The Richmond palladium. (Richmond, Ind.) 1906-1907, 1907-02-17
ALWAYS HOLDING OUT A HELPING HAND.
How the Y. M. c. A. Assists the FriendleSS Young
Man Along the Journey Of Life.

of this kind can not be estimated in
/ dollars and cents.
As you know | left Seattle TO &C
| cept a position in Pittsburg, Pa, and
here again found the Y. NJ c. 4. 10 be
my first friend. | arrived in Pitts
burg at o'clock in the morning, New
! Years day. AS this was a holiday, the
office at which l was to report was
closed, and as | did not know the ad
/ dresses of my friends | was left ii
the cold streets with snow flying i'll
the air. / Immediately looked up the
/ Y. VI. C.. A., was met with a hearty
hand-shake and cheerful greeting
Having made my wants known, | was
Immediately shown to a tidy roomine
place, secured a comfortable room, and
returned to the building and spent a
very pleasant New Years.
A striking feature of the work here
is the night classes. There are several
hundred young men in Pittsburg, many
of them being employed as clerks in
the general offices of the Pennsylvania
Railroad company, and by attending
night classes at the Y. NJ c. 4. are
enabled to fit themselves for higher
positions.
And now in this land of sweet po-
tatoes and mosquitoes, l am a mem
Der of the Y. NJ. c. A. of Camden,
n. j. We are greatly crippled here
for facilities, but I think the day is
not far distant when we will have a
new building. In a campaign now in
progress, about 500 members have
been added in about six weeks, which
will bring the membership up to about
1,400. Consequently we are greatly
crowded. but the good work is still
going on. AS a result of this cam
paign our supply of literature has
been exhausted, and | can find nothing
of interest to send you at this time.
Here, worn out by days con-
finement in the office, | can step into
the Y. M. c. A. building on my way to
my room, take a few turns in the
gym, shower bath, and a plunge in
the pool, and come out feeling like
new man all for the sum of two
cents to pay for the laundry of a
towel. Where is the boy in Richmond
who would not give two cents every
day to take swim?
In all the cities which | have men
toned, o'clock devotional meetings
are held on Sundays, which prove very
successful. Generally some out-of-
town speaker is advertised TO give an
address. | have seen from three to
four hundred men in attendance at
one of these meetings, of which num-
Der probably not more than fifty would
ever find their way to a church, and
/ may say, with all due respect to the
able ministers to whom have listened
that l have been more deeply impress
ed at these NEE tings than l have ever
been at a church service
We recently had good example of
the results here. A young man who
had been tending bar came into a
o'clock meeting and was SO moved
that he gave up his job and secured
more worthy employment, and is now
his former associates to the
meetings with him.
AS you know, the work of the as
ISOLATION is not confined to men, and
the boys departments have proved |
very successful. Instead of running
in the streets after school, learning to
ongest profane clauses, they go-to the /
gym. or the swimming pool and get /
good wholesome exercise, or read in I
he library. Last night, when l went I
% the gym, the boys had the floor
n charge of a physical director and /
lis assistants, and the little fellows,
Ill clad in red Jerseys and gray trou-
'ers, were going through all kinds of
,apers, and reminded me very much
If a large cage of monkeys.
| trust you will pardon me for writ
ng such a lengthy letter, but when
start to ramble on this subject it
S hard to find stopping place.
| have been looking over the book
cts you sent me showing cuts of the
building. A branch of the
ssociation in Richmond, with such
quipment, will certainly fill long
cit want in that city.
On account of other financial obliga-
ions, my contribution is necessarily
mall, but if l could, I would gladly
i've ten times the amout. for l feel
hat the benefit | have derived through
ny utilization with this institution is of
much greater value than any amount
Will be able to pay in legal tender.
Walter Fulghum and | both like our
Tork here very much, and as far as
re know are getting along very we'll.
Walter has a slight attack of lumbago,
ut is improving. Having good winter
reather here. Just had a snow fall
t thirteen inches upon two inches
'om former SHOWS. and the sun has
hown brightly for two days and made
o impression upon it, SO | guess it
here to stay while. The mercury
creeping down toward the zero
Dint tonight.
With best regards and wishing you I
nd the people of Richmond success |
this undertaking, l remain,
Yours very truly, i
EDWARD J. DINGLEY. =
IS y. Seventh ST, Camden, y. J. I
MerorizI - k5iss A1tLopv