The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-05-25
Y. NJ. G. A.
international Conference In
Session at Grand Rapids.
Association Now Shows a Men,
bership of 22S, ,56S.
Is WORTH S19,347,272.
Little Progress Is Shown For
Past Two Years.
But an Immense Amount of
Work Has Been Done.

Grand Rapids, Mich, May 25.-The
city is we'll filled with the delegates to
the international conference of the
Young Mems Christian association
which opened this afternoon. A spec
ial reception will be given tonight at
the Furniture Exposition building in
honor of the naval heroes present, Ad-
miral Philip, Rear Admiral Higginson
and Lieut.. Commander Wadhams.
Special interest is shown in the display
of work of the association of the army
and navy.
Secretary Miller of that department
reports buildings opened in Porto Rico
and Cuba and some eight conversions
as result of the work in the army.
A plan proposed as to continuance OF
the work in the navy looks to the eStab-
1iShment of one naval association of
which all the sub-associations will be
branches. There are at present eighty
or ninety vessels in the navy of which
only a dozen have chaplains 1t is pro-
posed to organize small associations on
all vessels of the navy, also association
buildings at all navy yards. Twenty
associations located in seaport towns
have already granted privileges of
buildings to sailors and vessels at
anchor in port. A building has been
secured and is now occupied by the
naval branch association on Bank street,
Brooklyn, near the navy yards. Beds
and meals are provided for the sailors
at nominal cost and in connection are
reading rooms, baths and games. 1t
is expected that this branch of the work
will receive considerable attention from
the conference.
COMMITTEES REPORT
The international committee presented
its report which contained the follow
ing:
"'Of the 1929 associations in existence
1,341 sent in reports. which showed an
aggregate membership of 228, 56S and an
active membership of 1OS 532: 344 own
buildings valued at $19, SAT $50 and 92
own other real estate valued at $1,270,-
buildings and real estate is SIG, 1863, 315.
The total net value of all property is
SIS, ,347, ,272. The cash paid out for cur
rent expenses was $2,453 77S. The aver
age daily attendance at gymnasiums,
athletic games, etc, was 77,37S and 1872
42O volumes were drawn from the Ii
braries- The attendance at Bible class
sessions was 1927 and a total attend
ance at young mems meetings 2, ,53S 504.
Little apparent progress of the asso-
citation had been made a whole dur
ing the past two years. In some items
the figures are smaller than those. of
two years ago; but not in any case much
smaller. A larger decrease might have
been expected as a result of the hard
times so long prevalent. The associa-
tions have certainly exhibited remark
able staying power when their volun-
try character and changing member
ship are taken into account On the
other hand, there are indications of the
continuance of that growth and deveI-
Opment in individual associations which
has been the most marked feature of
progress for a decade or more such as
the increase in the number of buildings
from $50 in 1897 to 344 in 1899, and a
total valuation of buildings from nearly
eighteen to nearly twenty million dol
lars.
RAILROAD DEPARTMENT.
I'm the railroad, student, and colored
r. there
growth.
But the most signal feature of pro-
gress and the most remarkable evil
dence of the vital force of the associa-
ton movement has been the work ac-
complished during 1898 in the army and
navy. This work under the name of
the Army and Navy Christian Com
mission of the international committee
extended a helpful influence to over
250, 900 soldiers and sailors, being a
larger number of young men outside of
the membership of the associations
than the aggregate membership, active
and associate, of the whole brother
hood.
when this remarkable ministry to
young men is taken into account, it
may be asserted confidently that within
no two years have the American asso-
Citations eXerted so wide and blessed an
influence among young men on this
continent as during the period since the
Mobile convention.
I'm connection with the army and
navy work in the islands which have
come under the care and jurisdiction of
the United States, special call has been
made upon the committee for associa-
tiOn work among the English speaking
and native young men of these islands
THE Athletic League has continued
it's efforts. Special and needed empha-
sis has been laid, not upon the increase
of competitive gains in athletics, but
upon promotion where they are desired
by the association in a straightforward.
honest way. Eighty-seven associations
are mem bers of the League.
EDUCATIONAL PARTMENT
THE growth of work in the educa-
tional department is on the whole en-
The extra tuition fees aside
from membership dues, paid by stu
tions, has doubled during the past two
years, and now amounts to more than
$50, 900 annually The per centage of at
tendance has increased from rs to 80
These facts prove that the students ap-
preciate the higher standards and re-
Signal progress has been realized in
the railroad department Extension.
west of the Mississippi along
the various trunk lines, has been hap
pily prosecuted.
Work among German speaking
young men has been done by the com
mittee for many years. During these
years the German speaking element
among us was fed and fostered by
strong incoming tide of German immi-
grafton. OF late years this immfgra-
ton has greatly fallen off, and the
drift towards the use of the English
language among the members of our
German branches has steadily increas-
ed Many of the German young men,
whom our invitations and agencies
seemed likely to attract to these
branches, have manifested and acted
upon a preference for the English
speaking departments of the associa-