The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1906-06-01

city i'm the breadth of it and i'm the
strength of it. While we may be Justly
proud of what the statistics show we
are more concerned and more highly
pleased over the spirit of love and Chris
tan strength that is rapidly on the in
crease among the men of our city and
more particularly among the men of the
association. 1t augnrs we'll for the com
ING seasons work along all lines of ser
vice and should bring us nearer the goal
of all the associations activities The
Bringing of all men to personal
knowledge of Jesus Christ through the
organized and individual force of Chris
tian young men" As the only source
of strength the association can really
have is the unseliish service of Christian
men, so as they give to it their hearts
and hands. so shall its strength be.
The work of the various committees
has been the best in the associations
history The men appointed by the
board of directors and many others who
have volunteered to assist has been
throughout thorough and efficient,
, and the results of the year are
due in "A large degree to their willing
ness to do all that was suggested. Their
motto has unconsciously been, service
rather than sponging."
The membership on the first of May
was as follows: Senior; full privilege
and sustaining, 34s; juniors, 43; boys,
81 students, 80; total, 46l.
During the year l5l student short
term tickets were issued. The mem
bership by valiant service in january
brought the membership up to the high
est point in the associations history by
way of a campaign in which they di-
videl the committee up and chose
squads. At the close of the contest the
total membership was 5lS.
The religious work committee have
ACCOMPLISHED more than ever through
the mems Sunday gospel meeting and
the weekly Bible classes. During the
year thirty meetings for men were held
with a total attendance of 1908 an
average attendance of l0l. Six weekly
Bible classes held eighty-fv sessions,
had en- enrolment of llS with total
attendance of SCI. Fourteen religious
services were held at the boys camp
last summer with a total attendance of
420 Total attendance on distinctly re-
ligious services, $4,374. Over fifty men
| life and many others expressed a desire
| to.
In the physical department there
were classes for five separate classes of
men and boys which held 2l7 sessions
with a total attendance of 500. At
tendance outside of classes. 2,4O0. Seven
=! ty-three games of baseball, basket ball
and indoor athletics were held which
with the classes brought in over 5000
spectators. Baths taken during the
year, l4,70O Total attendance on ply
steal department and baths, 25,l7O.
! The Junior encampment wa held the
last two weeks in June of last year on
the regular camping grounds at Lake
Washington. Twenty seven boys were
in attendance under the care and lead
ership of your general secretary.
| During the year seven social events
were held under the direction of the So
cial work committee with a total at
tendance of 200.
The board of directors at its July
meeting authirzed the general secretary
to secure for the room provided in the
building, a pair of bowling alleys if
| it could be done without any financial
drain on the association. This was done
and the alleys have been in successful
operation since the first of last October
and the receipts from its first season
will pay for the cost of the alleys and
the running expense. A tournament
among six teams from commercial lines
! has been held in which the bank clerks
teams won the silver cup which was
given by the Brunswick Bake Calender
company. Over 10000 games have been
| rolled on the alleys. Next year the al
legs will probably produce some revenue
| for the maintenance of the building.
A need has been felt in the city for
some time for which the association
| has come to feel it can and should pro-
vide. At the February meeting of the
board of directors the secretary was
sanctioned to proceed with the project
of establishing within the associations
bathing equipment Turkish bath plant
providing a sufficient number of those
desiring this form of bath would sup
port the proposition by purchasing in
advance tickets for baths to the amount
of s. so that the cash could be used in
purchasing equipment. 1t is reasonable
to assure you on the basis of present con-
ditions in the project that they will be
in operation this fall