The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1918-09-03
HAVING 4 NIGHT
At CAMP DEvENS
Visitors Tell How War Camp
Community Service Makes
Life Pleasant.
SOLDIERS ENJOY THEIR CLUB.
Tin Cover, Shovel and Cracker
Box Made an Orchestra.

Letters from the boys in training
camps tell, from time TO time, Of what
the War Camp Community Service Is
doing for them and what it's kindly
care of him means in strange sur
roundiugs far from home. After all,
they will tell YOU, the thing that they
miss the most I'm camp is the home
feeling, without which all is loneliness
tina, real loneliness that cuts deep and
for which there is no help until new
comrades aud row interests produce
what may De called club spirit thar
sends each lad IN khaki 10 his daily
work with n smile on his lips.
But the letters home do not always
picture just how the boys are acqulr-
Ing this club spirit Sometimes it Is
only really understood by the home
folks when they see its result with
their own eyes, as The writers OF the
following letters saw It recently IN
Camp Deyens, at Aver, Mass, where
The Soldiers Club, established and
maintained by The War Camp Commu-
nifty Service has become a second
home TO the men in service:
Joseph Ice, President War Camp
Community Service 101 fremont
Street Boston, Mass:
Dear j. L.,
II am sending enclosed n copy OF g
letter which WAS received by Icman
Burt, as thought you would be mtet-
ostcd in It, We were told that ono
could NOT really see the Club in action
unless we snept the night there, and,
therefore, Burr and / recently did
pass thc night there, and we realized
hat 1t was The time Of all others 10
see The Club IN action
Most og the men Of the 10Th Diyi-
sion had left Camp, as the time when
wc were there was shortly after the
lth OF July IN spite Of that fact, the
Club House on diet evening was
crowded should lsay there were
about 800 soldiers ull together irclud-
ing those ON the piazza. They were
using an iAc facilities OF the Club
They were two or three deep at ,h,
untocn getting food, rhey were writ
lng. reading. some were asleep OF IN,
furniture and others were playing va
rIous musical Instruments
about s O'Clock one OF them sa
down ut Tire piano and played rag
time Three others had evidently So
cured from The kitchen the followln.
articles:
large tin cover, evidently from
the garbage barrel.
large trench shovel.
! empty cracker box.
"They each had two sticks, OF
which they beat these articles witt
great yigor N perfect time TO the mu
Sic Men crowded around and ioine'
ln singing. one mascot. n bulldog o
enormous size took special delight il
attacking the TIN drum They were al
laughing and singing, about 100 strong
and The noise was simply tremendou,
and during all this the rest were quiet
! Is reading, etc, and, as Burr said, Their
was no necessity, nc that time at an
rate, for anyone to try and amuse then
81 wish YOU could have seen thl
sight Burr says he would not hav
missed It for anything.
VERY truly yours,
&C. r."
The letter TO which the writer refel
red as an enclosure read as follows:
Dear Mr.. Burr:
Il have just returned from Cam
Deyeus, where | was the guest Of IN
wonderful Club for Enlisted Men O
Mr.. Creods invitation. You will,
I hope. excuse me for expressing m
very great surprise ait the cXistenc
not of the building but Of the re-
club feeling ! found among the me-
The building Is a magnificent one fC
the purpose and the service and SUI
plies of The best but the spirit Of II
Club OF the men, deserve all nraiS
/ spent the night there and mixed fre
ly with the men, talking about thin.
TO interest them, and | found a M
form and very high appreciation Of Il
a Club aua its value to the men.
"Of course ii Is not usual for a vi
I itor to write MS / ann writing but I fe
\ and feel III like TO express my fcclh
y of gratitude that your Committee hi
n so nohly helped the men at Dover
Camp. Mr. Creed is one Of my paris
\ ioncrs and friend, as we have know
\ each other for twenty odd years, IN
\ / am heartily glad his work is such
Y success.
y 81 never enjoyed my visit anywhc
y more than not even as much as
y Camp Devens and as guest Of yo
4 Enlisted Mems Club. am
q "lours very truly.
~. J. L. HUlGlNN,
"Rector st. Peters Church Beverl
III Mass"