The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1907-02-25
REMARKABLE GROWTH
OF THE Y. NJ. C. A.
BY FREDERIC j. HASKIN
BY FREDERIC J. HASKIN.

A prominent worker in the Young Mems
Christian Association has said that it
could answer the rolIcall of a recreation
club a hotel a church, a university
gymnasium, real estate corporation, or
q home. and prove It's claim to any Of
these names. This society owns over 500
cIubhouscs, and the value of its land and
buildings in the United States alone is
over So 000,O00 In almost every city it
has facilities for entertaining transient
guests In a fashion as good and less ex-
pensive than the average hotel; it is pre-
pared to conduct religious services when
and where they are needed; II is educat-
ing body Of students So 600 strong, who
can be admitted on certificate to scores
Of colleges; it has gymnasiums so thor
Oughiy equipped and under such excep-
tional instructors that DR.. Anderson, Of
Yale. not long ago remarked; They are
the finest body OF specialists in physical
training In the world"
What I like about your work, said
President Roosevelt TO a body of men
representing the Y. NJ. c. a, is that you
mix religion with common sense" This
is done by the very old and simple
method of being a friend and comrade
when one is needed. by helping the man
himself. by caring for the body and
mind, as well as for the soul, by proving
that it is best to do our work in the most
conscientious fashion and to continually
be fitting oneself for better work. The
manner IN which this great organization
IS reaching the young may be shown by
the statement that If the boys in all the
departments could be brought together
they would make an army more than
twice as large as that commanded by
Hood when he was opposing Sherman in
Georgia.
Are you a stranger, eager for work,
and capable Of doing your best when it
IS offered? Go to the nearest Y. NJ. c. A.
building, and see what the employment
agency can do for you. You can lodge
there for the night, have your bath, and
a good meal. and be ready to face the
world again after a good nights rest
Do you want to improve your spare time
studying for some better position. or TO
rise In your own trade? The 7. NJ c. a.
has night and day classes that embrace
all the English branches, mathematics,
the sciences, business courses, law, ora
tory, mechanics, art, the foreign Ian
guages-everything in fact that schools.
colleges, and universities may offer. and
the tuition is free TO those who have paid
a small annual fee Of about SIS.
Boston, Detroit, and several other large
cities have added a course for chauffeurs
10 the regular curriculum. Everywhere
there is specializing in different branches
as the need arises, for the one great thing
about the Y. NJ. c. A is that broadness
Of spirit which makes it modify its aims
10 meet the needs Of the people whom It
serves Near Denver, for example, there
is q Co acre farm where association mem
hers with tuberculosis are sent. and
offered good chance TO fight the disease
with fresh air, sunshine. and friendly
companionship to help them.
Are you a foreigner? Whether YOU
have come from some Y. NJ. c. A. club
in the old country or not, your chances
are better for assimiIating American ideas
IL you are thrown with the men of the
association over here. In Troy. n. Y.
there are ten natiOnalities in one club.
eagerly studying American history and
familiarizing themselves with the growth
and aims of American institutions. In
New York there is a 10000 building for
Frenchmen alone. At De Kalb. Ill, there
is a school maintained by the Y. NJ c. A.
for the American Firms.
II you are a railroad man you know
the many places along your route where
a fellow. tired and dirty after a long and
nerve-racking run, can drop in and have
bath, a good dinner, and a quiet smoke
in the billiard room. This is the best
substitute there is for your home on the
other end Of the line. You and the other
$1,000 railroad members had no such loaf
ing place as this thirty years ago. No
body seemed TO care then whether YOU
rested or not just so you were in time
for the work next day. No wonder that
some Of the men drank, and with yelled
eyes and unsteady hands rushed past
danger signals to strew the line with ap-
pallng wrecks.