Phoenix Service Center

FAMOUS Phoenix hospitality with its warm friendliness is the keynote around which the Community Service Men's Center operates and to date 113,890 service men have been enthusiastic guests.

Established primarily to meet the needs of the armed forces stationed in the Valley of the Sun in the way of supplying recreation, a place to meet friends, a free snack to eat and a cup of hot coffee, or perhaps just a place to relax in, it also serves as a clearing house or headquarters for all recreation and social activities which include civilians as well as service men.

With more and more boys coming in and unexpectedly large groups on furlough from desert maneuvers, it wasn't long before the old Center on First Avenue soon outgrew its home and the need for more room became apparent.

So on October 1, 1942 the new Center at 339 West Washington Street was occupied, the result of the foresightedness of the Federal Security Agency, which submitted a request for a federal grant to Washington and followed it through to achieve one of the finest centers in the West. At a cost of approximately $20,000, these fine accommodations were made available for the larger program necessary for the various departments needed to continue the reputation for warm hospitality which the Center had always enjoyed.

The City of Phoenix, always an ardent supporter of this work, assisted again with a budget and agreement with the Federal Security Agency to maintain the property and the program. The Works Progress Administration continued its support of needed personnel, which it had willingly given from the beginning. The Chamber of Commerce and numerous business houses and organizations renewed their support without which this venture could not have succeeded during its first year.

Moreover, through the fine cooperation of many unpaid volunteers, numbering 3000 or more, a snack bar, information desk, service or check room are run competently and efficiently. Hostess committees and house committees are also important functions providing a homelike touch. Many programs and entertainments are supplied, especially so during holidays. All this is part and parcel of the Service Men's Center.

This remarkable hospitality house is a large two story building formerly known as the American Legion Boxing Arena which was thoroughly modernized and revamped to suit the needs of the service men. It also has a fine ballroom upstairs.

The west section where the information desk is placed is largely a lounge, with cool fiber rugs on the floors, flowers nearly everywhere, bamboo screens placed attractively around the sides and along the windows for privacy, and furniture both durable and comfortable. Moreover, plenty of desks with writing paper supplied are at hand for the boys' use. Books and magazines have been donated and a quiet air of comfort pervades the place. A piano, a victrola and radio are all in evidence and are generally in use.

Art exhibit is held BY FLORENCE MATTHES STEPHENS A home for the soldier in the Valley of the Sun

In the informal dance space and small lounge, one of the chief attractions of the Center, is a recording machine where the boys may make their own records free of charge. Also there is a combination phonograph and radio with stacks of popular recordings for informal dancing. Here Girls' Service Organizations, servicemen's dates, and Junior hostesses often spend entire evenings dancing. Four or five nights a week guest artists provide informal entertainments. Some of the special activities include talent from local radio stations, dance demonstrations, symphonies, portrait sketching, Indian folklore, lectures, cowboy music, community sings, visiting celebrities and many others.

Since December of 1942 Sgts. Francis Donnini and James Newbold of Luke Field have been painting large murals on the walls surrounding the lounge and reading room. These murals, seven in all, tell a pictorial picture of events leading up to, including and concluding the war. Each panel, as named, depicts colorfully and forcefully "The Coming of the New Order", "The Enslavement of Europe", "The Attack On Pearl Harbor", "The United Nations All Out War Production", "The Allies Strike Back", "The Defeat of the Axis", and "The Future of America and Civilization."

Designed by Sergeant Donnini, the murals have been painted in oils by both boys and at this writing are nearly completed. Sergeant Donnini is from Providence, Rhode Island, and Sergeant Newbold is from Cleveland, Ohio.

In the central section is the snack bar, favorite spot of the uniformed men, with inviting tables attractively painted where approximately 116,000 boys have been served at no cost to them refreshments varying from spaghetti dinners, chili con carne, sandwiches, cakes, cookies, pies, waffles, doughnuts and hot biscuits.

Food at the snack bar is furnished by volunteers and organizations whose hostesses take turns in the Center. However, steaming hot coffee, iced tea in the summer, and other beverages are furnished by the Center, also free. The uniformed guests may obtain food from 10 a. m. to 11 p. m. each day. Hostesses serve on four hour shifts.

Highlight of the snack bar is the Sunday morning breakfasts provided by the Central District Federation of Women's Clubs. Often times this includes hot biscuits, home made golden butter, jellies and jams fed to appreciative and hungry boys. Other times doughnuts or hot rolls and coffee are the order of the day. Since rationing went into effect a points system has been organized and each club or volunteer is given a certain number of points so that meat, cheese and butter may be used for sandwiches.

The games room is in constant use with boys playing ping pong and pool. Occasionally tournaments are staged and often times demonstrations by champions enliven the place. There is also a marble table game all free, of course.

Upstairs the old boxing arena was transformed into a great ballroom with a new hardwood floor. Here between 1200 and 1600 service men dance each Saturday night under the supervision of the United Service Organization,

Soldiers win photography prizes Soldier artists and prize winning paintings

whose headquarters is the Young Women's Christian Association. Luke and Williams Fields orchestras entertain and other programs are held.

It was here in the ballroom that the formal dedication ceremony October 17, 1942, with a statewide radio broadcast and entertainment provided from outlying fields was held, as well as open house downstairs for all who were interested. The broadcast was written by Lt. Hal Ferguson, then assistant to Major Alpha K. McCartney of Luke Field special service office, and presented by soldiers as a token of appreciation to Phoenix.

The United Nations were represented by fliers training here on the program including English at Falcon Field, Chinese at Thunderbird I, South Americans at Sky Harbor, Americans from Luke and Williams Field, with a switch to Tucson for a talk by Governor Sidney P. Osborn.

Jack Benny and Rochester, Veloz and Yolande, the two dancers, came in for a few minutes during the dance following the program as a surprise treat for the men.

Another event sponsored by the Center to help the uniformed men keep in touch with civilian life and also to give the civilians an opportunity to meet some of the really fine artists stationed here was the first all military art exhibit ever to be held in Phoenix. This was staged in the ballroom from February 21 through February 26 and approximately $25,000 in war savings stamps and bonds were sold during the six days exihibit by the women's

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