Henderson Daily Dispatch

All wards participate in the publication of a weekly newspaper, which patients have named Ward Words. Soldiers in each ward contribute to the newspaper, the amount of "news" the men can scrape up being a continual source of surprise to workers. The paper even has a lovelorn column, the editor being "Miss Fix." Many patients are permitted to go to the Red Cross buildings, where there are comfortable lounges, libraries, auditoriums, craft shops and recreation halls. Games, contests, plays and recordings are enjoyed by men visiting the recreation hall. Bingo and the staging of plays and "county Fairs" are the most popular amusements, workers have found. Some of the patients learn useful trades in the craft shops, while others spend their time making objects for their parents or wives. Woodwork is the craft that attracts the majority of shop visitors. Basketball, volleyball and softball are among the sports available to men able to participate in such activities. Convalescents can find something to do around the recreation halls and playground areas morning, afternoon and early evening. The professional staff, headed by Miss Mary Ruth Pippen, formerly of Birmingham, Ala., is assisted in the work by volunteers from the Fort Bragg auxiliary and the Fayetteville Red Cross chapter. Volunteers are divided into three groups, the Gray Ladies, the Motor Corps and the Recreation Aides. On the professional staff are 29 specialists; social, psychiatric and recreation workers are busy caring for the wants of the soldiers throughout the day and night in each of the hospital units. A majority of the women on the staff have had medical training. Others have had special training in crafts, recreation and other work that enables them to fit into the carefully planned programs at the hospitals. "We just find out what the men like to do, and then let them do it," Miss Pippen explained when questioned about running the activities of each day. "Many of the boys don't want to leave when they are dismissed by their doctors," she observed laughingly.