Rockingham post-dispatch. [volume] (Rockingham, N.C.) 1917-1965, 1919-12-04

Civilian Relief in December, 1917, for
the purpose of giving information
about allowances, allotments and in
surance, and for providing hospital
treatment or whatever relief was
needed by the soldiers and their fami-
| lies. The Committee on Nurses, or
ganized in June, 1918, to enroll and
enlist graduate and volunteer nurses
in the County, for work wherever
needed. Special Committees were or
ganized to conduct the War Drives,
| the Drives for Second Hand Clothing
for the War Refugees, Packing and
Shipping the Overseas Christmas
Parcels, and to handle the Epidemic
of Influenza in our midst in the Fall
and Winter of 191s-1919.
Canteen Service.-When the train
loads of boys began to pass, along In
August, 1917, the local canteen serv-
ice was unofficially organized under
Mrs. John L. Everett, Chairman, and
Mrs. w p. Webb, Vice-Chairman OF
the Chapter, and carried on through
September and October, till it became
almost impossible to find out about
the coming of the troop trains, which
often were not allowed to stop at all.
Dozens of our citizens met to serve
the boys and give them "God Speed"
All the fruits of the season, apples,
peaches, scuppernong grapes, bananas
| and lemonade, cigarettes and post
cards were given the boys, and when
| the trains stopped long enough, as
many as possible were taken for au-
tonobile rides. On June 9th, 1918,
our Chapter organized, according to
government requirements, . canteen
service to work with the Hamlet
Chapter at Hamlet, railroad juno
ton seven miles from Rockingham.
For a time we served two days q
week, Mondays and Thursdays, then
during the summer till October LIST,
Saturdays were added to our service.
At first this department had no Off
cial commander with US, working un-
der the Hamlet Commander, Mrs.
Young, our Vice Chairman, Mrs. W.
P. Webb, and our Buyer, Mrs. R. B.
Waddell, but in December, 1918, Mrs.
Waddell was appointed to be our
Commander as we'll as Buyer. The
following were the officers for the
different days:
Monday A. M
Captain Mrs. W. N. Everett
LIST Lieut. Mrs. w. C. Leak
End Lieut.. Mrs. Boyd r. Gasque
Monday P. M
Captain Mrs. A. Arenson
1st Lieut.. Mrs. H. L. Guthrie
End Lieut. Mrs. Ben F. Palmer
Thursday All Day
Captain Mrs. ]. T. Collier
1st Lieut. Miss Maude Moore
End LIEUT. Mrs. w. P. Webb
Saturday All Day
Captain Mrs. Boyd R. Gasque
1st Lieut. Mrs. W. N. Everett
End Lieut. Mrs. j. S. Ledbetter
Hamlet asked for Saturdays to be
given back, which was done after Oc-
tober 1st, 1918. At different times,
iced tea, chero-cola, coffee, tea cakes,
pound cake, various layer cakes, pies,
fried chicken, various sandwiches,
cigarettes, chewing gum, candy,
chocolate bars, watermelons, canta-
loupes, all sorts of fruits, and post
cards have been served. A post card
that gave great deal Of pleasure to
the boys, was one that Mrs. Boyd r.
Gasque had made especially for our
Canteen Service, bearing verses by
an author, whose name, unfortunately,
we do not know, and decorated by the
Red Cross of our Order.
A number of times full meals have
been served to some Officer of dis
tinction, or foreign visitor en- route,
to whom it was desired to extend
special courtesy.
From June 10th, 1918, to June 10th,
1919, had been served:
1850 Soldiers
AT Seamen
63 Marines
Total Of 84,150 served at a cost of
$1,758.24.
Mrs. Webb in her Red Cross meet
ings took up collections, which with
donations of money and comestibles
from individuals, and weekly contri-
buttons of money, till January LIST,
1919 Solicited and collected by Mrs.
| Rn. c,nckinef in NurR4bE;Cmile