Evening star., 1897-04-28
INDUSTRIAL CLASSES
The Young Mems Christian Assooia-
'tion Will Strive toReaeh Them.
FUTURE POLICY OF FHE ORGANIZATION
Planning to UpIift Men to a NobIer
and Higher Plane.
E D U c. A TON WORK

THE future policy of the Young Mems
Christian Associations of the United States
and Canada generally will be to reach the
industrial classes" said a delegate to the
international Y. NJ. c. A. convention which
met in annual session last week in Mobile
to a Star reporter.
Referring to the many organizations
formed by men for securing social rela-
tions, running all the way from the richly
furnished club of the millionaire to the
den frequented by the beer-drinkirg, card
playing loafer, he said that the Young
Mems Christian Association was different
from all of them, in that it does not ap-
peal to any one class to the exclusion of
all others.
Il can assert" he continued that the
Young Mems Christian Association stands
as no other organization ever has, for all
classes in the community 1t invites the
rich, that they may have greater oppor-
tunities for helping the unfortunate 1t
invites the poor that they may share in
the munificence which fortune has brought
TO others. 1t invites the learned, that
their stores of knowledge may go to
enrich others without ilnpoverishing them
selves 1t bids the ignorant come, that
tney may be lifted to higher levels of
thought and action.
All Men Are Welcome.
Its membership is not confined to church
communicates. Young men of every ma
tionality, calling, trade, profession and re-
ligious belief are welcomed. The capitalist
and the clerk, the manufacturer AMI the
mechanic, the college student and the
humblest laborer. the clergyman and the
1nhdel all meet on the bread platform of
the Young Mems Christian Association to
get and do the most good possible.
This, then, is our ideal To reach men
OF all classes with such social environ
ments as shall irresistibIy lift them to a
nobler and higher manhood: in short to
make the association not an institutional
affair, but club-a real Christian club-as
much better than any other club in its
equipment as Christianity is better tnan
worldliness.
Practical Education.
Our offices, stores and factories are filled
with young men whom necessity drove
from school before they had finished the
rGciments of an education. To this great
mass of hungry minds the association if
properly equipped, can open avenues of
broad and practical culture. Through its
manual training classes it might train men
10 self-reiance in the various handicrafts
Why should we not make blacksmiths ma
cnlhlsts, carpenters. electricians, draughts-
men, printers, masons sign painters deco
rdtors OF these sturdy young fellows who
find 1t so difficult to gain an apprenticeshin
IN any or the trades, and under scientific
tutelase make them most proficient arti-
sans?
Then, through the business department
We might educate men in,the rudimapts of
commercial life, taking I'D the principles
upon which business is actually conducted
the common law on contracts corpora tions
parking, investments, &c, systematic bus
mess organization, advertising buying and
| trx md
young mans conception of what business
Is and inspire him with desire to reach
tne top. Then, to reach those to whom none
OF these things appeal, we should have
scientific classes art clubs. language cir
cles. Make the curriculum so broad that
every man in the community will feel that
something in it is meant for him. There is
no reason why this work should not become
tne largest most aggressive and practical
educational movement in every large city
1t should plan to train men by the thous-
ands' not hundreds. Providentially, we
nave the plan. and its feasibility has beer
proved. We can show you more men in our
educational classes than there are male
students in any college in the land.
Reaching for the Middle Class.
The open door of opportunity is unmis-
takably the intellectual development and
training Of men. No louder call has ever
been given the work and the workers of
the Y NJ c. A. than now comes to us from
the great middle class of American youths,
anxious to join their future with us in
return for the inestmable benefits of an
education. The field is fascinating be-
the church class Of the young men: we
have reached the clerks and business class
es, but the great industrial classes, out
numbering all others ten to one, have not
been perceptibly Influenced by us. In
deed. to most of them, the letters Y. NJ. c.
A are but synonyms for an unctuous,
canting hypocrisy, concciXed in prejudice
and brought forth in Ignorance, and vet
these same men earn most Of the money,
control most of the elections, and are des-
tired. unless the sign fails. to be partici
pants In the greatest revolution the world
has yet seen.
Removing the Prejudice.
The only vulnerable point in the armor
of their prejudice seems to be the mind,
and just soon as opportunities are given
them for self-improvement they come to
US by scores and hundreds.I know of an as
sc citation that ventured to- broaden little
last autumn in the direction of manual
training, when. to the amazement of every
body, the membership sprang to tremen-
dous strides, until more than 900 new men
had been enrolled, the educational classes
almost trebled, and the increase was forced
to stop by reason of lack of facilities.
Thus we should lay great stress upon
our educational work the coming year, be-
cause every other effort has failed to reach
the industrial classes. Because since the
mechanics and artisans have more money
and brains than any other like number OF
men, they exert wider personal influence,
ana thus widely mold public opinion. Be
cause they are most in need of such ad-
vantages and most apprsciative of our eff
forts, while many of them are to be men
OF influence, position and money in the
luture. because the church cannot touch
them, and because, if wef'do not arise to
the opportunity, some other institution
Will. Lastly, because they have SOULS"
Civil Service Examinntions.
On account Of the small number Of ap-
plicants the United States civil service
commission announces that the examina-