Evening star., 1901-10-23
Y. M. c. A EXPANSION
&c
Local Associations Remarkable
Growth in Three Years.
NOW SVAMPED WITH APPLICATIONS
Scope of Winter Work to Be
aSs
.Midened.
A NEW BOYS DEPARTMENT

Any man who left washington three
years ago with a card of membership in
the Young Mems Christian Association
would present that card for renewal today
with very considerable misgivings. He
would find it difficult to realize that the
association of three years ago and that of
today were the same, and, except for the
similar program Of spiritual work conduct
ed as the chief object of the organization
from one years end to the next, would
probably refuse to be convinced Within
the period of it's occupancy of the present
quarters of the association the small and
struggling New York avenue organization
has expanded into club of nearly 1000
members, with the best gymnasium of the
south, large educational classes and vari-
Gus other regular features of Y. NJ. c. A.
labors that already overtax a large and
adaptable building
When the removal into the old Columbia
Athletic Club building was made-now
about three years ago-the new home was
SO much an Improvement over the old that
the entire association viewed it as sufficient
for many years to come. 1t was twice as
large as the building planned and
hoped for during the ten previous years
1t was already half-equipped. With the ad-
dition of a field FOR outdoor sports, readily
found in the Van Ness Park, used by the
Columbia athletes, the opportunity of the
association for expansion was thought to
be all that could be reasonably employed
during the ensuing twenty years. There
are today more than 1900 members an in
crease of about 900 per cent, and 450 appli-
cations for new. memberships now on file.
This fact, with the natural development of
Y M. C. A. work among the young men
or Washington, now renders the present
quarters almost as small relatively as the
older building of three years back.
1t Is thought that with it's present equip
ment the association can accommodate not
more than 1900 members This number is
now practically enrolled AS has been in
dicated, the number of applications to be
acted upon this next month will more than
swell the membership beyond the limit
fixed by the board of directors. A year
ago there were between 1900 and 1,6OO
members. Even that number, with the ap-
plications now on file, would exceed a to-
tai of 1000 members.
included in this membership is q sur
prisingly large number of the most promi-
nent business men of the capital, who take
an active part In all the athletic and reii-
gfous work of the association. The body of
the membership isa made up, of course, of
young OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES clerks, but
the live interest Ioffthe citys merchants
and other business men Is one of the most
encouraging signs; of the associations
growth. D Il
Athletic Work Is Successfully.
ton have never been so large. Twenty
five now assemble every week, all of them
so large the gymnasium cannot properly
accommodate the men. Special classes de-
signed to accommodate the men of partic-
ular professions meet with great patron
age. There is, Tor example, a new class of
journalists, which gathers at 1870 in the
morning and Includes ten newspaper men.
A department, clerks class has a member
ship of forty. EXERCISES for graded classes
draw about sixty men to the hall. The ju-
nior classes are swelied out ofa all proper
ton. All these work groups are increasing
every day. In ali It's lines the physical
work of the association has braced UP Won
derfuily. This is so very true that the
board of managers is now seriously consid-
erng plans for increasing the equipment
of the physical department, some such step
being considered Immediately imperative.
Lawn tennis leads in the out-of-door
work All summer long the courts adjoin-
ing the building have been thronged with
players A base ball league of six teams
was organized, and played a schedule that
continued until early fall. But 1t did not
suffice to relieve the pressure on the tennis
courts. Van Ness Park, where the base
ball, foot ball and other running games
are played, and where the young men train
for field events, is proving large enough for
all the purposes of the association. But
the gymnasium, even when the adult mem
bershp alone is considered, is crowded be-
yo0d All SBfferan