WARD TO HEAD YOUTH GROUP

To insure understanding of current college situations arising from the war program, James Ward, of Peano, Illinois, a collegian fresh from the campus, has been appointed Co-ordinator of college activities for the Division of Youth Activities of the Office of Civilian Defense, Gilbert Harrison and Jane Seaver, Co-Directors, announced today through the Regional Information Office, OEM, 17 Court Street, Boston. Mr. Ward, now working out of the Washington Headquarters of OCD, is former editor of "Northwestern Daily" at Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois.

Emphasizing the college students' leadership-responsibility in Civilian Defense, Ward and John Langdon, youth representative in Region VI, addressed a meeting of student and faculty representatives of 13 Chicago area colleges. It was the concensus of the delegates that students should continue their college courses until called for government service. Major Raymond J. Kelly, Regional Director of the OCD in the sixth region, said, "The war is furnishing a tremendously increased demand for trained people. Often, it is better for students to continue what they are doing instead of going into the service."

Mrs. Mary Jeanne Byrd, representative of the consumers' division of the Office of Price Administration, called upon college women to enroll in consumer courses to develop economical hobbies.

Emphasizing the importance of OCD health, nutrition and physical fitness programs, Roger Holdes, manager of the Chicago chapter of the American Red Cross, pointed out that Britain actually had fewer deaths in 1941 than in the year proceeding the war because of heightened health-consciousness. "By similar health and safety programs here," he said, "I hope we can save more lives than our enemies will be able to take."

Represented at the conference were the University of Chicago, Loyola, Northwestern, De Pauw, Lake Forest, St. Xavier, Rosary, Barat, North Park, Mundelein, National College of Education, Illinois Institute of Technology, and Central YMCA College.