The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1919-08-06
AMERICAN GIRLS RESPECTED AND
 APPRECIATED
StratfOrd Canteen Worker Tells Of Experiences
 Abroad.

Between the contingent of sailors and soldiers in the Welcome Home parade last Sunday marched three pretty Stratford girls who have just returned after doing their pit in the war. These girls were Miss Kath- erine Wood, Miss Florence Lewis and Miss Florence Wood.
 Miss Katherine Wood left Stratford about a year and a half ago and Joined tho Canteen Service of the '.
 Nj. c. "A. Having a slight knowledge of the French language, an extensive training was not necessary On July IT, 1918, the fair daughter of Stratford left for France.
 In company with a New York girl Miss Wood was placed in charge of new replacement camp at IIe Cour- neau- 40 kilometers from Bordeau.
 -"The boys at Le Courneau were very hard to manage" said Miss Wood, they had no regimentaI spirit as no entire regiment came at once to our camp. The boys were mostly convalescent soldiers eager to get back to their company. The hut at Le Courneau accommodated from +. 900 to 1S. 900 soldiers. Several nights Q week stag dances were held be cause of the scarcity of young ladies. Le Courneau was out of the rest area and so French girls were not invited to the dances.
 '~The greatest difficulty the boys en- countered at our camp was learning the value of French money Much money both English and American was exchanged at our place for coins which could be used in France We had some of the most humorous eX- periences about this money business Some of the towns in France issue their own form of money and the boys could not make out why we would not take the money that they had received in Nice
 Tn November I was transferred from Le Courneau to a. small Y. M. c. A. hut in Versailles. Most of our guests here were wounded New Eng land boys and boys of the 27th who were then in the Garden Service Farm. Many members of the Su- preme War Council visited us and often spent a week or two at the hut Here the dances were most delightful Carefully selected French girls were occasionally let into the dances but when we brought American girls who had come to Versailles to await or ders to join the certain organization with which they had come over, the boys were most deII>ted. Sometimes the girls at Versailles were the first
 
 had seen for months"
 During her assignment at Versailles Miss Wood visited the building and oom where the armistice was signed. ''The middle of February, 1919, | was sent to Andernach, Germany Germany was very beautiful but one | cannot rightly say that it is more beautiful than Trance, for France is | ruined while Germany is undisturb- | ed. In my new hut I was assi gned | to the Seventh United States Infantry, | Third Division. About the 18th of | June we had quite bit of excitement | in camp. The infantry advanced | across the Rhine river when Germany | was wavering as to whether or not | she would sign the peace treaty. The | other canteen girls and myself would | daily cross the river. bringing ice | cream and different things to the boys. They were very eager to advance to | Berlin, and were very disappointed | when they did not"
 | Toward the last of June Miss Wood l was assigned to transportation home | ward and arrived here on the La Tourine. July 25.
 T never appreciated how wonder | full it was to be an American woman
 until saw what respect was held
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