St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1906-06-06
The st. Johnsbury Y. M. c. A. Annual
1eetinQ,


The time of the adjourned annual
meeting of the local Young Mems Chris
tian Association will be the evening of
Wednesday June Goth, and the serious
question arises in that connection-what
shall be the future of the Association
The need in our town of the kind of
work for which the organization stands
will be ackno wledged by everyone. 1t is
sell-evident that if the young men Of the
place are on the streets in the afternoon
and evening, it is the duty of the towns.
people to see that they have some place
OF assembly where they will find helpful
and pleasant surroundings, rather than
be allowed to frequent less desirable
places. 1t is further seltevident that
systematic Efforts ought to be made to
give the young men without homes or
home restraint something really worth
their while, in the way OF building up
their bodies and cultivating their minds
and also in helping them IN he forma.
ton OF true character. The only work
of this kind we have is that of the Y. M.
c. A., and unless the society is engaged
1t is, however, serious question in the
minds of the directors, whether it will be
advisable to continue the work, or to
close up the doors of the institution.
For several years the attempt has been
made to conduct the Y. M. c. A., on an
economical basis, for it has been
recogn zed that there are many calls for
support OF our charitable organizations,
and that the institution ought not TO
urge unless absolutely necessary, large
contributions OF money for the support
OF its work. In pursuit of this policy, a
secretary has been engaged TO do the en-
tire work Of the Y. M. c. A., consisting
of two general departments, the Chris
tan work and the gymnasium work.
Experience has shown that this plan is
impractical Tor St. Johnsbury. If the
Association is to do work that will
justify its existence, there must be a
division OF labor, involving the employ
ment OF two men, general secretary for
the larger work ot the moral nature, and
a director for the gymnasium classes dur
ing the fall, winter and spring months.
Such plan Of work necessarily implies
greater cost. The Y. M. c. A.. like our
churches, hospitals, Sunset Home, and
the like, is not, and cannot be selt-sup-
porting institution. Its purposes are
strictly benevolent, and hence it should
not attempt to devote its energies to
making money. 1t is then, in the last
analysis, question whether the people
OF our town desire the Y. M. c. A. or not,
and il they do desire it, what the strength
of the desire is, expressed in dollars and
cents.
At the annual meeting this is the ques-
ton that will be raised, and which will
have to be answered squarely: Shall we
as good citizens of the town undertake
and pay for larger and more profitable
work than has hitherto been done, or
shall we give up the work altogether,
and trust that other influences will make
good the lack of an active Y. M. c. A. in
our midst? 1t is the hope, not only Of
the Directors, but also of a large number
OF our sober minded citizens, that when
the question comes before the people,
there will be an insistent demand,
backed up by strong moral support and
generous money pledges, for not only the
continuation, but more than that, for the
widest possible extension of the work
tor and among young men, for which the
| Association stands.
THE COMMITTEE.