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SERVICES PROVIDED FOR THE SOLDIERS

Service Clubs	Camp Exchanges	U.S. Mail
Libraries	Religion	American Red Cross
Movie Theaters	Transportation	Army Emergency Relief
Outdoor Theaters	Communications	Camp Newspaper
Recreation Buildings	Telegraph	Banking Facilities
Visitors	Automobiles & Traffic	War Saving Bonds & Stamps
Guest House	Legal Aid

There were three service clubs for use by enlisted men only, which offered dances, variety shows, games, camp radio programs, reading, and just a quiet place to relax and write letters home. Cafeterias and soda fountains were operated in conjunction with each club and long distance offices were located on the balconies.

Two well-stocked libraries, open to all military personnel, were provided for pleasure and education. They were located in the south wings of the two main Service Clubs.

The latest Hollywood movies were provided by six war department theaters. Two large theaters were located in each division area, while smaller theaters served the Station Complement and Special Detachment. Single tickets were 15 cents each or a ten pack of tickets for $1.20. During the day troops were shown training films in the theaters and during the winter they were used for USO-camp shows.

A red, white, and blue painted outdoor theater was located on the parade ground of each division. The theaters were the scene of USO-camp shows during the summer. They also presented variety shows, band concerts, and informal programs.

The huge recreational buildings located along the camp’s main streets hosted everything from basketball to regimental dances. One building was provided for each Infantry Regiment, one for Division troops, and one for Division Artillery.

When receiving visitors arrangements had to be made for room in one of the guest house and all guest without passes had to be met at the gate. Military Police at the gate would call when the guest had arrived and until a soldier arrived at the gate to identify them they had to wait in the gatehouse. Guest without a pass were not allowed to enter or leave the camp without the soldier they were visiting.

Two guest houses were built next to the main service clubs each with 28 rooms accommodating 56 guest. Guest had to pay 75 cents each and care for the room themselves. If the houses became overbooked, guest visiting men in the hospital were given preference and no time limit was placed on their stay.

Camp Exchanges were where a soldier could buy everything from a new toothbrush to an ice cream soda. The Exchange, commonly called the PX, which stood across the street from the Orderly room sold everything at prices much below the going rate outside of camp. Camp Howze had twenty exchanges including dry-cleaning, barbershop, clothing store (PX 19), and cafeteria (PX 20). All of the PX’s sold soft drinks, beer, and ice cream. When the weather was warm enough soft drinks were sold outdoors in beer gardens. Soldiers in the fields were served by mobile PX units.

The soldiers Spiritual well-being was as important to the Army as his physical well-being. Weekly services by Chaplains of all faiths and denominations were held in eleven camp chapels. When soldiers were unable to return to camp on Sunday, services were held in the field.

Two bus lines served the camp. Dixie Trailways used gate one and Gainesville Bus Lines used gate two. Both lines covered the entire camp and terminated in Gainesville. Fare within camp was 5 cents and fare to Gainesville was 15 cents. Once in Gainesville connections could be made on three bus lines, the Santa Fe railway, or the MKT railway.

The official telephone service for Camp Howze was provided by a large dial telephone exchange. Up to three operators could be on duty at the modern switchboard to handle incoming calls, outgoing official long distance calls, and caller assistance. Two-way written conversations with distant cities could be held with teletypewriters.

Telegrams could be sent 24 hours a day at the Camp Signal Office located at Polk Avenue and 12^th Street. Telegraphed money orders could not be cashed at the Camp Office and had to be taken into town. A Western Union was located at 312 E California in Gainesville and a Postal Telegraph was located in the Turner Hotel in Gainesville.

Automobile traffic was carefully regulated inside camp and all private vehicles had to carry $5,000 property damage insurance and $5,000 to $10,000 public liability insurance before a permanent pass would be issued allowing that vehicle in camp. The maximum speed for any vehicle was 25 MPH, except where lower speeds were posted. All vehicles were required to slow to 10 MPH when passing troops.

Free legal advice was provided by the Camp Judge Advocate.

Mail was handled by soldier and civilian postal workers in four branch post offices located in Camp Headquarters, Station Hospital, and Division Headquarters. Stamps and money orders were available in all post offices.

The Camp Red Cross office on the corner of Polk Avenue and Anderson Avenue was ready to help when a soldier had financial or family trouble. If the trouble was financial emergency loans could be made. If a soldier had family problems the Red Cross would help him in obtaining emergency leave by verifying an emergency at the soldier’s home. A recreation and welfare service at the Station Hospital was also run by the Red Cross. Professional and volunteer workers would provide games and magazines to aid patients.

Another agency, which was ready to help soldiers with financial trouble, was the Army Emergency Relief agency. The Army Emergency Relief officer was qualified to make loans and outright grants when necessary.

The soldier staff of the Camp Howze Howitzer, the camp newspaper, covered all the important news events in camp and edited contributions from company reporters. The paper, financed by the Camp Exchange, was distributed for free every Friday.

The First National Bank of Dallas, the largest institution of its kind in the Southwest at that time, had a branch next door to Service Club One guest house on Polk Avenue and 12^th Street.

War bonds could be purchased at the Camp Finance Office in Headquarters or at pay tables every payday. A soldier could also set aside a part of his pay each month for war bonds through payroll deduction. The Post Office sold war stamps.