The Mount Holly news., 1919-10-07
Community Service TO End


At special meeting of the loca
VICES executive committee held Wed
nesday evening, the following state
ment prepared by local representa-
tive c. p WelIman was unanimousl!
commended. 1t was then accepted
and asked to be made public through
the press. 1t is as follows:
The allied war work organizations
council recently met to determine
their future. 1t represents the Wal
Camp Community Service, the YMCA
and YWCA, the Jewish Welfare, Sal
walton Army, Knights of Columbus
and the American Library Associa-
ton. After going over the situation
and considering the matter from
every point of view, they voted to de-
clare the war period over and to dis
continue on October 81 all war work
represented in the council.
Therefore, all VICES activity ceases
to exist with the end of this month.
By that time all its property will be
disposed of, its documents turned into
headquarters and its business COM
pletely closed The council maintain
ed that the funds by which allied war
work is done were contributed for the
men enlisted for the war emergency.
All of these men will have been dis
charged by November first. The le-
gitimate object for which this money
was so generously given has been
met.
Thus it happens that the seven
thousand or more War Camp Com
munity Service Clubs are coming to
their end. These clubs have been
maintained at every point all over the
states where any considerable num-
ber of soldiers, sailors or marines CON
gregated. Clubs operated at present
in camp territories will be taken over
by the educational department of the
army, All others go out of existence.
The Mount Holly War Camp Com
munity Service has been most fortu-
nate in the splendid and continued
volunteer service rendered by its com
mittees and many other citizens of
the town. Being the nearest large
place in the vicinity of Camp Dix,
Mount Holly drew an unusually large
quota of boys, and it had this prob
lem: Would the town through some
unified agency offer its hospitality
and the normalities of life for these
khaki-clad boys, or would the boys
run the town."
Experience proved that where the
boys were not welcomed and cared for
unhappy results followed Literally |
thousands of soldiers, in search of en-
tertainment and adventure came hith- |
er and kept coming and coming again.
Files at the Ankokas Club show
that not far from seventy thousand
boys have been guests at the Club. |
Besides these, other thousands have
been entertained at private homes, at
church socials, by organizations hold
ing picnics, fairs, parties and other
gatherings. In the great majority of
instances such entertainments in the
town or hospitality taken to the base
hospital and other camp units were
negotiated through the War Camp
Community Service representative.
At both the Ankokas ond Lincoln
Clubs there were furnished for the
Boys at very nominal cost beds,
meals, dormitory facilities, reading
and writing materials, music, games,
iances, and many forms of entertain
nent. By no possible means could
his have been done except through
,he cooperation and fine spirit of the
men and women of Mount Holly.
Lincoln Soldiers Club for colored
soldiers was largely organized under
he leadership of the late Robert
Street. Too much cannot be said of
hose who have maintained it. Very
lear twenty-eight hundred boys have
enjoyed its hospitality and the care
# Mother Ross" whose house was
always clean. homelike, and attrac-
i've for her boys. Many special par
les have been held with the tables
spread bountifully on the lawn under
he trees, followed by singing and
perhaps speaking. There have been
louse parties also and dances at the
corresponding to the Tenn
Die and Rancocas Park dances for
white soldiers. Extracts from letters
which the boys have written to Mrs.
Ross from all over the country where
Ter boys have gone would make inter-
,sting reading for the public. Owing