Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-11-24
"HERE were 2,S23 women secre- |
taries of the Y. M. c. A. in the |

TYHERE were 2,S23 women secre-
taries of the Y. M. c. A. in the
European war work There
were 215 women secretaries OIL
TIE Y. M. c. A. in the camps ana
naval stations of the Department OF
the East. Since the beginning OF the
war the total number of women sec
retaries who have been selected,
trained and inducted into service is
3.OSS, three-ffths the number of all
secretaries listed as employed Of
ficers of the Y. NJ. c. A. in the
United States previous to the war.
These women have rendered new
type of secretarial service. The Well
nigh universal testimony OF all
those familiar with their work is
testimony of appreciation and high
est praise.
General Pershing writes to Mr.
Carter in his letter of last April:
Another service of great value
has been the creation of and the
work in leave areas, where the prob
lem of giving the men occasional
respites from the routine OF army
life has been solved. The facts
which made this possible have been
the recreational facilities in the
leave areas, and especially the pres
ence and splendid assistance of the
American women with the Y. M. C..
A"
General Wahl the Commanding
Officer of the 18th Division, has Just
lately written to Mr.. Kindley, the
secretary at Camp Funston:
'In France the great value of
these fine young women was proved
beyond doubt. Their loyalty to the
organization with which they served
and devoted service to the men con-
tributed greatly not only to the mo-
rale of the command but also to the
morale of the men. You must be
we'll aware of the fact that the life
of the soldier in cantonment is such
as to require all the assistance that
can be given to maintain the high
standards we so earnestly desire Tor
our soldiers. These girls
supply need which cannot be ex-
pected of men secretaries. They are
constant reminders of home. of the
mothers, sisters and sweethearts of
the men. They receive their conf
dences and give their sympathy.
The inevitable result is that men
become loyal and devoted to them"
Colonel Sweeney, of the Staff OF
the 2Sth Division. says
81 speak for the entire 2Sth Di-
vision when I say that the service
| of the American girls with whom we
have been fortunate enough to be
associated has been invaluable" In
! the opinion of Lieut.. Colonel Lyon
| Chief Welfare officer of the entire
A. f. f.. women in the welfare or
/ CARNATIONS can be reckoned as q
military asset.
Such distinguished service as this
challenges the thinking and the prac-
tice of the Association throughout
J the United States to adopt and adapt
this great new asset in the eXten.
sion OF the character-forming work
with men and boys.
In establishing a Home Room al
the West Side Branch. Mr.. Wilson
has demonstrated n simple and prac.
tical way of adapting this service tt
the needs of our city men, soldier:
still in uniform and those trying tC
adjust themselves to city life.
The Home Room was developed
in the only available place in the
already crowded building, a large
corner of the lobby divided off b,
high screens. This Home Room i.
different from all the rest of tn,
building. Intentionally so. 1t ha!
different furniture. different decora
tons andN a different atmosphere
There is n fireplace which makes TIL,
room congenial for cold nights am
a refreshment table with coolinI
drinks for summer days. It has
woman's touch about It. There ar,
reading tables with magazines ant
shady lamps and bowls of flowers
The room impresses one with its so
ciability and refinement. There il
a sense of friendliness about il tn,
moment one comes to the door. l
is place of friendly counsel. jus
what its name implies, a HON,
Room. In this Home Room tn,