Life at Camp Greene, Charlotte, N.C., From Trench and Camp Weekly Newspaper, 1918

From Trench and Camp, printed weekly for the Y.M.C.A. by courtesy of the Charlotte Observer for Camp Greene, Charlotte, N.C., February 4, 1918

Thousands of Letters are Penned There During Mud Siege

The new Y.M.C.A. hut at the base hospital was fitted up just in time to counter attack the drive of bad weather forces, which have besieged the camp during the past two weeks. During the time when the hospital camp was knee deep in mud and water, stubbornly resisted the charges of driving rain clouds, the Y.M.C.A. quarters was the veritable “Isle of Refuge” to which men of the detachment floundered their way every evening.

“The club,” as the red triangle quarters is called by the men, served as the show, the post office and study room for most of the medical soldiers during those trying shut-in days.

Thousands of letters were written on the plain bench tables over the week-end. In the “Y” room alone 263 letters were mailed on Sunday. Hundreds more were dropped into the boxes at the detachment office and administrative building.

“The bad spell gave us a chance to catch up in our letters,” was the general statement among the soldiers. Mail clerks at the hospital say that the out-going mail was the heaviest last week that it has been since the holidays.

Plan Formal Opening

As soon as the weather becomes more settled in its ways there will be a formal opening of the hospital Y.M.C.A. There will be special music. Dr. J.O. Grogan, camp secretary, and J.T. Mangum, camp social secretary, will be speakers on the dedication program

The piano for the hospital “Y” has arrived as far as Charlotte. It will be brought to the cacp building when the highways become passable again.

Impressive Service

Those who braved the storm Sunday evening to attend the service at the Y.M.C.A. found themselves in one of the most earnest religious gatherings of the year. Every man present aided in a spirited fashion in singing the familiar hymns.

Secretary John W. Day delivered a most inspiring talk—one of those warm messages with its word pictures taken from everyday life. His subject was “The Courage of the Common Place.” He spoke of the opportunities in everyday living for building character to stand the brief but telling crises of peace and war.

Twenty of the camp nurses attended the service. They joined in the singing and added muc to the harmony of the song.

Sergeant Zunder has been presiding at the little organ. He obtains both volume and melody from the small instrument, but it keeps him mighty busy pumping.

“I believe I ran 20 miles tonight,” he said at the close of the last number. He will no doubt be ready to represent the base hospital in the long distance runs in the approaching field meet. If he runs as well as he plays he will bring back the medal.