Page Four

SCARLET AND BLACK

Friday.March10, "H

 

Reporter-Investigator GiVes' Profile of Uncle Sam} Club

Crofts are one of the most popular daily lecture: at the Uncle Sam's clubhouse. Above
the children are pictured wlih Mn. Robert Thomuin. club director. and. below, they stand
around group leader Tom Knrger. and campus 6‘ ctor. Evie Cars two of the college
Itudenrs who make weekly trips to work with the members“ Unclu Sam's.

The little boys of Uncle Sam's
club are particularly fund at
rough and tumble games and
of the slide. part of the
equipment kept in the club-
house.

Never a Dull Moment for Siudenls
Who Donaie Time to Town Children

By Cynthia Brust
From the Infirmary

"Hey, college girl!” she said, taking my hand. "Come here
and look aL this picture. I drew it!” And so I met Barbie, who
was my selfrappointed guide during the first afternoon I spent at
Uncle Sam‘s Club.

It all starts innocently enough. Three or four or five of your
fellow students walk the haltrmile to the building that houses the
Club. You talk about Grinnell on the way — house president elec-
tions, hourlies, concerts. Then you open la door — and it’s a dif-
ferent world” A juke box blares Beatle songs, ten boys Wrestle
en masse, almost everyone runs, jumps, or dances, and everyone
shouts.

“We like to do stuff," they told me when I asked them why
they come. Sixryearbld Theresa told me that; so did 12-year-old
Sharry. There most certainly were things to do. The house and
yard contain playground equipment, ping-pong and pool tables,
punching bag and dart board — all donated by Grinnell business- .
men or purchased with United Fund money. Each session fea-
tures a planned craft and an organized game or two for those
who want it. And constantly, in the background (or foreground)
are the sounds of the jukebox and the wrestling boys. “You just
walk in and they ask you to wrestle,” an ”oldrtimer” told a col-
lege boy going for the first time. You won't have to worry about
linding something to do!"

Why do they do it? Why do over 85 students a semester da~
nate an afternoon or evening once every other week to playing
with a roomful of Children? I spent five hours there trying to find
out and I think I know. Jerri Linn Hart told me she goes. "be-
cause I like to work with the little kids." Evie Corsini said, "It’s
a completely different world, and the work is rewarding. Peggy
Gerber admitted that her evenings with the fifth and sixth

graders are exhausting, but says, “They've taught me to relax
(The boys present were occupied as referees. bells for signalling
the end of boxing rounds, and sparring partners — all were very
unavailable for comment!)

Evelyn Corsini and Don Bogue are this year’s COrChail'men
of the Uncle Sam’s Club program. Sessions are from 3:30 to 5:00
each alterncon except Frlday for approximately 135 youngsters
four to nine years old. Tuesdays from 7-9 pm, the fifth and sixth
graders meet; there are about 55 of them. Ninety junior high stu-
dents meet on Wednesdays, Each of these sessions has a college
group leader, who is in charge of the activities, Leaders this se-
mester are Jerri Linn Hart, Tom Karger, Ruth Koehler, Ann
Klein, Bing Johnson and Judy Roberts.

This year‘s group has also revived the Monday meetings of
the high school group, with Milt Tocue as group leader. The as
teenagers involved have elected their own officers and plan their
own monthly parties. Their current project is a “kiddie party,”
complete with costumes and ”birthdayrparty games."

Uncle Sam’s Cluh has always been a pet college project. The
club was founded in 1902 by two college boys, members of the
class of 1903i It is now run with United Fund backing. There is
only one salaried employee, Mrs. Robert Thomazin, who has
been director for 14 years. Policy decisions are made by a gov-
erning board which meets once a week. The board includes the
college Chairmen, Mrs. Thomazin, and businessmen, teachers,
and ministers mm the town, A women's group, the Happy Help-
ing Hands, has been formed this year to help in the work oi the
club,

“Lots of kids think that the club is silly, that we don’t ac-
complish anything,” Evie remarked. “That isn‘t true. Uncle
Sam’s Club is an important part of the town of Grinnell and the
townspeople feel that it’s really their club We have kids who
come from all over town, just because their parents came, and
even their grandparents This is the most practical community
service a Gl‘innell college student can give — and the most fun."

Bogue added that many college guys seem to think that this
is a girl’s project. “It's not," he said emphatically. "We always
need more guys,,especially for the older groups. These kids need
guys they can look up to, and who will play and talk to them.
You really feel as it you’re doing something worthwhile."

®———

* t . ‘k . . .
inflrmary, get lots of “ICE pres-
This reporter would like to ents, and be secure in the

 

point out another advantage of knowledge that you've done

Uncle Sam’s Club. If you are
as lucky as I am, and choose
the right days to go down, you
too can spend four days in the

your part in spreading a
measles epidemic! Or maybe
you’d rather have mnmps«
they don’t itchl