The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-01-28

MemDerS or the Montgomery Aouns Mems Christian Association held their annual meeting last night in the nome of the Association on the corner. Of Ferry and Adams Street, at which the old offl- eers were reelected. ..+.-... The, annual report of Secretary Lr Ll Dix was the feature of the meeuns. ne report calls attention, to the progress made by the Association in all its depart ments, makes q complete financial state ment and recommends innovations. changes and works for the success or the object of the Association.
 secretary's Annual Report The annual report of l.. D. Dix. cen eral Secretary for the year 1902 was as
 The year 1so2 out of which we have just passed, has been one of larger op- portunity and greater responsibility tnan any year since the organization or the Montgomery Young Mems Christian As- sociafion in lS6s During these twenty- five years the Association was never Tn any degree adequately equipped for the great work of reaching and saving men until. through the generosity & ot MT, MT. building we now occupy was opened on February 17, 1902 Though handicapped with poor quarters and limited facilities during all these years, the Association has amply proved its right to exist by record of usefulness and faithfuness to the interests of the young men of the community. It has increased in mem bership and in influence steadily for the last ten years, and at the beginning of the past year numbered among it's con stituency large portion of the best peo- pie of the city.
 :'Upon the entrance of the Association Into this building we were called upon to demonstrate our fitness for larger things. The question we face tonight is Have we advanced the standard of our work in proportion to the improvement of our facilities? Has the Association kept abreast of its opportunities?
 We fully realize that we have not done all that might have been done, nor have we accomplished all that we have hoped and planned to do. The results pert, for we can neither know nor place value upon moral Influence, The facts submitted for your consideration are at best only suggestive of what has been done for young men by the Association during the past eleven months. Association Membership.
 'Last January the membership was 455. It is now 62s. a net gain of "A. The pres ent membership may be classified as fol- lows:
 Renewals. 2ss; new members. 2s7; total, 529. Full. ss5; limited, ss; student, T; boys, | 70: transfers. {; complimentary. fl; total. Active. 343; associate, 1S6: total, 52e. These further facts are of interest. Twenty per cent of our members leave | town before the expiration of their tick | cts, hence are not available as renewals. l Fifteen per cent more are in arrears at the expiration of their tickets and hence ara not desirable as renewals. Of the l remaining 65 per cent, 50 per cent renewed | leaving a loss of only 15 per cent. Re- | membering also that the fee was raised from s to s. and that nearly 300 new members were added. the result is in-
 deed gratifying.
 "The average cost to the Association | per member has been $9.5O. The average receipts from the membership. including | al, has been $6.30. The actual cost of l each membership to the Association has | been $3.20 in excess of the amounts paid | by the members themselves. This has
 been provided for by the subscriptions
 secured by the Board. of Directors.
 The total expenses for the year have
 been A,6S2.59; an increase over 1901 of $1.- S93.S6. The total amount paid in anC
 pledged was $5.0SS.10. this providing fol
 the payment of all obligations with q
 margin of $lO5.5l. whieh amount will about
 represent the difference between tht pledges and cash collections.
 The Religious Work.
 ''The distinctively religious work does
 not show the proportionate increase that
 is desirable, though some advance ha,
 been made. The records show the fol
 lowing:
 '"rhirty-eight Sunday mems gospe
 meetings average attended, 49; total at | tended, 1885.
 Mine special services for men. aver.
 age attended. %; total attended 264. l One mixed meeting for the promotion
 of Bible Study, total attended. 500. A total of forty-elght religious meet
 lngs, average attended, 57; total attend | ed, 2,719.
 Seven sessions of Bible Class, average attended. 6; total attended. 42. l The advance in the Educational De. | partment has been more marked The
 reading room is supplied with thirty-siS | literary magazines, five technical jour- nals, eighteen religious papers and six
 teen newspapers; total of seventy-five | periodicals regularly on file. 'Fffty-seven different men have been enrolled in the night school during the | fall session of 1902. Seven branches are taught by the best teachers to be had They are bookkeeping. arithmetic. pen | manship, English, stenography, free-hand | drawing and mechanical drawing l Total enrolment, 70.
 Total number of class sessions, POP.
 Total attendance. 1922.
 l Average number belonging to eacf
 class. 7si.
 | Average attendance per class, 6O8. | Percentage of attendance, 73.5. l Average attendance for school, fl .26. ''The average amount paid by the stu dent per study for the term of six months was $2.55. The cost for each student | per study for the term for instruction is
 $5.l6 or $261 in excess of the tuition fee l charged.
 | "A Senate for the promotion of intel l lectual culture enrolled membership of l 15. It had only six meetings before the
 holidays and should now be pushed for ward with energy.
 | The success of the educational work
 has been largely due to the services of MT. C. l.. Chiffon. Jr., in the capacity | of educational director His resignation l In order to enter the ministry was re- | ceived with regret
 Along Social Lines. "Along social lines an appreciable ad- vance has been made. The social atmos- | phere in the building and the fellowship | of the members is a very hopeful indi- cation toward the development of an esprit de corps that has been lacking to | a great extent
 The daily attendance in the building Is about 175. Four receptions and three banquet have been held, with total at- | tendance of 1,467.
 l The Ladies' Auxiliary has always been | potent factor in the success of our | social work. They have assisted mate
 rially during the past year, and 1t is due 1