The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1918-02-21
Y. NJ. G. A. Work at Camp Dodge.

A visit to Camp Dodge. where
Iowa boys are nov in nj trai 1li1s i'm i'm.
work which the Y. M. G. A.. is do,
ing in making them tb aap
social, physical and spiritual well
fare. Probably in no other large
cantonment Of the Central Military
Department is a more effective pro-
gram of this character in operation.
is pretty thoroughly honeycombed
with Y. M. C. A. secretaries and Y.
NJ. c. A. activities. With eight serv-
ice buildings or green huts open for
the free use of the enlisted men and
big auditorium seating 1000 or 5000
persons that is used for public en-
tertainments, boxing and and, wrestling eSaiIs
the Red Triangle, as the ~ is
some times called, is providing the
real atmosphere of home" for the
boys away from home.
With somewhat more than $4,000
men in camp y t NJ e. a re &C. iis
buildings of more than 100000: The
boys 60 there to write their letters
they wrote 277,646 during the
month of December alone; there
they find the home newspapers, the
magazines, good books, piano and
victrola music. picture shows; there,
French or mathematics or automo-
bile construction or even agriculture,
as well as to meet their religious
needs in Bible study classes or Sun
day morning services. More than
400 educational classes of various
kinds are conducted each month by
the Y. M. C. a. with an attendance OF
more than $1,000 men and officers.
A
creational sports have been promoted
for 1880 men in single month;
In a recent similar period so social
activities attracted 26,34O men,
showing that the men appreciate all
that is done for. them in social
way. during their leisure hours ::
to the Y. M. G.. A. moving picture
programs; 1870 such exhibitions drew
crowds of 49,213 men and officers IN
one month.
Don the religious or spiritual
side the welfare of the men IS by
no means forgotten, for 80 rellglous
attendance of 1924 men, In ad-
dition, last month, 175 Bible classes
were conducted for 1857 men;
Scriptures are frequently distributed
to men who care for them, as many
as $50 having been given out in De
femGss the hes soldier l boys With ref
erence to their Christian life and IN
known as the "War ROLL indicating
their desire to lead better life;
This is the work that is beng
done not only in every army camp
in the United States, but in France
Nearly half of the $50, 900 900
wheich was subscribed in the 7. M.
C. A. campaign last November is be-
ing spent in the work carried on IN
the Y. NJ. G. A. green huts for the
boys in Uncle Sans new army. 1t is
the most human ministry IN the
army today and one that every en-
listed man both needs and apprecl-
One of the important new phases
of the work of the "Y' in the army
camps is among the men in the hos
pitfalls. New huts are being added 10
the base hospitals, so that conVales-
cents may have quarters.
Every feature of the work mere
is being duplicated in more than l3O
centers in France where American
soldiers are to be stationed,
At the request of the American
and French military, the Army M.
C. A. has taken over the entire sys-
tenn of canteen work Of the two
armies and is employing 5000 amer ha,si
lean business men to carry on bust
ness which will aggregate not less
c caah 1V carries s16 different items
for the soldiers comfort or convent
ence, from matches OF. milk choco-
lates to wearing apparel.