Hartford Courant from Hartford, Connecticut • 20

THE HARTFORD DAILY COURANT: SUNDAY, AUGUST 18, HELLO, HARTFORD! WAR HELLO GIRLS TALKING: WE WIN! is I L- l. I RV'S- UAJ A'mm vv zm. mm Cfe0'5j Message of Victory Could Be Telephoned from France, Signal pgjj ljll si tm ff lIlS'l' Service Operators Training Here for Service Overseas, Would Plug fctfj fiSisF J' OjMMj in CaPito1 City in Record Time Girl Brigade Awaiting Call to If fim Wm' it Vr wlJj Help Pershing's Army, Studying Under Military Discipline-War Jlf lM Mm WmMI I Mf Mil Not New tQ Some of Company-'Win the Their Motto. jf time she left New York for a trip clothes that she wore. The mother a week at Camp Merritt, N.

in member of the unit to training here, but she merely refers to the inci of the girls is now France and training. dent as a common ever day affatt. they have cousins serving in the Bel- Unlike the rest of the French girls gian army. An aunt, now 'n Ameri-j of the unit. Miss Asten's greatest de-ca, had similar experiences to those re upon arriving overseas is to visit saying that after the "sub" had eunjt two coal barges, the passengers of the ocean liner disembarked and "just waited over a day," before and their private lives almost front birth.

Finally came a physical test before the girls were sworn into government service. Their rank Is similiarto that of a sergeant major in the army, the highest non-commissioned officer. In addition to their "regular pay, they haie a liberal allowance for expenses. One could not talk with the young women who are undergoing 'intensive training" in Hartford but understand at once that these girls are thoroughly France. Miss Byram was born in Asbury Park, N.

but has spent the greater part of her life in New York, Boston and Cleveland, it being in the latter city that she enlisted in the signal cqrps. She attended Simmons College at Boston and speaks French fluently. She', has two brothers in the service, George Byram in the ordnance department and Holhert Byram In the naval aviation section. Her mother, Mrs. Anna Byram, lives England, for it was In London that she spent a greater part of her life.

She has spent considerable time in America, also, but' her visits to France and England have been fre- of Miss Gabrielle's, in getting safely to American shores. Hun Rule Eight Months. It was while at Newport also that Miss Helene Tobv received word that starting the voyage to American to Virginia and while in Virginia she received a telegram, summoning her to fiew York to undergo the examinations required of appUcants for the corps. One Out of 50. Out of theBOO New York applicants, Miss Bourquin was one of the successful ones, receiving her appointment on March 1.

Previous to coming to Hartford, she- trained in New York and at the army piers at Hoboken, N. At the time Bhe made application to become a member of the shores. She has a mother and three sisters, Renee, Marguerite and Marie, living in Paris. The AT THE HIGHLAND COCRT HOTEL. are quartered twelve young? women.

This in Itself is not remarkable, but this particular twelve are in the service of the United States government, eleven of them as telephone operators and the twelfth, an inspector sent here from New York for the purpose of checking up the work of the eleven. For the e'even will form a part of the contingent cf young women from America who responded to the call, of General "Jack" Pershing, commander in chief of the American armies In France, for experienced telephone operators, familiar with English and French languages, and trained to the minute for army work. Hartford has reason to be proud of the part it is playing in fitting these young women for service overseas. even vet of the determined appealing young woman who marched the miles over the hot pavement, carrying the flag with never a faltering step, though the 'lay was hot ami the gov. ernment had not yet provided the little telephone army with summer uniforms.

Knthusiasm? An evidence of it was apparent when with flashing eyes and clenched fist one of the French girls expressively announced "VVe Will Win," with something similar In her tone lo the determination voiced by her brothers in the field at Verdun when they declared, "II ne passeront pun," (They shill not pats Have Xo Vse For (Atiiwiw, For Germany and the Germans they have no earth'y use. They could see nothing in the suKRestton that there were undoubtedly many in tioned sister has opened a Red Cross library for her aunt had managed to elude watchful eVe of the enemy and make I esent time and a Zee' her escape to a point of embarks- lin 18td over clty- an tion from which she sailed ntle factory of which he was own-America. Miss Toby's aunt had even was completely destroyed. sincere and will be a decided help In in Waverly, N. Y.

Previous to her In speaking of air-raids Miss Coul- eru says that it is nothing unusual mo Dig scneme of efficiency which I enlistment Miss Byram was an active will bring Germany to her knees. In worker in Red Cross branches, but Two Girls "Out Irtiok." for her mother and sisters to Bleep more excit ns experiences than did To Miss Ruth Clarke and weeks at a time in their clothes. Mathilde both American born When German airplanes are detect- -War Hello Girls Training Here for Overseas Service I girls, was the announcement of Miss ed in the vicinity of a French village I Byram that the unit would surely a "warning is sounded by men who! sail In the fall especially pleasing for cover the village by motorcycle ana had thev not been "out luck." as immediately everyone rushes to a It is expressed in army terms, both shelter house provided for protec-would now be on French soil. Miss 't'on against such raids. These shel- Clarke and Miss Ferrie' are membeis ter houses are erected at several! Signal Scrvk Operator.

A more determined gathering of yo-ing women would be hard to find. They say they are not hello girls" if you please, but Vnitt-1 Stntos S'gnal Service and glory in the fact that they will soon be in France, don? their big little bit. in lr.p army of Germany who rogHnied the war from the same viewpoint as es, and did not oire their opinion because they dared not. "There is nothing German that is good," was the way one put it. and though three of them ean speak German fluently, they never use it now for reasons that could not be better expressed of the fourth unit and were already points about the village and each to sail with the unit when orders' family has its designated shelter.

came from Washington "cut cut the Miss Couleru also spoke of the ruins I unit eipht" and of the eight who brought about by the long range gun were unfortunate enough to be left of the Germans but says that for- tunately her home was not in direct I civilization as ever before. Wit'ijthan the remark of one. "we would their snaps and dash, however, they range of the gun. Gas attacks are not infrequent, she says, and many families have gas-masks in the living room ready for instant use. Miss Couleru has been in America I ten years during which time she I behind, they were two.

And for no other reason than that there were no accommodations. In selecting those to wait for the next unit, it was deemed advisable to take the newer members of the unit, as of course the others had the advantage of more training. Miss Clarke, wa born in Billings, but her love for Oregon, in hich state she has lived the greater part of her life, prompts her to term herself an "Oregonian." She Is a hr Kr) H(- 1 i so so 1 our tongues." "If you knew Germany and the Germans as we know them you woird feel just as we do about it." another said. The operators have been most courteously received in Hartford. At the recent ball given in the State Ai-mory by veterans of the Spanihh-Ameiicari War.

the young Kir's had a place of honor in the grand inarch, nnd in appreciation of their partici h.we become known "War KUo Girls." It was with difficulty that an Interview w.n obtained ith the young women, even hough the reporters iafsigned to the work elected to call on a Sunday oon, for the shun the of puMic'ty. They have the "Pusv" sicn 'in all the while. "Win t' war" is their molto. 'rhc Moasre Tliey Want to has made many trips to her native land. On one trip she took with her a pet dog, "Snookums," as present for her mother.

"Snookums" Is a survivor of many an air raid pation in the event, the veterins re and while the French people living daughter of I. W. Clarke of Billings the towns close to the fighting lines, have been forced to kill many of their dogs, "Snookums" is still among the living. Miss Couleru re-I in these days of modern inventions i t.enty presented to each, a hand- is not beyond the realm of possl-; gmc BWaCser stick, on the head of t.ility that the telephone may carry I was the veterans' military ip-a vocal message acros the ocean it has carried it across the Amer- The call for telephone operatora for i an continent. If this progress in forpiRn service wiss sent out through tolrphonlc conversation comes when newspapers of the country by the Germany is beaten in a final battle chief signal officer, who in giving the ceived her appointment to the signal corps on March 1 and before coming I to Hartford trained at Camp I'pton, L.

and at the "Long Distance I ne would not be surprised to set the i qualifications needed by applicants. School in New York. She had been engaged as a French instructor and in order that she might be able to I and has a sister, who is head of a British Red Cross canteen, another sister In Billings and still another in Portland, Ore. She has traveled extensively, having visited England and Switzerland. She was In Oregon at the time of her enlistment in the signal corps and trained for a time in San Francisco, Cal.

Irfist Home in Fjirtliqunke. Miss Ferrie was born in San Francisco and her great desire is to visit Ul'e upon her arrival in France for she has already made two trips to Fiance, visiting Ulle on each occasion. She is desirous, too, that her duties as operator Will take her to an old French castle which she finds extremely interesting. During the disastrous earthquake in California, her home was completely de. following message from our friends the war-time telephone girls: "Hello, Hartford, war-telephone girls talking; We win!" Enthusiasm? Plenty of It.

and among them to be able to speak English and French fluently, attracted girls from all over the country, some from patriotic motives alone, others throuph that spirit of adventure, ever offer services to the government, shew Left to right, front row Jeanne Bourtjuin, Elizabeth Thorno, Mathilde Ferrie, Kuth Clarke, Catharine Bvrpm llelene Champriprand, jrarguerite DeSaulles, Aurelie As ten. Second row Sophie Lefehvre, Gilda Couleru, Gabriel Toby, Jlelene Toby. was taking a course in stenography. then some, for the much bused, sup- present. But the adventurous, soon France they will be "toll line" opera- being- desirous of more active service tors strictly, and in preparation for which her knowledge of the French She preferred, however, to get into some branch of the service where her knowledge of French might be of value and when news of the formation of the signal corps came to her, Miss Bourquin was living with her mother, Mrs.

JEmma Bourquin, and her 15-years-old brother. E.imoud at No. 237 West 24th street. New York. Her brother, Fernad.

too w. language might also be-of benefit, she made application for the -signal corpu after being informed that one -Miss Gahrielle Toby for she lived in a town that had been taken the Germans, for nearly eight months. She chanced to hear of a means of escape from Brussels, but after walking three days and nights in all kinds of weather, she, with many posedly gum-chewing telephone girl, has been changed into a soldier from tip to toe. It was one of these yoiiii women who, in the big Loyalty parade on the Fourth of July, insisted that the flag of her native country, Belgium, must appear, and must be carried by a Belgian. Those who were discotered and weeded out.

The iron rule from which the seleclions are finally made is evident from the fact that of 1,100 who presented themselves In New York On a ging'o day for examinations, only 150 were selected for the tests. These were examined as to French and English, she immediately applied. Her Brother Bold Aviator. ui incvnng opeiauu.a dm m- in orl; at the outbreak of hos-ready sailed for France. tilit'ea with (iermino If there are many French aviators I Miss Byram explained the duties France at once, erlistitKr in the other refugees, arrived nt the troyed.

At the present time her i mother, Mrs. Marie Bodin, Jives in remember the parade have visions the cause of their desire for service, iof the rfrls in the coins and said''llst Rociitipnt of ihp nation. to find that It Francisco. Miss Feme enlisted 'that 1, i Thl'sl .1.. ft SB like Lieutenant Georges Cham-prigandV of the Twelfth a brother' of Miss Helene Cham-prigand, who gave up French tutoring in New York to enlist in the sig wmt nunc.

it. tin 1 11 i i lift iu "i Wiped OUl I tllU V1UIII1UI In fan Francisco, receiving her ap- This Onlv meanf tho rntiirn Intirnrn pomtmcnt on March 1. Of three more, dnvs and liiirntu nnit 1 this particular service are devoting much time each day to geographical study, one of the principal requirements of their work. The Training System. One of the girls voluteered the information that she had spent twenty-nine hours last week in the study of French Geography and that on account of her familiarity with the section where the western battle fionl is, she was thus engaged less than any of the cithers.

They are required to send a weekly written examination to the war department, thin in addition to the eight hours a day at the telephone office. The geography course consists of forty-five lessons and nine reviews, five lessons and one review each week. SHE'S PUTTING HER "WAR HELLO GIRL" BRIGADE IN TRIM TO BEAT HUNS all of them to be left on this tne ngnting at rrss in 1915 end for such a long period, their duties i ltiss Bourquin has tried in vain to ion the other side of the water re-' Ktt ch with a survivor who 'quire more training than the dulles mlsht know some of the details ron- Miss Conleru's Kxpericm-es. nal corps, the present stock of Hun I airplanes must be sadly deplete fdr i The arrival of a German subma-' rine tr the Harbor of Havre on the Lieutenant Georges has brought I of those eirls in the units that have kerning rter urother's death. She has down eleven of tnem.

Ana Lieuten a still longer period of living under the'watehful German eye. On her next attempt, however, she -was successful in reaching a point of embarkation for refugees. Gives lp College to Knlist. Sophie Lefebvre, one of ths American-born girla in the unit, after ant Georges and Miss Helens ar not I day on which her ship was to have sailed for the United States, furnished a little excitement for Miss Gilda Couleru, the second Paris-born already sailed. Thus far, six units rommun'cated with a few of thnse have been organized.

Five are al- 1 vvho this div but thus ready overseas, four engaged on local far on'5' information she has heen service, and one on toll service. The to is that "'lie left camp (Concluded on Page 7. this section.) unit is also a toll service unit. "np nenriies on May The members of the sixth unit have'18 ann disappeared on May I reading in the newspapers that a unit GAVE UP ART FOR WAR SERVICE If I did nol not had any military training Vet, repI l- of telephone operators had stilled fur service with Peishing's forces, aban The girls have distinctive unifcrm? ea ss "because doned her studies at Cornell L'nl- versify, where she was studying l.iw, and cnlisted-ln the Signal Corps. Miss there is no one else in my family now that could go, my i rotl being too youne." Each of Miss two un.

les has also lest a son jit th fichtirg Iheir summer suits having Just been wi" be trained during their last received. They have two hats, o.i wtek tnls countr' on ship-of velour with a brim, the other of hoard during the trip overseas. All the name material as the uniform ami promotions are made overseas, Mira not unlike the aviation cap ir. ap- Byram explplned. and the girls in the pearance; a full length ulster, lined 'unit are to be classed as officers, the and interlined, a suit coat or blouse, operators to be ranked as second Lefebvre is the only daughter of Mr.

and Mrs. A. Henry Lefebvre of Wa in France. At the 4im of enl'st- tertown, N. and gained her ment.

M'ss Bonrqu'n war knowledge of the French language at New York ss a Frnch tutor. She Outremont Convent in Montreal. Can- as first walking skirts and extra hisrh tan lieutenants, the supervisors the supervisors lieutenants and the chief operators as captains. i To Avenge Brother's IVnth.1 An advertisement appearing in one of the New York papers calling upon young women between the ages of and 35 years, capable of speaking French and English, to enlist the shoes. Mis liyrnm Brings kmx Now.

It was Miss Catharine A Ityram, a member of the Sixth I'nlt whi-se experience as instructor for the American Telephone and Telegraph Company at Cleveland. resulted her appointment by Major John i iir I i I Ill I f. 'I lived In Chicago before coming to New York. Bristrin Girl Huiw, Fleeing from Brussels. Belgium, nn tho last refugee train just twelve hours before tho arrival in Brussels of the German army was the experience of Mis Gahrklln Tobv, who with her sis'rr.

Miss Helene Toh are the only two Belgian girls in training in this city. Miss Tobf, however, declines to relate hfr most exciting expeiienees 1 ada. she received her appointment in the corps on April 1 and before coming to Hartford was in- training at the army building in New York. She is equally as des rous for overseas service as the foreign-born members of the unit themselves and declares that if given the opportunity she make her presence felt. "7.cps" liuincri ViitliT's Factory.

Miss Birth Asten, born in Paris, was pursuing a course of study at the Harvey Dunn Illustration School nt I t--t imiilnnr iwaisaiw two III' 4 A tx i I I I iv -p; 1 i p) i KW Air. pi Moore to the posit on of instruc tor of Sisnal Corps for overseas service as the glr In this unit, who brought te'ephone operators, first attracted the glad t'dings to the giris in train-1 the attention of Miss Jeanne Bour- mg in this city that it had been deli- jquin. oae of the eleven members ef nitely settled that the unit would the Fifth I'nit of the corps at present but from her sister it was learned Lonia. N. when she was informed that it was at 8 o'clock on ihe even-1 through the newspapers of the ing of August 20.

1S14. tha Miss i formation of several Corps Gabriclle left Brussels for a safer! units and as one of her greatest d-ciime on a train which ear-ied the 'sires has been to "kill a Fr.tz," she sail in the fall. Miss Byram's duties carry. her to Trenton. N.

Philadelphia, Camp Dix, Wrightstown. N. l-anghorne. Atlantic City. WtlkesBarre.

Scranton, New Haven and Hartford, in eeh of wh ch cities a certain number of the Sixth t'nit are in training She left in training in Hartford. Miss Bourquln's 22-years-oW brother, Fernad. fell at Arras in 1915 and ever since that time she has been trying to get into some branch of the service, return to her native land and "do her bit" in avenging his death. She lost no time tn replying last of the re urera from the i lost no time in making application before the arrival of the German army at o'rlock the following morning. Miss Helene Toby has been in America for almns eight for appointment.

"The Couiant" man who interviewed Miss Asten will vouch for the accuracy of the statement that she was "pursuing a course of study in illustration" and that her Ha-tford about a week and a half to the "ad." sending her application ago and went to New Haven. While 'to Washington, Much to her dtsap-in Hartford she arranged for the pointment. she received a reply stat- years and was ai Newport, i. at gfr's' vacations, each being entitled ing that there were no openings at th tlme of tne arrival of hr sister pursuits have not been in vain, for to one week and the fact that the the present time but that her name about four years ago. The beautiful, while listening attentively to her ex- girls were Informed that al' vaca-f would be placed on fi'e.

This was home of the Tobys tn Beig.um has periences as she related them, he wi tlons must be over by September 1 in January of the present year. Week been ravaged by the Huns and Miss surprised to And that Miss Asten had was a source of gratification to them, after week passed and she had about Gahrielle was forced to leae h.ime about completed a sketch of the i Introducing Mira Catherine Byram, Supervisor of the Brigade of Telephone Signal Girls Trainiiitr in Hartford. When Miss Byram Has Completed Her Work of Supervision Is Going Across'With Her Command. i ror mey ten tnai mm aione was an given up nopes or ever neanng trom i without ny or r.einngi;.F- ar-' porter in characteristic pose. Befor MlhZ AUreilC AMen IS a L-iever UancaturiSt and flans To tit on that they are soon to go to her application again.

In the mean- (riving in this country with only the coming to Hartford, Miss Asten gpei.t Cartoonist and Illustrator When the War Is Over. I.