Salt Lake Tribune | 1919-05-18 | Page 24 | Disabled Men Well Attended Salt Lakers Describe Work

DISABLED MEN WELL ATTENDED SALT LAKERS DESCRIBE JVORK MRS. FEAKE EVANS, who has just returned to Salt Lake after a year in Washington, where she became director of the Red Cross volunteer workers In the Walter Eeed army hospital. (Copyright Harris & Ewing). tM'-i ';' .:-il' : :MSjid- v: WS:.:::;if:,:;: JiWfiK I;:i::::y:;:;;:;::;::f5 KMKftSMMi; iiii wmmmmmmmm wmmmmmsm BBafasasaj WMSMSMmM-MWfifBAM VMSiSm si:;s;?ii:.:::i'!Ss;:S i; y .&y -1 ' . w ? . ' . Every Opportunity Taken to Place Soldiers Back in Normal Activity. v TJR reward came from the work J itself, and I've gained more I l during the past twelve months of service than in the previous twenty years," was the way Frank Evans, former state senator, yesterday summed up his own experiences and those of Jlrs. Evans with the American Eed Cross both in this country and abroad. Thirteen months ao Mr. and Mrs. Evans went to Washington, vol-1 unteering their ser.vices tp the government. govern-ment. After devoting several months to work at the Walter Eeed hospital in Washington, in the hospital administration admin-istration service, Ur. Evans went to France while Mrs. Evans remained in charge of the Eed Cross volunteer women workers at the Walter Eeed hospital. After his three months of service abroad Mr. Evans returned to Washington Wash-ington last January. lie was made director di-rector for the Eed Cross of the bureau of camp service for the Potomac division di-vision which includes Maryland, Virginia, Vir-ginia, West Virginia and the District of Columbia. In this work ho carried out the recreational program prescribed by Surgeon General Ireland of the army. It was the unfailing spirit of the wounded soldiers, their Iiope and faith, their eager willingness to help one another an-other and their constant cheerfulness which, 6aid Mr. Evans, most impressed him. These wounded men are being given the best care in the world, according to Mr. Evans, and are being offered every opportunity .by the government to become self -sustaining members of society when their hurts aro mended. Vocational and other courses of training train-ing are offered by the reconstruction department, and in this work tho men are being given a range of courses that include almost every subject that a man might select. Careful analysis is made of the individual indi-vidual 's likes and aptitudes, and when he chooses to follow a certain coursd, such as horticulture or mechanics or draughting, the work is brought to his very bedside if necessary, "Manv of the men," said Mr. Evans, ''want to study some phase of agriculture, and they have manifested a great interest in Secretary Lane's plan for soldier set-tit set-tit men ts. " Considerable ingenuity had to be used in order to provide real recreation recrea-tion for the men confined to their beds. A moving picture expert was called iu by the Tied Cross. Bo invented a device de-vice whereby pictures may be projected on the valls or ceilings. A chaiu of theatres was established at the various hospitals and camps, and for these some of the best talent iu the country was secured for tho entertainment enter-tainment of tho convalescent soldiers. It was entertainment of the kind the men liked, nothing of the dreary nature, na-ture, for the performers were professionals profes-sionals of accomplishment who had a great desire to please tho taste of the soldiers. While educational and entertainment phases of the work were itally important im-portant and fulfilled a considerable part in Surgeon General Ireland's program, pro-gram, there ia includod iu addition tbo curative athletics. In this way, through specially orgauiz.ed courses of exercise and sports, 'weakened inuscles have been developed st, the tamo time the soldier wan .jelling the other benei'its of hrnltht'ul sports nut i't' doors. It is the aim of the surgeon general to train every wounded soldier that comes under his care to the point where tho man has regained not only his spirit, but liU powers of eclf support as well. Tho men are Uept in the various training courses until it ia v ident that they arc able to tn ko care of themselves, them-selves, or if not that, uutil auVqunto provision can be ma.io for them. AU of the men, aeoordiu to Mr. Evans, want to become self-sustaining just as soon as possible. Mr. and M ra. fcans axe back at their homo in Salt Lake. Mr. Eva us will resume re-sume his law practice, iu tbo near future.