The Wilmington morning star., 1943-09-10
,dr0w Wilson Hut Acclaimed Bv Men Overseas!

rails, a typewriter, stove and
other articles. The city and coun-
ty purchased 200 folding chairs,
dozen porch rockers, eight card
tables and the PWA built eight
writing tables.
Early volunteer workers at the
hut included Lieut.. Gg) Herbert
Harrell, USN, E. Harper Hewett,
USN, John Shinn, Mrs. Wallace
West, and the Misses Jane and
Margaret Wood.
The latter three, according to
Mrs. Powers, pioneered in having
all civic clubs and organizations
here give Sunday night suppers
for the soldiers and suppers, eli
NAKED by community sing, were
successfully held by some 20 or
CARNATIONS.
The first major project of the
hut was the task of furnishing
young ladies from the community
for dances at Camp Davis as a
means of building up moral among
the soldiers stationed there.
The first dance was held in the
recreation hall of the 95th regiment,
sponsored by Chaplain Wyle, with
125 Wilmington girls attending I'M
der the chaperonage of Mrs. Pow
ers.
, The dance was such a success
that others were demanded and, to
meet the demand, a group of Will
mington women met at the hut
and formed the Dance Defense
group, with Mrs. Lester Preston
as general chairman.
Membership was open to any
girls 10 years old or more and
cards were issued with each mem
Der being required to present her
card at the door. A second rule
prevented tie girls from leaving
the dance building escorted by
soldier.
The hut also started a "Cinder-
ella closet,' to furnish evening
dresses and shoes for visitors not
bringing formal clothes with them.
The various USO organizations
were beginning to be established
in Wilmington and USO personnel
used the hut as a means of getting
acquainted with recreation prob
lens here.
Tbo J;,oop+ip,,or,no of tho Wp
presented a major financial bar
rier to the continued operation Of
the hut. A temporary operating
budget was provided by the city
and county and an application for
Lanharn act funds to continue the
hut's operation is now pending.
Among the projects accomplish,
ed by the hut, Mrs. Powers lists:
Finding rooms for transients
is our greatest work. We have on
an average of ten persons per day
not counting service men in town
over the weekend for whom we
. find private rooms or give cards
. to Churches.
Have purchased and prepared
: refreshments for special battery
j., dances to the amount of 81, 1913. 81.
, Held 4S7 special Battery dan
ces in the Hut to which we per
sonally invited girls.
Assisted getting girls ane
, chaperoning every weekly dance
given at Camp Davis, trucks Of
bus leaving from the Hut.
d Have sometimes found girls fol
e three different affairs on the same
a date.
d PERSONALLY invited girls to OF
ficers dances at the Country Club
I Officers Club, Plantation, Friend
ly Restaurant Upstairs, Blue TOY
5 Lodge.
| PERSONALLY invited girls to ser
l vice mems dances at Lumina
Country Club for o. c. S., Planta
ton, upstairs Friendly Restaurant
, upstairs Crystal Restaur. mt, All
Base, Fort Fisher, Carolin.. Beach
, Kure's Beach, Wilmington Armor3
and Cape Fear Hotel.
Helped chaplains with the 1ol
lowing: watermelon parties. wei
ner roasts, Wrightsville Beach q
Carolina Beach 2, Greenfield Lake
2, Hut 4.
assisted in procuring food ane
inviting girls to beach party.
assisted q girls finding en-
plovnent in Wilmington.