The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-02-24
$4t9.2S

l. subscriptions and miscellaneous sources. Thus each membership has cost the As Sociatton an average of S2 P in excess ot the average receipts per member. In 1903 this difference was $S.2s and in 1902 1t was $3.20. Hence it will be seen that the members have been sustaining "a larger proportion of the expense than heretofore. It is also of inter est to note that the expense to the Association last year was .S2 per member less than In 1903 and IT less than in 1902. while the receipts per member were .23 more than in 1903 and so more than in 1902 Or briefly stated, the expense per member has been reduced and the receipts per mem bcr increased without raising the dues.
 Religious Meetings.
 The increased interest of the memE bers in the religious meetings of the Association is very gratifying. Thir- weight Sundayi mems meeting have been held with an average attendance Of fftty-efght which is eighteen more than the average for 1903. Nine men havo made public confession of Christ In these meetings. four of whom have joined the. churches of their choice. The Religious Meetings Committee has been aggressive in it's work and is planning a vigorous campaign for 1905.
 '"rhe Bible Study Club had held thirty-three meetings with an average attendance of eight out of a member ship of twelve Several members of
 
 tional examinations and won the Inter national Committees certificates. This club may be said to have represented tho heart of the spiritual life of the Association, and its influence has been far reaching. An evidence of It's loyalty to the Association may be found in the fact that ten of its members have subscribed 1900 to the building fund.
 Another club for the purpose of Bible Study has been organized since January l. 1905 by Mir. Frank Seay.
 'On account of the reduction of the executive force it was necessary to limit the edpcatonal class work for the season ofs1904-05 to such studies as could be pursued In the night course of Droughton's Business College, with whom arrangements were made to teach our students. Twenty of our members were enrolled in classes in bookkeeping, penmanship, stenography | and type-writing in that Institution, and have done excellent work.
 The Reading ROOm.
 The reading room has been supplied with a liberal, but choice selection of current reading matter, and there are on file regularly thirteen daily papers, four weekly newspapers. seventeen weekly religious papers, four technical journals, eleven weekly and seventeen monthly. literary magazines. making total of sixty-six periodicals which are employed to the great pleasure and profit of the members.
 The Association building is more and more becoming a social center for large number of young men. It is estimated that about l75 visits are daily made to the rooms. Five social functions have been held with an aver age attendance of eighty-two. Espe- Cially worthy of mention is the thanks giving banquet which was served by the members of the Ladies Auxiliary. whose loyalty and conseCration to their noble work is an inspiration to all who come within the scope of tehir activity.
 Though the time of the Physical Director was divided during the latter part of the year, the records show that 5lO gymnasium classes have been held with an average attendance of 16, total S,I92. About 20,000 baths have been taken in the building during the year, and the swimming pool has been a delight and help to a, large number of the members. Many of the boys and young men have learned to swim here instead of riskIng their lives in the treacherOus river.
 Cancnss for Building.
 The work of vital importance. how ever. has been the prosecution of the building canvass. The members ot the Board of Directors and the General Secretary have endeavored to push the canvass as rapidly as was consistent with it's best interests. and have Secur- cd in subscriptions about 22.O00 of the $25. 900 which we set out to raise. There remains, therefore. $3,0O0 yet to be secured, and as some shriHkage in the subscriptions must be anticipated. and as the actual cost of d building always exceeds it's estimated cost, we should have not less than $5,000 to complete our fund. The additional gift of $1O,- 900 from MT. Peabody was conditioned upon that amount being secured by the Young Women's Christian Association, and we are assured by the officers of that body that this amount will be forthcoming. Hence the immediate and imperative work before us Is to com plete our fund by securing the needed $5.OO0
 Though we may feel that the sue cess of our enterprise is assured, we can not begin building operations until this money is subscribed If those of our members had friends who have eX- pressed their purpose to subscribe something would determine upon the amount they are able to give, 1t would materially assist in the completion of the canvass. There remains suf1- cient number of our good citizens who have not yet subscribed to easily pro- vide for the completion of this fund. Compared With Other Cities. T trust that this will be the last annual report in which I can call att tenti0n to the fact that Montgomery is the only city In the South with population of over 3O,000 without an Association building. Many smaller | cities have made this necessary provis- | ion for their young men. Pensacola has $S5,000 building nearing com pletiOn. and Jacksonville, Fla, has just received 8 gift from one Of its citi- zens of $30,0OO towards an $sO,OOO | building.
 The business mems estimate of the value of the Young Mems Christian As sociation to the communities in which they exist Is shown by the fact that | they have invested over S30,000,000 fin Association buildings in the United l States. A new building has been erect | ed every nine days during the past | year, and about fifty more are in pro- 1 cess of construction.
 The day is past when intelligent and informed men doubt the wisdom | of making this provision for the young men of a city. No citizen of Mont | gomery questions the need of our city l fin this direction or the value of an As | sociatiou building to the community. | The only point at issue is. how much shall each one give to enable the Board l of Directors to carry out their plans and erect a building which will be a | pride to our city
 l "Our confidence in the ultimate sue l cess of the enterprise has been greatly strengthened by the generous response l f,R rafgr ri Ia nf f