Our Catholic HeriUzge in. Texas
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What to do was the problem. What was done under the circumstances in El Paso by the Knights has become history. It was decided to build a recreation center to which all soldiers were welcome. In the hastily erected station, simple creature comforts, such as cigarettes, candies, and cigars were provided free to the soldiers. To these were added facilities for writing home, for lounging while off duty, for reading, meeting friends, feeling at home. The center soon became known as the KC Hut. Religious services were held in it on Sundays and other holidays. Collections were taken up among the citizens of El Paso by the Knights for the thriving and popular center, but it was soon found that it required more money than this border town and its people could afford. An appeal for help to the Supreme Council brought promptly a $1 ,ooo contribution. Many more contributions followed, sent to El Paso and the many other "Huts" established for the good fellowship of soldiers along the Mexican border until KC Huts became a must in every military installation. The first one, as already indicated, was established in Fort Bliss, some five miles from the center of El Paso. A sign was placed over it that became familiar to soldiers in every camp in the United States and later in many places overseas. It read "Everyone Welcome-Everything Free." Many times a line was added "Wearing a United States uniform entitles you to all privileges." Before the year 1916 was out, fourteen other "KC Huts" were built along the Mexican Border in Texas, Arizona, and New Mexico. The principal expense in putting them up was paid by the Supreme Council. Before the Mexican Border incident was over and the various National Guard Units were recalled, over 250,000 men had come to know the services of the "KC Huts" in the United States. The "Huts," as they were called for short, stood silent and deserted after the Pershing Expeditionary Forces were recalled when President Carranza declared American troops in Texas would be allowed to go no further in pursuit of Villa. The "Huts" had served their purpose well; now the Supreme Council, at whose cost they had been built, decided to turn those in abandoned military camps over to the Church. Simple as they were, these structures proved a Godsend to the impoverished dioceses of the Southwest. Those in El Paso were utilized by Bishop Schuler to enlarge the school facilities of the old missions of Ysleta and Socorro for the poor Mexican children. The Oblate Fathers, working with the Spanish-speaking people in the Lower Rio Grande, in the Diocese of Corpus Christi, were glad to get the abandoned "Huts" at San Benito,
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