The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1905-08-31
An INSTITUTION FOUNDED SIX.
vy-oNE YEARS AGO IN ENG
LAND is RAPIDLY
GROWING

.|III" I1.AiI
Apropos OF the progressive move.
zfent in our city to raise fund to
erect Y. MICA. building in Fair.
mont on the popular plan OF joint
stock subscription and which is meet.
ing with much encouragement from
many Of our citizens as they are be-
ing approached on the matter by the
local Association. Mr.. Willis Hawley,
We present to our readers an excel.
lent article appearing In Munsey's
Magazine for september on eThe
Young Meas Christian Association
u To-day By the able pen of Mr..
Herbert N. casson, OF New York.
The writer says:
A generation ago the Young Men,
Christian Association was commonly
regarded by the outside world as a
socfety whose chief purposes were
preaching and prayer. To-day almost
every one knows 1t better-knows 1t
Is huge and powerful organization
that works for the good OF society in
= 'hundred different ways. all Of them
highIy practical.
So multiform. indeed, is the Young
Mems Christian Association Of to-day,
III so many fields are its vast ener-
gies Mt work, that it is not easy to
define or describe 1t in a single sem
tence: An Intelligent foreigner, on
reading It's annual report, might, well
inquire, What species of organiza.
tion IS this7 Is It real estate corpo-
fatfou, a gymnasium, university, a
church, hotel. or a recreation club?"
ycu may call 1t any one OF these,
snd give good reasons. For instance,
In the United States alone 1t owns
tIrfrty-one million dollars worth Of
land and buildings. Its yearly In.
come is more than four million dol.
hrs. half of which is perpetuated in
property. 1t has more than FIVE hun.
drsd club houses, large enough to
house the population OF a city like
Pittsburg- Every five days, on an av.
erzge- IT puts up new building!
Surely. It is real estate corporation,
and one OF the most prosperous in
the country
aozis at It from another point of
view. and you will find 1T has more
than thirty-two thousand students in
itss srdinnIs- about as many as the
eight biggest universities in America
tan show. Its diplomas are accepted
BY hundred colleges. In its libra.
sisz are half million books. Last
Tear II gave away TO soldiers and
sailors seventy-fiye tons of books and
magazines. Plainly 1t should take
nsuf. as a university. and most
practical one, for 1t teaches its stu
dents useful trades and finds them
employers when they graduate. It's
finished product in this line last year
numbered, fifteen thousand young
mem .f.rifssf a. 7uF
G'H this many sided institution.
another twist, and 1t becomes the
sfsafest school of physical culture If
the world, operating five hundred and
Htysix gylnnasiums, with a hundred
and tfiirry-five thousand pupils. 1t is
the foremost promoter of clean sport.
When II takes hold of a young man.
4 hardens his backbone and tightens
ar His muscles, physically as we'll as
morally. For scientific body.build.
ing. its instructors are generally ad-
nitted to be the best in their profes.
sion They are the finest body OF
SPECIALISTS in physical training in the
world" says no less an authority
rran Dr. Anderson, of Yale.
a Great Non-sectarian Church.
A fourth twist, and it is trans.
horned into a church for men only.
why don't men go to church," is
he plant of many preacher. In
many cases the answer is, Because
obey go to the services of the Young
Mems Christian Association Here
We find a Bible, class of thirty-eight
ihcusand, and an annual attendance
1T religious meetings of more than
shree millions. If the men will not
rurne to il, 1t goes to the men. 1t
holds short dinner-hour meetings for
norknen In the quarries of Vermont
n the iumbercamps and cotton.milis
% the South, and in the mines and
Keel plants Of PENNSYLVANIA. Nc
slang ago, in "a blaze of missionary ems
5ifusiaSm n fonl. forf1y ~ ;te ,,o,,,,o