Trench and camp. [volume] (Augusta, Ga.) 1917-1919, 1918-05-22
u. S. TO SEND '"TROUPES'
AS WELL AS TROOPS

ment are limited, they will he able 90
provide their own shows and anuses
ments.
A plan for making amateur dras
mates a part OF" the comprehensive
programme of entertainment that the
War Department Commission on
Training Camp Activities has instf@
tuted in the war; camps has been
drawn up by Raymond B. Fosdtck,
Chairman of the Commission, follow
ing successful experiments which all
ready have been made along this line
In a few Of the camps.
It is proposed to organize soldiers
possessing dramatic talent into
groups or units, selecting as their
leader one of their number who has
had previous experience IN theatricals
or shows marked aptitude In thiS
direction. The general organization
and development Of the amateur con1s
panies would be under the Super
vision OF a director of amateur dTas
MATES, experienced in college work
or elsewhere, whom the Training
Camp Commission would attach to It's
Liberty Theatre in each camp In
which the soIdier-actors would give
their performances.
The plan is similar to that erap
ployed in England, where the Govern
ment encourages the soldiers in orr
ganizing dramatic companies and
supplies them with simple stage prop
critics and costumes to lend the cor
rect color to their productions, ale
though it does not send shows into
the camps, as is done in this country
The whole idea, Mr.. Fosdick explains,
is to teach the men to be seIf-amusing
and will in no way interfere with the
Commission plan OF having the big
theatrical producers go into the
camps to put on their productions for
the benefit of the soldiers.
A committee on camp theatricals,
which acts in an advisory capacity to
the Training Camp Commission. will
take up MFR. Fosdick's plan at o coKl%
ference which has been called for the
latter part OF May to further the CO..
ordination of the theatrical activities
in the CAMPS. The committee III
headed by Otto Kahn, of New YORK;
and includes among its personnel
such men as August Belmont, C1ar+
ence H. Mackay. Charles II. gabin
and Charles Dana Gibson, also Of
New York.
An executive committee of 1--WE 10
direct entertainment and thestTfcals
In the military training camps has
been appointed by the Training Camp
Commission. The committee eonsigtA
of Malcolm L. Mcbride, member OF
the Communication. In charge OF camp
amusenents, Chairman; Daniel FFony
man, retired playwright and pro-
Queer; J. HNward Reber, a PhiIadsg-
phia attorney. prominent in DRAMATIC
circles. Franklin H. Sargent, of New
York, president Of the American
Academy OF Dramatic Arts, and
Augustus Thomas, the playwright.
Mr.. Reber IL the representative ia
charge of the New York 0fice Of the
COMMITTEES,
SPORTS !
A progressive system for the ius
struction OF soldiers In boxing BIZ
squads has been evolved by Floyd Al
Rowe, division athletic director az
Camp Custer. Battle Creek, Mich, and
submitted to DIR. Joseph e. Raycrofe.
general director OF army athletics for
the War Department Commission on
Training Camp Activities, for adop-
ton In all training environments. The
system has already been tested out al
Camp Custer with effective results.
Under Director Rowe's plan, the
soldiers would be detailed in groups.
of from three to six squads to receive
q series of progressive lessons In the
different phases OF boxing, thus Civ
ing the men a comprehensive instrue~
tton I'm the space of time ordinarily
used up in learning a single lesson.
The first group would consist of three
squads learning fundamentals: the
second, six squads receiving advanced
instructions; the third, three squads
practieing instructions, the fourth,
one squad practfcing on the punching
bags, and the fifth. one squad in pairs
boxing. officers and men of advanced
training would be assigned to the
groups as instructors, while the hox
ing camp director, personally, would
take charge of group two. where the
most important part of the instruc~
ton takes place.