The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-05-24

Topeka has been presented this week
with an opportunity to do something for
itself. the consequences of which viii
accrue to the city and community for
years and years in the future If the
chance IS embraced. This is assisting
to erect a home for the railroad Young
Mems Christian association Of this city,
it being necessary for the citizens to
raise $4,000 before the Santa Fe COM
pany signs its check for $4,000 and do
mates the site for the proposed building,
with a 50-year lease at a rental of 81
year.
It would be difficult indeed to find
cause more deserving of the assistance
Of Topeka people than this one. Every
thing favors it. Years ago the associa-
ton was started in an exceedingly un-
assuming way with only handful Of
men who desired to throw about their
associates an air Of betterment, not only
spiritually, but mentally and physically
Since that beginning the company rea-
liking that the institution was doing for
it's own men what no other agency on
earth could do. gave the use of an old
building on the corner of Fourth and
Adams streets to it. With the expansion
which the Santa Fe has experienced
within recent years. the railroad p. NJ.
c. A here waxed in strength to the de-
gree of not being able to move about
in the little cramped quarters which it
occupied The building grew not, but IN
numbers the organization has increased
from about a score to nearly eight hun
bred and fifty. So that the greatest
problem that has perplexed the officers
and friends of the association has been
what to do with the men which came
to it.
Some people have the erroneous belief
that from its style the body only deals
with the men in a religious way. Such
is entirely wrong. Every Y. NJ G. A.
plant has it's gymnasium, and within
recent times it has gathered in armies
of young men all over the country who
have grasped the opportunity Of improv-
ing their conditions of life by study and
Improvement. This branch Of the
work has seriously tested the capacity
of the Topeka railroad Y. NJ. c. A, as
a result OF the eagerness on the part
of the Santa Fe shopmen to better
themselves in this way. Many classes
have been conducted in various branches
throughout the winter evenings, and
sessions are still being held.
AS many as 276 baths have been given
10 u6LlBGAS III q Single ENGl411Ss anu NAAG
game rooms are continually crowded
with single men who do not have the at
tachment of home ties, but who on the
other hand are more or less adrift in the
world. To such the Y. NJ. c. A. IS
God-send as a means of keeping them
in the path of rectitude and making bet
ter citizens of them.
The religious side Of course IS par
ticlllarIv emDhasized bv numerous
gospel meetings and Bible classes. Then
there are the reading rooms and cir
culating libraries, all of which leave
their Impress upon the fellows who
make use of them.
This is a cause that should command
some assistance from citizens of this
town who are proud to see the strength
of the community augmented and bet
tered in every way. It should furnish
an impetus for men to go a little deeper
in their pockets than ever before and
see that nothing is neglected until the
conditional ten thousand dollars Is
raised.