New-York tribune., 1902-03-02
A NEW GYMNASIUM.
Y ". c. A. OF BROOKLYN. Is PROUD OF
ITS RECONSTRUCTED HOME

The alterations and improvements in the Brook
yn Young Womens Christian Association Building
are now practically complete. and the classes are
all at work again 'On schedule time"
The necessity for reconstruction in some degree
became apparent when. toward the end of last
winter, one of the househea ting boilers broke down
and DR.. Lyman Abbott referred to that fact at the
annual meeting last week. 'Is boilers breaking
down resulted in such extensive and valuable i'm
provementS he said. humorOusly. there remains
nothing to desire but an earthquake
The basement. which was occupied by the gym
nasinm. has been taken for the engine room. and
complete electric plant mas been there installed
High pressure boilers for heating and elevator pur-
poses dynamos and the various mechanical con
trivances are all of the most advanced types. and
there are, on the same loor. several little shops
for incidental repair work.
The old gymnasium was surrounded bv a gallery
which has been foored over and so converted into
large tea room, with four commodous dressing
rooms These directly below the Memorial
Han, where mary entertainments given. and a
private stairway makes them available In drama tic
and other performances. The managers expect TO
secure an apprecable income from the rental of the
tea room for entertainments. and it will also be
used for overflow classes
The association rejOices especially. however. In
the new gymnasium the roof The spacious
room, with its lofty ceilings. its numerous win
dows and its fresh bright woodwork of Georgia
pine Is in itself an incentive to earnest work in
physical culture. 1t has every appliance of the
ideal gymnasium and is said to be one of the best
and most perfectly equipped the country. A
gallery running track encircles the classroom and
a small gallery is set apart for visitors.
Thirty-seven dressing and four hundred
and nifty lockers are connected with the gym
nasium, and eighteen needle baths have been
added.
special feature oc the gymnastlc training is the
corrective exercises These are taken under
medical direction by young women who are round
shouldered or display tendencies other partial
deformites. Many of the students have been re-
stored to health and normal physique by these ex-
erCises under specially trained teacher. A woman
physician is in attendance two evenings Of every
week for consultation.
The arrangements throughout the building are
so beg drcty fTa WorR Te nG @ @
cooked. ample dinner at a cost of i5 cents in a
pleasant dining room on one Of the upper floors
good luncheon is served to class members who
wish for Y cents
The library Of ten thousand volumes is an at
chrery reading room. with all the papers and
Hae mesia1nes IT is free to any woman VIII" desires to
smaller room is devoted to the work of the
tary, Mrs. Ellen, {. + Conklin said That it is
this room The comfort committee directs women
who need legal aid to the proper place; ii gives ad-
vice and assistance wherever need exists for these;
procures entrance to hospitals when that is neces-
sary. and visits the sick while there, as well as in
The cost of the alterations $4,000. and the
pioyed, from architects 10 building supplies, made
liberal discount because Of the object;
About month ago DR.. Truman J. Backus:
chairman of the board Of trustees; in behalf OF
his associates, who include Former Mayor Charles
a. Scheren. Alexander r.. Orr, Willis l.. Ogden
and c. ID. Wood, a letter a couple of hun
dred representative BroOklyntes asking for con-
trbutons ranging from SlG0 to 81 90. At that time
$3.50 was needed to meet the cost OF the altera-
tions. More than half the amount has since been
received. and II is expected that the full sum will
shortly he in hand.
reelected. and Mrs. Charles y. JudSOn. pres
Mrs George W Read and Mrs George II. Prentiss:
vice presidents: Miss Sarah J. Day, secretary Of
the executive board. Miss Elizabeth B. Mead,
secretary of the active members. and Mrs Daniel
{. McEwen, treasurer.