Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1895-02-15
THE RECENT PAST
OF THE sTAUNToN Y. M. C. A.

OF THE STAUNTON Y. M. C. A.
When the Nineteeath Annual Convention
of the Young Mems Christian Association
of Virginia closed its session here on Sun
day night last-was closed the grandest
convention the Association has ever held.
Scare ely soul that was brought i'll touch
with the meeting but was impressed in one
way OIL another with the magnitude and
Importance of the work done and the
far-reaching good yet to be accomplished.
The Christian unanimity with which all
save young men, the fellowship in a good
cause and the charity for Christian creeds
and beliefs. all tend to impress the COM
munity in a way not to he forgotten.
1t is these impressions, tue success of
State WORK and the great growth of the
Association here that suggests memories
of other days when our local Association
was yet in infancy, and when the prayers
and struggles Of the little band of workers
seemed but equal to maintain an existence.
1t was in these dark days that light broke
through the clouds, and with hope ever
present, the Association struggled steadily
upward.
Perhaps the little band of Christian
workers, who, in this city more than
twenty years ago, set on foot the plans for
local Young Mems Christian Association
little dreamed at the time the magnitude
of the work they undertook. They COM
menced in modest way, having room
on the second floor of the Bagby building,
near the Southwest corner of Frederick
and Augusta streets. In this modest home
the Association first went to house-keep-
ing, holding it's religious services and pray
Ell meetings each Sunday afternoon. And
here it was that the foundation of library
was commenced.
Several of the members interested in the
work as a neucleus for the library, which
now numbers several thousand well selected
volumes, covering a wide range of thought
and theme, made donations from their
private libraries. The first librarian was
Mr.. Lou. Long, and he was succeeded by
Mr.. Charles Nelson now resident of
Winchester. AS the years rolled by the
librarians were, William o. Stiff. Charles
Prufer, and William Godfrey. Mr.. God
frey was an old Philadelphian, who COM
bined conservative ability and no small
degree of taste in literary matters. He
and Charles Prufer loved books, and knew
the books in the library as a good driver
knows his team. Mr.. Godfrey was, after
leaving the Y. M. G. A. library, made GUS
todian of the Washington and Lee Univer-
sity library. Prufer, as was his father
! before him, was brought up in an atmos-
phere of printed pages, and was devoted to
the StauntOn Association.
In the meantime the Association had
grown, Its first friends stuck to it and
new ones were gained. and larger quarters
were necessary. A move was then made
to the hall in the Opera House, now occu-
pied by StonewalI jackson Camp. Here it
was that the first Y. M. G. A. debating
society in Staunton was formed. Some of
the members were Col. James H. Skinner,
| Alex. r. Robertson, VIM. j. Nelson, II.
Q
Stout, Lewis Bumgardner, P. A. Baylor,
A. G. Stuart, Randolph Harrison, Hon.
Edward Echols, Hon. Jacob Yost and
Hon. H. st. Geo. Tucker. Among those
members were some splendid speakers,
many Of whom have made eminent success.
es as lawyers and legislators.
Mr.. Yost and MI. Tucker were then
down Tipped, but even in their two year old
form, showed evidence of fine powers of
oratory. No doubt each, when some
rounded period OF clinching argument
caught the applause of the audience,
dreamed of a day when it would be his
fortune ''the applause of listening Senators
to command
Yost went to congress once, and Tucker
got to congress too, perhaps both are
dreaming of the hour when they may step
up into the Senate.
In this debating society it was that Sem
ator Edward Echols made his first success
as public speaker. Here it was one night
that he caught the knack of oratory, and
like the boy who makes the first successful
stroke in swimming, he has gone on, until
now he stems the tide of stormy debate as
gracefully as swan.
Judge John w. Stout was one of the
noticeable debators in the body. Possess
ed of splendid personel, with rich sono-
rous voice, he always spoke well, his fine
intelligence graced by generous spirit.
He was for years afterwards the valued
Judge of our county court.
Echols went to the State Legislature
serving credits. hy il 10Th branches, h~ase
and Senate
Col. Skinner and H. L. Hoover were ca
silly the crack debators of the older divis-
ison OF the society, and Archie Stuart as
youngster, showed that he was bred true
to feather, and had many of the engaging
arts OF oratory, alike possessed by his
father. Hon. A. H. H. Stuart. MI.
Stuart's death at an early age removed
from earth a young speaker full of prom
ising ability. Byron-faced, J. N. Brooke,
Jr., was also in the society. Mr.. Brooke
soon went west to grow up with the coun-
try, and became private secretary to
millionaire silver Senator.
Another of the prominent members was
Hon. A. G. Gordon. MI. Gordon was the poet
and essayest of the body. Hardly fluent
when ON his feet, he evidently suffered
from an embarrassment of scholarly riches
and, like the flowers in well stocked con-
servatory, stood in pause, which of the
many flowers of oratory to select. Mr..
| Gordon's success as a lawyer, poet and
i writer of fiction, is an evidence of the
quality of the first Y. NJ. G., A. debating