv-
ers at Camp Grant. 1t was welcome
vacation to US, as our work in the ma
neuvers gave us considerable free
time, And we liked the country there
and the pretty little city. Also the
looks of the people. We wished we
might get acquainted somehow, and
see and enjoy the place in a way which
a wandering stranger couldn't do.
You see, we had been for the last half
year in Texas and the prairie part of
Illinois.
And when we took a chance on the
Soldier Club" which we found in
Rockford, and met the people in
charge, things happened.
We were welcome. That's the
thing typical of the Y. M. C. A. and
X. of c. in camps; nobody appreciates
it more than the soldier. But that
wasn't ALL
We were introduced (taking a
chance on our looks, you see) to the
people in Rockford. First thing we
knew we were invited out on real
automobile ride around the city and
nearby country, in a real car, by a
pair of young ladies who, being of
mature age, yet friendly, also seemed
real. We were treated like a pair of
officers.
That led to supper with family
whose son is in the service and who
are anxious to help the enlisted men;
and a long series of tennis games in
the evening, on a court gladly loaned
by some patriotic citizens of Rock
ford. And at the Club we had the use
not only of reading and writing and
loafing rooms, and pool tables, but of
facilities for cleaning up and pressing
our clothes.
Maybe this wouldn't sound at all
surprising to an outsider. but it took
our breath away. We had known
such things to happen, mind you, by
accident, TO some luck devil who adj
ventured into stuffy church, looked
good to some philanthropic pillar of
the church, was questioned as to the
quality of his religion, and was then
invited out to dinner. But that isn't
a splash in the ocean of big camp.
Here, to our astonishment, we found
that such entertainment was freely
and eagerly waiting for every man in
enough patriot: citizens
of the city, organized through the
War Camp Community Service to
back it up.