Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 188, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 19 August 1918 — Page 3

WOMEN DESIGN HOSTESS HOUSES for ARMY CAMPS

4 By ROBERT H. MOULTON. brought the men of America to the camps of the country. It brought the women, too —mothers, wives, sisters, aunts, sweethearts. \ The government had made its ’ I plans for the men, but It had made J them without thought of the women. Then the women came to visit their soldier relatives. The camp commanders looked at the stream of femininity coming steadily toward them, and asked what was to be done. Then the war department began to think of the women, and finally It asked the Young Women’s Christian association for help. The Hostess house was the answer. Elghty-flve of these unique establishments are now either in operation or are definitely under construction. They are put up only at the direct request of the camp commandants. Some of the commanding officers were a little doubtful at first as to the practicability of the scheme. Now these same officers are asking for second and third Hostess houses in their cantonments. Wherever colored troops are stationed, buildings are erected for their use and social welfare work under trained colored leaders Is carried on. These centers of hospitality are under the supervision of the war departments commission on training camp activities. They are a part of the government’s war work. The war work council of the Young Women’s Christian association promotes them as one phase of the association’s work for the country in this national emergency. Since women are allowed to come to cantonments to visit their soldier folk, plaices must be provided for their recreation. Camp Lewis at American, Lake, Washington state, is seven miles long. Camp Lee, Virginia, contains 40,000 men. Each camp covers acres of ground laid jout in the bewildering monotony of company streets lined with barracks. The discomfort of the camps for visitors is often extreme. ' The thermometer went down to 27 degrees below zero at Camp Devens, Mass., last winter. The Kansas mud at Camp Funston could be put in a mucilage bottle and used for glue. Camp Doniphan, Okla., sometimes hl des-, itself in dust. And as for heat in summer, no visitor has been able to decide where the thermometer goes the highest. The Hostess houses are refuges for the elderly parents, worried wives, and admiring friends, whose love of the soldiers draws them to the camps. One phase alone of the Hostess house work would. Justify*- their existence. Each house is a directory, a street guide, a map, a telephone exchange, a finding bureau,, and a writing room for visitors. When a soldier is “under orders for France” his family come to bid him good-by _lf it is within coming distance. At one cantonment a father, mother and three sisters came hurrying. Their particular soldier was not at the entrance where they were to meet him. Like sensible people they went straight to the Hostess house. There they learned that the camp had three entrances. The hostess by .the aid of telephone and messenger paged each of these stations. The man was found at one of them and brought to the Hostess house. This is surely a great Improvement on the game of "cross tag” so often played by excited families with their impatient soldier sons among the barracks. At Balboa Park, Cal., they call the hostess “the lady who finds your friends.” An interesting feature of the Hostess house is that the architects in charge of the construction are women. Miss Julia Morgan is on the Pacific coast. Miss Fay Kellogg has charge of the Southern field. Miss Katherine Budd builds !n the middle West. The general plan of construction is the same, adapted to local conditions. A large room is • usually. divided into two parts by a huge chimney with fireplaces on both sides. In winter a terming fire gives cheer and warmth. In summer evergreen branches fill the big stone open-

■ Ing. Interior decorators make the houses beautiful with the dignity of simple lines and harmonious colors. Gay curtains at the windows give brightness even in stormy weather. The chintz cushions In the chairs are good to look -at as well as comfortable to lean against Half of the big room is used for a reception hall and the other half forms the cafeteria. There is always a rest room for tired travelers. A nursery with bright quilts and curtains is waiting for the babies who come to visit their fathers. Not • unusually the house contains sleeping rooms for the hostesses. One or two spare cots are frequently provided for very exceptional cases where it is impossible for women to leave camp that night, Sometimes a bad storm effectually holds them prisoners. Or the mother of a sick boy waits anxiously for a crisis In the Illness. , A Hostess house is manned by five women, the hostess director having general charge of everything. The social hostess is chiefly responsible for the reception of visitors. The emergency hostess looks after outside cases which come to the attention of the workers. The cafeteria hostess is concerned with the food. The business hostess keeps the accofiffits and looks after the buying.. Certain qualifications are essential for these offices. Of course the cafeteria director must be a trained dietitian, a graduate of a recognized domestic science Institute and an experienced domestic economist. The business hostess is one who is accustomed to running a large establishment on an economical and efficient basis. The emergency secretary is somewhat like the social worker. Experience in settlement work or some other form of welfare work affords a good training. She must know and utilize all the government agencies, charitable institutions and philanthropic or'ganizatlons. The term "social hostess” sounds somewhat vague, but more than shaking hands is Involved In her position. She must have had experience in dealing with large numbers of people. Tact which takes her to a desired goal without friction is necessary. Endless patience, a kind heart, and a shrewd brain are fundamental. The director of a Hostess house must be all the four others rolled into one. Poise is a prerequisite. When a tornado rolled the roof back from the house at Camp Tayior, Louisville, and then returned- it to its place with a bang, the w ork went right on as if nothing had happened. - Every sort to f a demand is made upon the women employed in Hostess houses. They made 4,000 sandwiches for ex-President Taft at Camp Funston. The number was not too many for him—and his admiring audience. A worker at Camp Cody, Tex., was_taken aback for a moment when a woman inquired “Can you .tell me where I can get a baby?” But she recovered •hgr breath in time to find one for adoption. Wandering mothers, lost in company streets, are returned to anxious sons. Homesick soldier boys are accompanied to movie show’s. Rooming and boarding- places tn the neighborhood are found for soldiers’ relatives. Mothers are chaperoned, babies fed, letters written, and information given on -every subject from the future life to ''fountain pens. The Hostess house does not shut up shop when visiting hours are over. Not only for guests does It exist, but for the soldiers themselves. In one house It has been discovered that as soon as the boys have seen their friends off on the train they came pell-mell back to seek comfort and food; Then the cafeteria, which has wrorked so hard all day, hands out pie and coffee to the disconsolate ones. The cook at Camp Meade forgot her pass one morning. She told a soldier at the gate who was. - “Are you the cook who makes that tomato soup?” asked the sentry. "I ma,” she replied. "Pass,” decreed the soldier, saluting. **l want some of that soup this noon.” The cost of building and equipping Hostess houses has Increased during the past year Just

THE EVENING REPUBLICAN. RENSSELAER. IND.

as has everything else. Originally SIO,OOO was expected to build and equip a house suitably. Lqmber has gone up. Wages are higher. Furniture is almost unattainable. Transportation is difficult Constant delays occur. Nevertheless Hostess houses must be built. The appropriation must be sufficient to cover all these difficulties. Twenty-seven thousand dollars is not too much to invest tn one of these hospitality centers. Even after the house is built alterations and additions must go on. The military sanitary regulations must be fulfilled, even if they increase in severity. With summer comes the screening necessary. Yet every house is worth to the community and to the nation in general all the money invested in it. Of the $5,000,000 budget appropriated by the war work council of the Young Women’s Christian association $1,750,000 is being devoted to Hostess houses. Another work of the greatest importance which has Just been undertaken by the Young Women’s Christian association is the housing of women workers in connection with our great industrial establishments. While this is not strictly a new problem created by the war, the calling of many women workers to war service makes the situation immediately acute. Obviously the providing of proper housing for these newly called women workers, since it is a part of the war program, must be done by the government. The Young Women’s Christian association is now constructing, at its own expense, two buildings as a demonstration; one at Camp Sherman Annex, Chillicothe, and another at Charleston, S. C., for the women employees In the navy uniform factory. The latter is being built at the request of Secretary Daniels. If the government shall decide to make provision for the housing of its women workers, the Young Women’s Xffiristian’ association offers to provide the needed social and recreational workers. Based on its experience in housing girls during the last 50 years, the association believes that younger girls should be grouped where'they can have social life and an opportunity to entertain their friends, and still be under some of the restrictions of the home; that older women want Independence of living, many of them objecting to living in large groups because of the noise and confusion and ensuing fatigue; and that 4t is more successful .to house non-English-speaklng foreign girls in small groups, until they learn English and become used to American customs. The type “A” building, the permanent structure which the association is building at Charleston, is designed for use in places where only one building will be erected. The dining room and recreation hall, several parlors, and bedrooms for 44 girls are on the first floor. There js but one entrance for the residents. This makes it possible for the matron or social head of the house, who is in the office near the door, to see everyone who cornea in or goes out. The entrance hall is attractive and homelike. Opening out of it are several parlors separated from the hall by arches. To the right is an entrance to the wing containing the recreation hall and dining room. These rooms are so arranged that they can be thrown into one for a large social gathering. There are bedrooms for 51 girls on the second floor. There is also a sitting room separated from the hall only by pillars. This is for the use of the girls only. Next to this is a small sewing room with facilities for sewing. On the thirti floor are bedrooms for six girls, an Infirmary and a private bath. In Industrial communities the buildings are Intended to be grouped as effectively as possible with due regard to natural advantages. There can. of course, be as many units as are necessary. It is also proposed to provide a number of three and four-family houses to accommodate the elder women and the non-English-speakinfi foreign girls. In all of these buildings an attempt has been made, to use n style of architecture which is distinctly American.

BLACK FOR SUMMER

Mourning Color for Street Wear and Social Functions. - Upkeep of Country’s Optimism Could " Best Be Maintained by the Wearing of Gayer Colors. Another departure from the fashion as laid down by Paris this year is the wearing of black. This Is not for mourning, but for street, luncheons, dinners and the theater. It Is really not a good fashion, and those who cry for the morale of a nation, which merely means the upkeep of its optimism in the highest form, would prefer to see this a season of gayer colors, states a fashion correspondent. There will probably bq enough mourning in the land, and our millions of soldiers do not wish to see all the women garbed in black. It does not make them look upon life with more joy. However, we have started on a career of black for this summer season, and only the Individualists depart from it.. It is a condition fop gratitude that we have enohgh rebellious souls to Insist upon blue, pink, green and yellow as a contrast to the moving procession of black jet, taffeta, tulle, satin, pearls and jersey. Another fact about this fashion for black, for which we are truly grateful, Is the extreme manner In which It is presented. There is nothing gloomy or depressing in the way It is handled. Only the color Itself strikes a somber note. But color is always the note of victory, the sounding of the cymbals of a deed well done, and as the psychology of the masses is the most important thing of the hour, we should become students of this peculiar science of the mind and exploit It to the greatest extent. It might be wise for us to follow In detail the psychology of the generalissimo of the allied armies, General Foch. One who knows him well, says that General Foch thinks that to be gloomy is to admit that matter has conquered spirit. Hopefulness is, first In his creed of victory. He believes that depression is a confession of Intellectual weakness and will lose more battles of every kind than any other single cause. Mind power, thinks General Foch, can snatch victory out of the arms of defeat as well as the coming of unexpected re-enforcements. He said during a battle that no man need ever be tired at a crisis if he manages his mind right. One of his great maxims is “Resist the irresistible,” and another favorite maxim during his long life in the thick of things was “Victory is a thing of the will.” There is no getting beyond the sentence that “victory is a thing of the will.” It Is this psychology that we should work upon, and the constant wearing of black does not help towards a more brilliant expression of the will and the Spirit Therefore, if we must wear black gowns, even though we are not in mourning, let us have them as gay as possible. Brilliant jet contributes to the vividness of a black gown, and it has been reinstated by the designers in a fascinating fashion. Entire frocks are made of It for dinners and dances.

FASHION HINTS.

The average width of a wash skirt is two yards. Velvet and organdie make a fashionable combination. The sleeveless coat fashion is gain-, Ing in popularity. Foulard in large polka-dot design is very fashionable. A new style of cape for sport wear is of neutral linen. Chenille dotted veilings have taken a new lease of life. Sleeveless guimpes are made to wfear with bolero jackets. Black satin and gray crepe de chine make a pretty frock. A new rough swiss straw appears among the latest hats. Tailored blue serge is a standard style for little children’s coats.

JAPANESE PANAMA SPORT HAT

Wool embroidery Is the only trimming on this hat, which Is finding much favor with the womenfolk.

Care for Your Hands.

After washing dishes or dusting or doing any household work, always wash the hands thoroughly with soft water and a good toilet soap, not a kitchen or laundry soap, and when they have been wiped with a towel pull on a pair of old loose kid gloves and let them stay on for five or ten minutes while you put away the dishes or tidy up the living room.

RACCOON POPULAR THIS YEAR

Considerable comment has boon made over the attractive appearance of this wrap. Vivid amethyst and Australian raccoon combine to make this long-waicted evening or afternoon garment.

BUTTONS FROM NECK TO HEEL

Closing Gown Down Back an Idea Created by Designer Aided by Smart Woman. Primitive draping is in high fashion. And right against it, sitting in the same room with it and exploiting itself quite as proudly and successfully, says a fashion correspondent, will be a gown that is fastened with bone buttons from the nape of the neck to the turn of the heel. It is pure perverseness to employ a line of buttons down the back of a frock. The entire world of fashion was stimulating itself to the-utmost to provide new ways with ancient ideas. It was on the cards that we would drape ourselves in different ways. Then some designer, aided by a smart woman, made a tight bodice to a frock, buttoned all the way down the back, and added a Japanese bow at the waistline. What was the result? Huge bows and tight bodices, smoothly pulled across the bust and sinking in over the diaphragm, became an exalted fashion. Perhaps it was panic, and not perverseness, that created this gown. It takes a skillful hand to wrap material around the body in a graceful manner, and we have not the art of the primitives. A modest woman has a right to demand that this drapery be well put together before she appears in it in public, to dance, to dine or to walk. The Japanese woman can wind her sarong about her hips, and other an- - cient races tie invisible knots in material to keep It modestly in place, but we are used to hooks and eyes, buckles and buttons, and we are a bit afraid to go abroad in something that depends upon our skill in tying knots to keep us from being naked and ashamed.

To Save Time.

Time Is way above par nowadays. Everybody is busy. No one has time to devote to fine stitches if big stitches will do. Hence any suggestion which will save a few minutes by the dock are welcome. What about these: If you need a casting for the top of a camisole, or nightgown, or kiddle’s frock in a hurry, try making a wide cat stitch on the outside of the garment with a heavy silk or mercerized cotton. You can run a ribbon or tape through this and make it decorative as well as useful in a much shorter time than stitching on the usual bias facing. There is another way, too, of crocheting a row of open filet mesh and sewing It on. This takes a little longer, but wears well for wash clothes. A. loose feather stitch for sewing tucks into dresses for growing girls is much better than either hand embroidered or machine stitching.

To Bleach Fabrics.

It is often an advantage to remove the color and design from some cotton material which has faded, and this may be done by dipping the material into Javelle water, then rinsing it in dear water.