The Big Sandy news. [volume] (Louisa, Ky.) 1885-1929, 1919-05-09
THOS. ATKINSON
WRITES FROM ITALY

! Last December ! obtained leave OF
! absence. from the President o. the
Alabama Polytechnic Institute, Auburn
| Ala, where | have the position as head
of the Modern Language Department
in order to go to Europe for a year to
! engage in Y. NJ c, A. work Waiting
for ones transportation in the "Y''
4 service is something like waiting for
commission in the army | left Au-
burn, Ala. on the gath day of Decem-
Der. and after spending few days at
the home of my wife people at Ozark,
: Ala, came with my family TO Paints
/ Vile, l remained there until about
the goth of January when ! received a
Telegram from New York ordering me
! TO report there for the purpose OF max
! ing necessary arrangements before
| sailing for France On my arrival in
New York | found that my passport
had not yet arrived, so | was sent to
| Springfield, Mass, to spend the month
of February at the "Y' training school.
This was, in some respects, pleasant
month, but you may imagine how inn
patient / became, waiting all those
weeks for my passport. There were
about a dozen other men in the same
group, and we were all happy when we
were ordered to report again to New
York on the first of March. on my
arrival there, found that the pass
port had not yet arrived, and to say
that was surprised is putting il very
mildly. However, found that the ten
days had to remain there were nee
essary for the red tape was subjected
to before making final arrangements
for sailing. When ! left Alabama
was booked for France, but after was
told that men were needed in Italy
more than in France, / told them to
send me to Italy There was much in
all the red tape to annoy me, but as
look back on the experience now fnd
It very amusing.
Much to my regret, none OF the men
who were at Springfield could make
their arrangements to sail on the same
boat with me. On March TO- at 8 p. m.
we sailed from Hoboken, 20 "Y'' men,
about 80 field clerks (army) and about
a dozen Jewish Welfare Workers. Our
boat was the Siboney, OF about 10000
tons, built for the fruit trade. but
taken over by the Government and
made into transport before it had
full company, most of the welfare
workers being college men. For my
cabin mates | had the Professor of
Rural Education from the State Nor
NAL College, Cheney, Wash, Professor
OF English from State Normal Col
lege in South Carolina, and the Dean
OF Agriculture from the University of
Nebraska. / was privileged to have a
class in French, which recited twice a
day, most of the ten days we were on
the water. In this class was the editor
of the Anaconda (Mont.) Standard
the Professor OF Psychology at the
State College OF Pennsylvania, the
Professor of History in girls school
in Virginia, high school teacher from
Ohio, a civil engineer from Pottsville,
Pa. a Princeton theological student,
and three Jewish ladies'. Very much to
my surprise, and pleasure, on the last
day aboard ship, this group presented !
me with a box OF nice cigars, which
am enjoying at present.
The ships orchestra was very fine,
and played for US every evening after
supper. We had movies every even .
ing, too, and these things helped to re-
lieve the monotony of the journey. We
took the southern route, going south
from New York to about the latitude
OF South Carolina, and then east to the |
Azores. We had bit of rain but no
storms, and consequently not much
sea sickness Fortunately for me, /
did not get sick at all. OF my cabin
mates, Prof. Brown. of South Carolina,
was the only one to get sick, and he
waited until the last day, when the sea
became a bit rough. The Bay OF Bis
cay is said to be most always rough,
but 1t did not perform very badly for ,
u.s. We were to have landed at Bor-
deaux, but on our arrival at the
Azores, our Captain received radio
from Admiral Sims. ordering him to
land at ST. Nazaire. about half way
between Bordeaux and Brest.
We landed at the picturesque little
town of Ponta del Gada, on the Island
of San Miguel, one of the most impor-
tant of the Azores, Monday morning,
March II. We were permitted to go
ashore for about three hours. and it
was a most pleasant break In our
Journey. The weather was warm, as
il had been since we had left New
York, and we had ample time to get
an idea of the quaint Portuguese town.
This island is noted for health resort
nearby, where the hot springs are
sure cure for rheupaatign. various skin