Omaha daily bee., 1908-08-30
Young Mems Christian Association and the Work tt is Doin

sDout = year ago. ue boys were among
the most willing workers and they raised
almost $4,000 by thstr own efforts, 200 OF
them husning for subscriptions.
The boys gymnasium classes. night
school, Bible classes and Sunday afternoon
meetings, which are conducted with the
cooperation Of the boys themselves, are
among the regular features. Last season
. strong basket ball team, the Kangaroos,
played fourteen games and won nine OF
them. An annual feature with the boys Is
the summer camp. when from twenty five
to fifty get together with several secre-
taries for . ten days outing at a nearby
quiet lake. The 1ss camp is now To-
Gated near Valley, Neb., where a good lake
promises plenty OF fun under competent
leaders. and the last few days Of vacation
will be we'll invested.
Cooperation with the home and the pub
Ito school Is one Of the chief aims Of th(
department. and aside from the usua,
Young Mems Christian association secre,
tray and tent at the last high school cadet
encampment. this was forcefully shown
during the last year In the state boys con-
ference, a number of mothers conferences,
the grade school athletic meet and the
nature study club.
Thirty-four delegates from Omaha, Ian
coin, York, Hastings, Crete, Fremont, Co
lumbus and other Nebraska towns attended
state boys convention, and the entire Ak
pense was borne by the Omaha lads. The
mothers conferences are conducted by Sec
rotary Denison in an effort to bring the
association and the hons closer together
ana TO Discovers the needs OF tho boyA
school Boys Take Part.
AIpna.h All af O14ahata p,hiio ~raNn
schools were represented IN the athletic
contest held last Tune in the associations
gymnasium, and the school teachers felt
great benefits in their work from the
meet. The association also had represon-
tAtives at several schools in the spring
and early summer. teaching the boys how
to play games during their recess periods.
Perhaps the boys departments greatest
work this summer was the promotion OF
the School Garden club, which was
organized last spring with 600 school boys
as members. A member OF the secretarial
force who is an expert gardener has been
bustly engaged all summer In teaching the
lads how to grow things. And the policy
Of the association in its general work Is
forcefully shown In this club, for among
the Goo members. who had gardens and re-
ceived free instruction by the associations
representative. only a very few were mem
bers of the association. the remainder being
outsiders. many of them poor. in whom an
equal interest Is taken with the mem
bers.
The school boys are not the only ones
who benefit by the associations open
policy. The paper carriers also get their
share, for about thirty-five OF them who
live at a distance from the newspaper Of
fees are allowed to sleep in the boys de-
partment rooms on Saturday nights. 50
they will not have to walk to the offices.
The cots that are used were donated for
the purpose by The Bee and the World
Herald.
Ant in other ways. both great and small,
which the public is only just waking up to.
the Young Mems Christian association is
putting its impress upon the community,
and 1t is a notable fact that much is dons
for nonmembers as we'll as members in an
effort to make q greater and a better
Omaha.