Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1907-06-03
THE Y. NJ. CA.
AND WHAT IT
STANDS FOR
TO TRAIN BOTH BODY AND MIND
Begins Campaign Today to Raise
Funds for Its Support


OF our city Young Mems Christian
Associations, and after being shown
through the building, might well ask
the question: what is the Young
Mems Christian Association, any
way?" He might have been given
any one of half dozen answers, all
of which would have been correct.
He might have been told that 1t was
a great social service movement for
men. where a stranger coming to
the city could find friends, make
himself at home in the reading
rooms and parlors of the building or
where he could get help in finding
suitable positions. The association
does not go out and get positions for
men but directs and encourages them
to go out and get them for them
selves. Many employers, however,
have come TO rely entirely upon the
Association for securing their help.
Our friend from the country might
have been told that 1t was also
great athletic club with thousands
OF men taking systematic exercise
under the supervision OF trained spe-
ciallsts in we'll equipped gymnasi-
ums. II does not confine It's work
alone to the gymnasium, but when
the weather Is suitable, 1t promotes
all kinds of out door athletics such
as baseball, tennis, track athletics,
rowing and tramping. The average
business man who spends severaP
hours q day in his store or office, be-
gins TO think that he is growing sick,
and goes to the physician for relief.
Hundreds OF such men are finding
that the best way OF keeping well Is
by exercise In the Association physi-
cal department
The Association is also great
educational institution, with over
10000 men enrolled in its night
classes. According TO the United
States commissioner OF education,
nearly ninety per cent of the boys
leave school before they have COM
pleted the grammar grades, and
when these reach young manhood
they find themselves handicapped be-
cause of their early training. The
Association comes in TO supply this
deficiency and through It's classes
in English branches, commercial, In
dustrial and technical subjects, men
are being trained TO become more
useful employees and TO fill better po-
sitions In life. Employers recognize
the practical value OF this kind OF
work and many of them are recon-
mending their men 10 enroll them
selves In the night schools. The lar
gest educational institution OF the
northwest. from the standpoint OF
the number OF men enrolled, Is the
Portland Y. NJ. c. a. night school
during the present year has had over
500 students.
Another department OF the Associ-
ations activities, and the one which
brought the work into existence, Is
the religious work. In which men are
gathered by the thousands every
where. into mems gospel meetings
and Bible study classes, Men are
studying the bible In practical sort
of way, group OF ten or a dozen
gathering together and trying to find
out for themselves without creed or
dogma, just what the Bible con-
tains. They are encouraged 10 shape
their lives by the truths they find,
and II Is not unusual 10 ind meehan-
les, clerks, office boys, college stu
dents and business men who become
enthusiastic over Bible study. In les
meetings. the Association often fills
the largest theaters In the city to
their utmost capacity with men who
are anxious TO hear the straightfor-
ward gospel message
Many of the Associations I'm both
large cities and small are being
equipped with splendid buildings, es-
pecially designed TO do the work.
over $4,000. 600 were contributed for
new buildings In 1905 alone, and
Il has been found easier in most cit
los to raise larger sum OF money
for an Association building than for
any other public enterprise. This
Is possible because men believe In
the kind OF work the Association is
doing,
The work OF the Salem Association
has kept In line with the progress
throughout the country, although II
Is handicapped by having only mod
crate equipment. While the work
OF the local Association has had a
steady growth from year to year.
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