Evening star., 1941-03-23
By HENRY GEMMILL,
Star Staff Correspondent.


LAUREL, Md, March 22.-If the
soldier boys hadn't been SO coy and
bashful about meeting the girls, this
towns historic occasion would have
been entirely successful today.
Even as it was, everybody ended
up happy.
The historic occasion was a tea
dance opening Laurel's recreation
center for the youths from Fort
Meade. Citizens claim this is the
first such center established in the
United States since the Selective
Service Act by cooperative endeavor
of small community's civilians.
People in Laurel rushed like mad
men to get it open. During the
World War they claim they were
about 10 minutes too late" to come
in first. Plattsburg, N. Y, estab-
lished the first recreation center;
Laurel was second.
Today's recreation spot, gay with
balloons and bright paper streamers,
was festive compared with the World
War station, located in an aban-
doned cotton mill.
Few Soldiers Show Up.
At pm. today everything was
ready for the first big get-together
between town and camp
There was a dance floor, a uni
formed w. P A. orchestra, a refresh
ment table bearing l 1000 sandwiches,
l 1000 cup cakes and gallon after gall
Ion of coffee. There was a corps of
prominent chaperons-and a line
of beautiful girls circling the entire
hall, drawn not only from this town,
but from Berwyn, Hyattsville, Lam
ham and other not too distant areas
But only a handful of military
men could be seen.
Explanations were advanced in
subsequent conferences between Mrs
G. w. S. Musgrave, regent of the
| local D. A. r. Chapter, who first
backed the recreation project, Col
Gilbert Allen, Fort Meade post COM
mander, and other sponsors. Some
said the boys invitations were lost;
some said hitch-hiking between
camp and town was poor; others
that soldiers are afraid of girls.
Called "Skittish."
Col. Aliens word for it was "skit-
tish"
The men who arrived were skit-
tish," he commented, but they
found they were having a good time
and will 60 home and tell theii
friends"
Trainees did appear to strike the
top in entertainment-aft girls de-
cided to break the ice by cutting in
on military wallfowers, and after
male ranks were swelled by new
recruits.
The girls drafted" guests by send
ing scouting party to the Balti-
more boulevard where special in
vitations were issued to soldiers
hitch-hiking toward Washington.
They came, swirled around the
hall in a Paul JONES'" and had the
time of their lives.
This was the opening of the towns
first major effort to cope Hospitality
with over 1000 soldiers suddenly
deposited on its doorsteps. Laurel
seven miles distant from the camp
had a 1910 census population OF
$500, boasts one movie house and
one bowling alley. A w. P. A. survey
shows that up to 900 soldiers nightly
| throng its narrow streets.
The town is booming. Officers and
their families have crowded nearly
every available apartment and
rooming house, according to Mayor
Edward Tolson. He plans this sum.
mer to determine the extent of in.
crease by recruiting high school boys
and girls to take a new census, ht
said.
Hours Are Announced.
The recreation center is a partia
answer to the boom. Located in the
Laurel National Guard Armory, il
will be open from to 10 pm. each
weekday and 2 to 10 pm. on Satur.
days and Sundays.
1t Is equipped with books, writing
materials, card games and checkers
billiard and ping-pong tables Nor,
dances will be held. Prof" Benja.
min F. Orendorff, w. P. A. orchestrs
leader, will sit in the armory amids
a collection of stringed instruments
and it is expected military orches.
ira will result. The w. P. A. viii
pay salaries of two recreationa
directors.
The dance was planned by Mis-
Mary Jane Stanley, daughter of for
mer Assistant United States Attor'
ney and Mrs. William Stanley, VIII.
is chairman Of the towns Executiv,