Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1892-03-07

promoting its welfare, providing always
that it has q legitimate ard useful place
in this enterprising city. The position
in which the association stood IN the
spring of 1890 was this: We had guar
teed fund of $50, 900 to rely upon tor a
new building. We had quarters for our
work which were disgrace 70
the city and, above all, to the
cause in which they were used. We
had small membership, we had few
privileges to osfer to our friends except
q we'll stocked reading room and some
earnest prayer meetings. The public
as not conycrsant with cur work nor
interested il 1t. Our building was
graced on the exterior with crazy look
ing transparency, "Wclcome," that
was acting like charm III warning
young men to- keep away II they
wanted q good time. Our board Of
directors felt that there was necessity
For Immediate and Powerful Action
to put the association on a proper foot
ing and after carefully looking over
tie situation our friend and brother,
Charles 8. Ward of New Britain.
Conn.,, agreed TO come to US because, ~
he said, the tremendous problems We
had to cope with acted as an incentive
and stimulated his desire to 60 into
strong aggressive work in live west
ern city. II is but just to say right
here that Mr.. Ward has been the one
whose ceaseless energy and devotion
has been the main elements IN our sue
cess. The problems that faced Us
then were theses
First, how shall We attract young
men to our institution without spend
ing money to fit up better rooms. Sec
ond. if more money is needed, how to
get 1t, when we have slready asked for
. building fund? We finally came to
the conclusion that we would gain
hold on the young men only by doing
q large attractive work, and We must
in some way raise the money TO do
this. The work from 1891, when we
rented rooms In the Brown building,
showsa stoady and substantial growth.
The membership increased during the
year from 207 to sol. We now count
no one who is in arrears. The cash
receipts have increased from $l5S In
1890 TO 81 SIP IN 1891. The membership
is divided, rs regards fees paid, rs fol-
lows: 12S standing members, paying $40
each; 2s2 ordinary, paying s. each; 10
special rate students, paying $3.50 each;
66 junior, paying - each. The gym
nasium, the factor for physical devel-
opment, has steadily grown in attrsc-
iiveness. In the fail OF the year A. Z.
Garland. fresh from the training school
at Springfield, Mass, and enthusiastic
in his work took charge Of this depart
ment. lie has arranged IT TO sccom-
modate all Young men, by students
classes. business mems cIseses and boys
classes, aud all have done fine work.
successful. not because they have ee-
come athletes, but rather because they
have had
fs~rsase ~ Bedity viger
giving assurance of right and health.
fuI nee Of their bodies, pcffecsing the
natural physical man. Cur debating
society has sctssed slI doubtful quss-
tons. our Bible uiass has heen well
attended. The wsfh Tho past ycsr has
cost 81 800, which IL $40 lsss than The
estimate. The budget for 1892 calis for
~, Co We have found ia our religious
work that We have inst hegan. We
have proven our need for the new
building ia = dssen WAYS. and - We
esn Ioek forward 10 10 eompistian
this year With ochu6snes. that
10 ean utilize Il ali "a
aeed effect. fha knsidnas ~sll
ssesmnodste 1 500 yeanx fssa ~hsfs
suf tsenns row sseeumsfsri ia az on
satisfactory iaanHef tha SO fnfHi3ea
ssd wkat 10 more, ga sIeeet i9Se
seans fsen Go sa|ay 80 fsssssesss. Fr
sss eas 81 the past - atss tsssla 4
tFfs5sst Hsss se lsssis stifH Eisssi esii t@s
/ ss<laxasee- Our ssas4&s tSss fs4fs ese
a ss as me faad If ~ iete "A plsA. .