The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-08-19
APPLIES TO
William Allen Whites Advice Is to
Build Y. Nj. c. A. Buildings.

William Allen White, in an editorial
in the Emporia Gazette on the building
or a new 7. NJ. G. A. building at
Lawrence and the need of one at EN-
poria, says things pertinent to the sit
uation in Topeka and the needs of an
association building here.
Mr.. White knows more about boys
and their habits and needs than any
other man in Kansas and his advice is
good.
Mr.. White says in his editorial:
1t is announced that Lawrence is to
have a $25. 900 Y. N. c. A. building, and
that w. R. Stubs and State Senator
ALBERT Henley each gave $4,000 to help
the matter along. The chief value of
such a building is that it will afford
boys between 16 and "a a place to spend
their leisure time without throwing
them into the company of older men
who are tough. A Y. NJ. c. A building
properly equipped has a gymnasium,
and a swimming pool in its basement, a
reading room and an amusement room
and a small hall overhead.
Now there is nothing wrong in pool
or billiards or bowling, as such. But the
trouble with most places in the average
country towns where these things may
be had is first, that they cost more
thar a boy can afford to pay for them,
and at the same time pay his honest
debts; and second, that at these places
the boy is thrown with every tin-horn
gambler every chronic loafer, I'D ev-
cry would-be cheap sport in the COM
munity. 1t is. true hat this toWn-and
probably in Lawrence-certain perfect
ly respectable people play billiards in
the billiard halls, and bowl in the al
leys. In Emporia, Normal professors
are good bowlers, and at Lawrence the
university men do. the same thing. But
nevertheless, h-owsomever, this merely
gives the boys an excuse to silence their
parents, who know that the professors
don't attract the boys so much as the
penny-ante-sportS who frequent these
places.
Nov. a decently organized Y. NJ. C.
A. building would give Emporia boys
something to do; some place to spend
their surplus time and put them in the
best kind of surroundings. The latter
day Christians seem to be forgetting
too much the fact that they nave as
much duty to their neighbors as they
have to God. The commandment of
Christ was that men should love n
another as much as they worshiped
their creator. But too many people for
get this. and when they have lone lip
service to God, think they have done
their whole duty.
so long as the boys of this town are
compelled to spend their spare time in
dangerous places, not a ~so-called Chris
tan in EmpOria has any right to pray.
1t is nor enough to put a quarter in the
contribution box Sunday n let 1T go
at that. The Christian people of EN-
poria have the young men and women
of this town on their hands. The re-
sponsibility may not be Shirked. God
will not be mocked.' 1t is not merely
the parents who have this responsible
ity. 1t is a duty of every man and wo-
man in town. There are dozens of
men in Emporia who can afford to
give 5 1000 if Stubs and Henley can
at Lawrence. There are twenty men
and women who can give a thousand
if they are not selfish. There are fif-
ty men who can afford $500, and a hum
dred who can afford 500. We have no
to accept freely all the blessings
of this civilization which we enjoy
without giving some substantial return.
What is a quarter a Sunday or q dollar
a Sunday or ten dollars a Sunday? And
why should Sunday contributions end
our benef1cence? The man who thinks
can fool God by giving to the church
and neglecting those appeals to the APP
parent needs of his fellow man., has a
rude awakening coming. The duty to
love ones ~neighbor as himself, means
hypocrisy. h a genera
ton of hypocrites we are to let our
boys grow up with no better social
gathering places than an emasculated