The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-10-31
Important Branch of Work

schools, the various private schools and
the institutional church are doing; and
yet, it seems to me, it is a special work for
the Young Mems Christian association
as for no other organizations: First, be-
cause the association reaches all classes
of men, of all ages and of all conditions;
no man Is too old, no man is too wealthy
to be debarred of its privileges; second,
because in its rounded scope, 1t touches
the social and the moral side of young
men as no other organization outside
and, | might almost say, even the church
can do; third, because the Young Mems
Christian association has pre-empted the
greater number of cities of this country,
and by means of its facilities and exist
ing forces is in position to assume and
to do this work; fourth, because, and |
emphasize it, because through the state
and international committees, there Is
possibility of uniformity and concentra-
ton of method and thought comparable
with no other existing work
To show how largely the work can be
made to appeal to the mechanic class, |
quote from the Dayton association. Day
ton, o.. is a city of some 10000 inhabit-
ants. The Young Mems Christian asso-
citation occupies the unique position OF
having pre-empted this work there, and
has so trained the young men in their
work as to strongly influence and share
the city's industries. out of a total en-
rollment in architectural, mechanical and
wood-carving, of 1888, S6 are clerks, office
men and students, and 102 are general
tradesmen and skilled mechanics out
of n total enrolment In arithmetic pen
manship, bookkeeping and English OF 2O5,
SO are in the first division and l16 In the
last. Can we count the value of such
work to the community in the training OF
intelligent and skilled citizens?
Work That Has Been Done.
l.,.
giving an account of the work of the
Brooklyn association, which has sim
liar constituency and is in sense
friendly rival of the Pratt institute; or, |
might speak Of the work of the Chicago
association in its evening college, with
the most perfectly equipped association
building in the world; in fact, what Is be-
ing done in these places can be done to a
degree in every active community There
Is practically before the association In its
educational work an unlimited field. By
its peculiar organization, with the inter-
national committee as the representative
of the associations, and standing in the
central position, and with the state com
mitteess at division points, and the local
associations doing the personal work
upon individuals, there is, 1t seems to me,
reason for believing that the rsults of the
future are going to be Infinitely greater
than have ever been conceived.
Mr.. Miller supplemented his reading
of Mr.. Pratt's paper by referring in
general way to the necessity of indus
trial training and the power it wields
in connection with the Young Mems
Christian association. When the as
sociation was organized forty-fve
years ago it was to guide young men,
for then, as now, pivotal points of so
cial conditions depend on the thinking
of young men. First, the association
aimed to develop the morals, then
physical training was added and finally
education was included, all three being
necessary to the complete man.
Educated labor" said Mr.. Miller,
sis to me the foundation of the ideal
social condition. Only 5 per cent. of
the men who earn their living are
trained in colleges; out of every 100 boys
in public schools only eight engage in
mercantile or professional pursuits,
and but little Is done to fortify the other
ninety-tWo for earning an existence
out of the horde who want work and
say they can do almost anything,
investigation will show con do almost
nothing and from this overwhelming
class are developed the tramps who
infest the country. The secret of social
and labor revolution for the better lies
in educating the men in the principles
and reasons of their work that they
may do their labor intelligently and
not be mere machines without knowl-
edge of the why and wherefore"
The Object in View.
After rehearsing the success of in
dustrial departments of the Young
Mems Christian association and ref
erence to the growing popularity of the
principles of manual training among
| thinking men Mr.. Miller said: "The
aim is to increase the producing class
and not the consuming class, and that
aim should commend itself of its own
impetus"
! General Secretary Hicks, of the rail-
road department of the international
committee, confined his remarks to the
| railroad members of the Young Men s
| Christian association, who, he said, oc-
| cupy positions of greater responsibility
than any other class of men. He re-
| fered to the corporate support of the
railroad companies and quoted the In
terstate Commerce commissions refer
enc to the Railroad Department of the
Young Mems Christian association as
being worthy of support on the lowest
pecuniary grounds of self-interest."
General Secretary Morse. of the In
ternational committee of the Young
Mems Christian association, spoke
briefly of the general purposes of the
association and explained how its life
had been continued and made possible
through the support of communities
and its own excellent system of man
agement. He followed the line of spirit
nal physical and industrial work ac'
complished, and designated the latter
as being as important In It's pecullai
purpose as either of the two othel
principles. The industrial question, h'
said, is today receiving the ambitious
effort of the ASSOCIATION as It's lates
grand work.
spcechcs of Scranton People.
The speeches of President A. w
Dickson and General Secretary Many
of the Scranton association, treated
particularly of it's growth educational
ly and spiritually.
TT v. Powderly delivered stirring
address and dealt with the great evil:
attendant upon unrestricted immlgra
tion and declared that the day mus
come when no man would be allowed
the privileges of citizenship unless NJ
was able to read the constitution OF TN
country in the language VI tHe couhtl
and be able to say what 1t meant. HI
did not entertain any feeling agains
these men nor deprecate their mora
worth. but how could they know tn
duties and responsibilities of American
citizens, when they were unable t
speak or read the language of tn
country and of the constitution Her
was an opportunity for the Houni
! Mems Christian association to TAX
J these men in hand and teach them tn
duties of good citizens, and as he say
around him the representative men o
/, Scranton, he impressed upon them tn
power for good they were possessed o
to work in this direction.
Judge Hand said he should have bee
: glad if Mr.. Powderly had been at tn
: bar ten years ago to call his attentio
! to the way citizens were made. II
then spoke with regard to the urgenc
; for Industrial training and urged tn
) spiritual phase of the work.
: 1t was nearly midnight when tn
t speechmaking ended and the banquet
= ters left the club hous. No deinit
t plan or proposition had been offered fo
establishing industrial training
| oh t,1