Chapter LIV: The Young Men’s Christian Association

For years previous to the Declaration of War, the Y.M.C.A. carried on its work in the summer Militia Camps; consequently the War did not find the Association without some idea of the requirements of troops, and from the early days of the first big concentration at Valcartier, the “Y” tried hard to measure up to each new phase of war activity.

In 1914 about 5,000 men were served in the camps of the Maritime Provinces. During the succeeding winter Y.M.C.A. work was established in the various barracks, and in 1915 the work on the piers at the points of embarkation was started. All this work was carried on continually from this time with increasing efficiency, not only in camps, barracks, and hospitals, but also on board transports and on troop trains carrying returning men. It consisted of the erection of large recreation buildings, giving assistance with the equipping of recreation rooms in barracks; the provision of free writing and reading materials, games, athletic goods, music, pianos, gramophones and records, moving picture machines and films; the organizing of concerts on land and on board ships; social evenings in homes, churches, barracks, hospitals and otherwise; athletics, religious services; supplying free hot drinks and doughnuts or biscuits at the disembarkation points and demobilization centres.

The first large financial appeal was made to the people of the Maritime Provinces in the spring of 1916, when approximately $34,500 were raised for home and Overseas’ military work. During that year Association service was rendered to troops in eighteen different places in these Provinces. Each succeeding year saw most successful campaigns for larger sums of money, until 1918, when requirements began to decrease. Altogether about $679,600 were raised in the Maritime area and spent on military work at home and Overseas.

Large recreation buildings, which were much needed, were erected at Aldershot and Sussex Camps, each capable of accommodating close to 1,000 men. These were used to capacity, and were practically the only adequate recreation centres. A large hut was erected in the Naval Dockyard, Halifax, for the men of the navy and the merchant marine. It was destroyed by the explosion, but was replaced by a larger structure, and was the great social centre for the men of the navy and the merchant marine.

The large Red Triangle Hut, on Barrington Street, Halifax, was erected as a demobilization service to offset the inadequate housing facilities in Halifax, to provide meals and beds for returning men who had to remain in the city while waiting for trains or demobilization, to assist returned men to become re-established in civil life by providing them with wholesome meals and beds at prices within their means, to help men taking Government re-training courses and drawing barely enough money to live on, and to provide them with a clean, attractive recreation centre.

Other recreation huts were built and equipped at St. John, New Brunswick, and Cogswell Hospital, Halifax. A large building was leased and equipped as a Red Triangle Club at St. John, N.B. Clubs on a smaller scale were operated in Sydney, Windsor, Kentville, Nova Scotia, and Fredericton and Sussex, New Brunswick.

Work was carried on among the German prisoners of war at Amherst in return for which the German Government permitted the Y.M.C.A. to carry on work in certain camps in Germany where Canadians were confined. Only the work in the Internment Camps in Canada made this concession possible.

Co-operating with the Sailors’ Comforts’ Committee, Halifax, the Y.M.C.A. workers visited many ships of the merchant service and supplied the men with reading and writing materials, games, mufflers, sweaters, socks, gloves, mitts, underwear, etc. Concerts were frequently arranged for the crews on shore.

Uniform reports of activities and the attendance were not kept in the early days of the War, and it is impossible to arrive at anything like accurate estimates of the extent of some of the services rendered. The report of a few activities for the _two years of maximum efficiency_ may serve to indicate, however, the great extent to which the men patronized the Y.M.C.A. military services.

Activity. Number. Attendance. Concerts 694 84,550 Social evenings 815 112,800 Moving Picture Shows (free) 1,365 210,800 Religious Services 1,108 88,100 Theatre parties arranged and conducted through courtesy of theatre managers, without charge to patients 356 12,619 Illustrated Lectures 98 18,050

Supplies Used. Magazines 162,685 Sheets of writing paper 1,511,000 Sex and health education booklets 39,000 Athletic goods large quantities Pianos in continual use 22 Billiard tables in continual use 31 Gramophones and records supplied continually 50 Moving picture machines in continual use 9 Reels of picture films per week provided, no charge made 40

At the disembarkation piers, in co-operation with various women’s organizations, the Creche in Halifax, and the combined organizations in St. John, free hot or cold drinks and mixed biscuits were provided. At the Demobilization Centre, Halifax, co-operating with the G.W.V.A. Ladies’ Auxiliary, drinks and doughnuts or mixed biscuits were supplied free, and a six months’ membership ticket in any Y.M.C.A. was given to each man.

A “Y” representative accompanied each troop train to its destination and carried a standard stock of equipment, gramophones, portable organs, music, song sheets, games, fruits, chocolate, and cigarettes. He rendered personal services in every way possible, such as wiring ahead, mailing letters, and carrying on a programme of concerts and games. These representatives were principally business men, and all gave their services voluntarily. In all 449 representatives accompanied troop trains.

Further assistance was given returned men to re-establish themselves by Red Triangle Clubs at Halifax and St. John, where bed and board could be had at reduced rates. During the first year of the Halifax Club. 147,713 meals were served, and 38,855 beds occupied for one night or more. This work is still going on. The rate for bed and board was $1 per day. The food was far above the average meal at similar prices. A programme of entertainments, athletics, moving pictures, religious services, and educational lectures and discussions was carried on. The Association’s hospital service will be continued as long as necessary, and funds are available.