The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1901-12-08
WORCESTER'S Y.M.CA.
BY HON. A. S. ROE

The first bound volumes of "Worces-
ter's Y. M. G.. A. the work of Hon.
"A. S. Roe, have just appeared, after
year Of preparation. The book is bound
in green cloth, with design of hand
and cross, part of the Worcester Y. M.
c. A. seal, on the front cover and the
title in gold on the back.
The book is published by the author,
the press work being done by F. 5.
Blanchard & Co. 1t contains 1t6
pages, including the index, and nearly
as many illustrations, some of them
being from very rare portraits
Of the early members Of the
Association. The whole work
shows the utmost care and the
result of diligent search for interesting
material and Mr. Roe has most
thoroughly completed the task he SET
himself to do. 1t was a labor of love
fully repaid by the success attained.
In his preface. Mr. Roe says
Several reason conspired to warrant
the printing of history of the Worces-
ter Association at this time. To begin
with. the recent jubilee, June His,
1901. in Boston, called special attention
to the spread and development of Y. M.
c. A. work the world over. Next, the
not generally known circumstance that
Worcester was the second place In the
had weight. Again. the first year or
new century is a good time to review
the past and to forecast the future
Finally, the fact that the incubus OF
debt so long burdening the organlza-
ton had been completely thrown OH
was sufficient IN itself to prompt the
preparation of the book.
THE story is wholly local. No effort
has been made to generaltze nor
fn borders.
and my chief regard in ending
the labor or preparation is my inability
to adequately portray the self-sacrifice
the heroic devotion and the Christian
perseverance of the men and women
who have tried to follow in His steps.
The first chapter is devoted to the
early history of the Association, its
birth in 1852 and it's rebirth in 1854
when it became permanent organiza-
ton; to the general scope of it's work
then and now, and to the ends it has
accomplished through the means Of
earnest work on the part of its mem
bers Portraits of the founders, P, L.
MOen, CsM. Miles. George H. Esta-
brook, Nelson Wheeler, Thomas Tucker,
Joseph H. Walker, C. F. Washburn. S.
A Daniels and Jonas White, are given,
together with pictures OF the building
on Foster Street where was the Associ
House where it was Reconstructed in
1864
In chapter two are descriptions of
tine various buildings occupied by the
Association since 1864 and pictures of
Mechanics Hall, HarringtOns Corner,
the Chaplin Block on Pearl Street, the
block at All Main Street and the Pearl
Street end of the present building, all
early homes of the organization.
Portraits of many of those who as
sisted in making the Association sue
cessful are also shown. In this chap
ter, too, there is the history of the
present home, and an account of the
exercises held when the corner stone
was laid. The third chapter is devoted
to the address delivered by Rev.
Dwight L. Moody on this occasion.
The next chapter tells of the consti-
tuition and bylaws, of their adoption
and subsequent alteration. The matter
of the immediate governing of the
rooms of the association is taken up in
the next chapter, and short biographi-
cal sketches are given of each of the
secretaries the organization has had
since its founding, including the pres
ent General Secretary, C. c. Miles, and
his assistants, W. B. Norris F. o. Co
nant and o. E. Bourne. Portraits en-
bellish both of these chapters.
To the gymnasium, the Lake depart
ment and the educational side of the
work. the next two chapters are devo-
ted, and these are full and interesting
accounts of each of these features.
In the next chapter lectures, concerts
and debating societies are spoken of.