US Naval Reserve Midshipmens School - Capstan Yearbook (Notre Dame, IN)

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t 3, The jfs! lhing you wan! to do ir explore the splendid libragz they have here!,' oligerfy ef ROM this book, you who are to follow this first Midshipman class will learn many things about our life at Notre Dame. You will learn about instructors and classes, drills and exercises, logs and watches. But the first question you will ask of a Mate is, 'Wvhat is there to do on Liberty?,' We answer by telling you some of the things that we have done during the past four months. Before we had lost the last vestiges of civilian life in the strangeness of bell-bottom trousers and un- dress jumpers, we were already accepting invita- tions to Sunday dinner proffered by the residents of South Bend, who knew that loneliness reduces a man's efflciency and that loneliness can best be overcome by the knowledge that new friendships are to be formed for the asking. It must be said of these people that their names are too numerous to mention but that their kindness will be remem- bered by all of us. They dropped South Bend in our laps and we proceeded to look around and get acquainted. Some of us looked first to the Service Men's Center. All of us knew where it was located- H831 across the street from the La Salle Hotel and the South Shore station. What service it performs can be measured best by the numbers who repeatedly went back for more of the Indiana hospitality, by the smiles on the faces of those who were spending an afternoon or evening in the informality of its atmosphere. Under the direction of Mrs. William T. Riley and Mrs. Arthur Haley, the sixty-odd girls who have volunteered to take the place of a thousand girl friends from Seattle to Savannah were organ- ized into military regiments. Each regiment was on duty at a particular time, so each mate was fore- warned. If he intended to carry the torch for the raven-haired lovely with the Sunbeam smile, he had to find out her regiment and her hours 'fon dutyn. Since our only opportunity to get into town came on the weekends, we won't concern ourselves with the daily function that the Service Center carries out for the men in the army, the navy and the marine corps. On Saturday and Sunday, the Center became a Midshipmenls Club. There was the ever-present juke-box' that required no

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I182l PPRENTICE Seaman Sam Holmes men- tioned to some of his friends last October that Lt. Palmer wanted to start a dance band at the Notre Dame Midshipman school and Seaman Holmes added that he would very much like to be in on the deal. No one heard much about the whole matter until one night a few weeks later. Midshipmen returning from chow heard the un- mistakable strain ofthe 'cAnvil Chorusw sounding off from the lst Deck classroom in Badin Hall. That was the first concert by the Midshipman Orchestra. It started out as a rehearsal but the word spread even faster than scuttlebutt and soon the chapel was filled with jumping, stomping, lxfidshipmen. While Verdi took one of the worst poundings of his career, the listeners cheered. More rehearsals followed, always in that short hour between 1800 and 1900. When the Lounge was opened in Morrissey Hall they played weekly con- certs on Friday nights. They drew such crowds there that they wound up finally shooting the works in Washington Hall. It was the first time no one fell asleep in his seat. But then it was the first time no one snapped a chalk line at them. Composed of thirteen men, including Midship- man Holmes, their leader, the band boasted of men who had played in college and professional dance bands throughout the country. Midshipmen John Evans and Marvin Decker formed the top sax men in the group with Midshipmen Harry Berchin and P, C. Hume close behind. Berchin is the man you saw so often leading the jam sessions with the best boogie woogie piano ever heard in these parts. ln the trumpet section the Midshipman school produced T. Harper, Charles DuBois and Howard Knox, the last named being the boy who did the comedy acts in between bars. The two trombonists whose solos made us forget the men we used to hear back in the old days were Midshipmen Stuart Park and Dave Fowler. In the rhythm group we had first, Midshipman C. E. Davis who played hob with the drums every time we heard him. He doubled between the or- chestra and marching us to class. He never missed a beat in either place. Midshipman Sylvan Dubinsky not only played the piano harmony parts but added many solos in the weekly concerts. The last polishing touch to make the band complete was added by Midshipman Orville Gross and his guitar. These were the men, then, who made up the Notre Dame Midshipman School orchestra. When asked to play a number they didn,t have, they im- provised, when asked to swing, they swung. They were the most obliging band the world ever saw.

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N.. fi.: .45 . M.. 1 monetary encouragement and there were plenty of good dancing partners, there was the ping-pong table for the ambidextrous, writing tools and re- minders for the forgetful, card tables for the bridge or gin-rummy addicts, plenty of good books and magazines to relieve the mind of Bowditch and Knight, and soft, comfortable chairs for those who cared only for ordinary relaxation. The moment we stepped inside the door, we were put at ease. lt was surprising how many of us attempted to make a date with the girl in the black dress or the blond who danced so well. And where did we go if we did date her? That was easy. We just followed the crowd to any of a dozen places. Those who were in the habit of Hdoingw the hotel ballrooms in their own home towns, liked the Hoffman for an evening of danc- ing. The music was good, the dancing enjoyable, and above all there were always twenty or more of their shipmates on hand to help make the evening enjoyable. ,df PJ J 11841 If one didn't want to cut any rugs', but wanted some music to brighten up the evening,s conversa- tion, he stopped in the Blarney Room at the Oliver Hotel where the Irish motif and the brogue are all the style, Then when he felt he'd like to spend a few hours stagfwith all due apologies to the girls- he dropped into the Brandywine Room in the La Salle. It was the type of place where men liked to congregate on a cold Saturday afternoon to re- hash the events of the past week, and to map out a plan of action for the week-end. There were, however, many of us who were strictly ballroom dancers, from Roseland to the Trianon. For us, the Palais Royale was the spot. There, dancing was they order of the evening, and it was there that the music was played by the bigger uname bandsw. Now you question, 4'That was all very nice if one had a date, but where did a guy go to meet sorneone?,' The answer to that is Anywhere,,. People are so darned friendly in South Bend that