Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1909-06-17
SMEDLEY ACCEPTS
Freeport Paper Says Y. M. G.
A. Secretary Will Take
Place Here.
COMES ABOUT AUGUST IS
Plans for RemOdeling Building, and
Adding One or Two More Stories
Being Considered.

A Freeport newspaper of Wednes-
day is authority for statement that
Secretary R. C. Smedley of the Y. M.
c. A. of that city has accepted the
secretaryship of the local association
and that he plans to take charge of
the association here by the middle
of August. AS yet the local board of
directors has not been notified of his
acceptance although the directors
have felt sure for sometime past
that he would accept the call extend
ed to him. Mr.. Smedley was in the
city soon after the present secretary,
A. l.. Burnett. handed his resigna-
ton to the board, and he appeared
impressed at the time with the field
for his services here and expressed a
desire to come if he could make the
necessary arrangements. The one
thing which kept him from accepting
the call at once was the fact that he
was busily engaged in a whirlwind
canvass for funds for the Freeport
association and he feared the an
nouncement of his resignation would
have n bad effect on the result of the
canvass. This canvass is now comple--
ed and the board expects to hear
from him officially in the course of
the next few days in regard to COM
ing here.
Push Boys Work.
In several conferences which Mr..
Smedley has had with G. C. Blakslee,
president of the board of directors,
it was planned to lay especial stress
on the boys work in the association.
At the time L. l.. Mcdonald was here,
that departments activity received a
great impetus and since then it has
been existing principally on what Mr..
Mcdonald did for it and little has
been done to strengthen it. 1t is the
plan of the board and Mr. Smedley
to have boys secretary to build up
this department as it is realized that
this is the greatest field the associa-
ton has for it's work
In addition to building I'D the
strength of the association generally,
Mr.. Smedley is coming with the
earnest hope of securing a new and
modern building for the association
The board would like nothing better
than to have new building, but as it
is better acquainted with conditions
here than Mr.. Smedley, it does not
feel that this will be possible 1T
does, however, feel that it is not
only possibility, but an assured
fact that the present building will be
entirely remodeled and made modern
in every respect within the course
of the next two or three years.
Propose Natatorium.
The pet scheme of the board and
especially of President G.. c.. Blaks-
lee is to add natatorium, rebuild
the gymnasium%and take out the
post which supports the roof over it
and which greatly interferes with its
value, and TO take Off the present
roof of the main building and add
another story. The added story is
to be made into & dormitory and the
second floor will be turned princi-
pally into Il boys department. The
board has even considered the ad-
visibility of adding a fourth floor to
the building and fitting it up for a
business college of some sort, as one
has already signified a desire to
make use of the floor if it is added.
If third and fourth floor are added,
an elevator will be installed and
other things done which will make
the building modern in every re-
spect.
Make Change In August
If Mr.. Smedley has really decided
to assume the secretaryship of the
local association, he is expected to
take charge sometime in the middle