The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1919-08-15
Secretary Of keokuk Y. M. C. A. Who
Went Into Red Triangle Work
is Greeting Friends Hero
Today.
HAD PLENTY EXPERIENCE
His early Work Was In London and
Then He Went Into Army OF
Occupation Entertainment
Activities In Germany.

c. e. Durgee, formerly the secrs-
| tary of the Keokuk Y. NJ. c. A, has
returned to this city from service IN
| the Y. M. c. A overseas. lie left
Keokuk December 1917, for Europe
and landed in America ate nineteen
months of service, August 2.
Mr.. Durgee is coming back ID keo-
| kuk to take up his old work here.
He is making plans now u bring his
! family back with him by the first OF
| October. His wife and two children
are now at Kansas, III. Mr.. Durgee
will Join them there, and they will
visit at Altman, New York. where
his people lived before starting TO
work here.
Mr.. Durgee has had some wonder.
full experiences while away tom
Keokuk. Most Of his war work was
done under the auspices Of lie Y.
NJ. C. A. in England. He was secre-
tary of the Officers club in London.
This was a club for American Off
GERS, but to which allied Officers
were often invited to attend special
functions. The building in which the
club was located was built by Amer
leans for that purpose. 1t was stu
ated in the historic ST. James park.
The building was built around the
park and In the center of 1t tall trees
shoot UP through the roof.
Many women of noble birth and
many wives of American million
aires worked in this place helping
the soldiers and waiting on tables
in the club house dining room and
selling cigaretts to them. They also
helped to plan the entertainments
and dances which were held at the
club.
"Big" Men Give Talks.
Big events at the club were the
talks which famous men in England
gave there. Among the speakers
were: Rudyard Kipling, Harry
Britain, Harry Lauder, H. G. Wells
and Lloyd George. When the club
had its formal opening, the duke of
Connaught, uncle of King George, the
lord mayor OF London, and the arch
bishop of Canterbury were the dis
tinguished guests. Later King George
and Queen Mary visited the place.
In December 1n-S Mr.. Durgee was
sent to France ] from there into
Germany where he had charge of the
soldier entertainment units, with the
American soldiers in the army OF oc-
cupation. The eight divisions of the
American soldiers in Germany were
each expected to put on some sort Of
shows, minstrel or concerts ever so
often, and Mr.. Durgee was one OF the
msn who helped to engineer this part
of the work. The boys took over the
German theatres for their own use
and staged their performances in
those play houses. At one time
there were 145 different shows going
on at once in Germany put on by
American soldiers.
On Ids way home Mr.. Durgee
stopped at the Pershing stadium at
JoinviIIe, Just out from Paris. Inter
allied athletic contests were being
held there at that time In which a
thousand athletes participated. There
were ten Y. NJ C. A. camps busy
helping to care for the athletes and
Mr.. Durgee assisted there.
Il am mighty glad to be back in
Keokuk again." said Mr.. Durgee as
he finished speaking of his overseas
work, land / am anxious to resume
my duties here this fam