Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1907-10-17
CELEBRATES
ANNIVERSARY.
Secretary ROsevear Has
Given twenty-five Years
To Good Work.
x. M. c. A. LEADER.
Great Growth Of the AssOci-
alton in a QuarteriOf a
Century.

AAClA y -, ANOoNVC0As OOobC AJSNAS
tary of the Young Mems Christian
Associations of Kentucky, completes
this month twenty-five years Of SER
vice as an employed officer of the
Association. Eighteen of these
years have been spent in the Ken
lucky State Secretaryship. In re
viewing the growth Of the Young
Mems Christian Association since
1892 Mr.. Rosevear says: The past
quarter of-a-eentury has witnessed
marvellous development in the
Association movement throughout
the world, both in the number of
organizations and in their effective
ness. In 1882 there were 1877 Asso-
Citations reporting in North America;
now there are l,767. The member
ship has increased from 95,077 to
437, 178. The number Of employed
officers of local Associations and of
State and international Committees
has grown from 341 in 1882 to 1892
in 1907. 70 buildings were owned
at valuation of $2,900,750 while
there are now 597 buildings, costing
$34, 1925 The annual current
expenses of the local Associations
amounted to $519.187; the past year
SIS, 1896, 124 was expended. The ex.
penditures Of the State and Provin-
cial Committees have increased from
$40. 547 to 1901 OIL, and the cost of
the international Committees work
from $25. 1868 to $l80,364, besides
1888, 100 for the foreign work bud
get, toward which there were no
contributions in 1882. A total at
tendance of 405, TIA was reported at
mems religious meetings in 1882. the
past year the number has been s.
901 342. AZ gymnasiums have grown
to $50. In 1882, 122 Associations
reported a meagre educational work,
and no expert secretarial supervis-
ion; this year 399 Associations re-
port 42,19 different students in
class work, and rs men giving the
whole or larger part of their time as
educational directors in the work of
the Associations. Boys work was
in its infancy twenty-five years ago,
lit Associations reporting work for
them; 654 Associations now have
boys departments, with 81, 854 men,
bers.
Undoubtedly, the most impor-
tant factor in the development of
the association movement during
the past quarter of a century on this
continent in securing the above re-
suits has been the increasing num-
Der of state and provincial commit
tees with employed officers, and the
consequent effectiveness of state SUI
pervision. In 1882, nine state com
mittees employed eleven travelling
secretaries, now 122 men are en-
ployed by 35 state and provincial
committees. Kentucky began the
employment of a state secretary in
1889, and during the intervening pc
Rod the great growth in associations
in the state and in their equipment
and influence is very largely due to
the vital relationship sustained by
the state committee. The future
progress of the association work in
the state is primarily dependent up
on the proper maintenance of the
state work. Any diminution of its
efficiency would be Immediately felt
in a retarded movement in existing
associations, eliminating in disaster
in not a few, also in the failure to
organize communities greatly need
ing the influence and work Of the
association. On the other hand, an
adequate support of the state work
will be manifest in the increasing
efficiency and usefulness of the local
organization, and in the extension Of
the work to new fields, to the end
that the association movement in
Kentucky may more largely fulfil
its mission among the great army Of
100000 young men and 10000 boys
within the borders Of the common