The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1910-01-20

departments Ol ASSOCldllOn WOFh, Inc
work has grown in this, the Physical
Department
One year ago there were sixteen
gymnasium classes scheduled per
week; now there are twenty-one.
One year ago the annual report
showed an attendance upon all class
es and special gymnasium work of
$500; this year the attendance reach
ed 7168, or a gain of not quite 100.
In only two classes has the attendance
been less this year than last. The
mems five O'Clock class is some BIC
smaller in total attendance. due to the
fact that the summer attendance was
counted in that report and is not
used in this years report Then the
Senior class has the enormous loss
of SO for the year. This class has
always been very largely composed
of Penn College students, and the at
tendance has been compulsory with
all students upon their own gymnas-
ium classes at the college, and this
has cost us the heart of this class.
The new gymnasium classes have
been organized during the last twelve
months and each is doing excellent
work. The Oskaloosa College class
was started Oct. Sth. with a fine
bunch of fellows, and has steadily
grown in size and popularity. At the
time this class was started the direc-
tor of this department was made OF
athletics of the college also. Another
new class is the Junior B Class, just
started Dec. 18th, with as bright and
energetic a group of youngsters as
anyone could want to work with.
With these two new classes well
started and all other classes, save the
two mentioned, on the increase, 1910
ought to see a very material increase
in the physical department activities.
Both Junior and Senior basket ball
leagues were conducted the first part
of the year and much interest taken
and on various occasions the track
was we'll filed with spectators at the
league games.
An attempt was made last spring
or late winter to organize Sunday
School basket ball league, and six
teams were entered but owing to a
lack of someone within the school to
keep showing, it was only short lived
April 18th and 10th the great Ring
ling Brothers Mammoth shows were
produced upon our gymnasium floor
with credit, we feel, to all who took
part and to the Association. Nearly
one hundred men and boys participat-
ed in this great production, either as
organizers or performers, and about
800 attended the performance and
neat sum cleared.
The athletics in the Oskaloosa High
School were placed almost entirely
in the hands of this department OF
the Association this last spring, and
under its supervision the team was
taken to Fairfield Grinnell and Iowa
City. They gave good account OF
themselves at all me is and competed
in a clear sportsmanly manner and
one state champion was produced.
In the summer a city base ball
league was organized, with your di-
rector as president. There were six
teams from various establishments of
districts of the city, including our
Association team. Owing to contin.
ued wet weather the full schedule OF
games we're not finished.
June goth to July list fould fourteen
boys, including the leader, at Clear
Lake for a ten days camp for the
Senior boys. This lake Is nearly one
hundred and sixty miles north of o.
kaIoosa and of the most ideal loca-
ton for a boys camp that have ever
known. save only the distance and
necessary expense. 1t is a shallow
lake, with the finest kind of fishing
and bathing, and opportunities for ma
ture study, cross country tramps and
good timme generally, and the dan
gers of mishaps lessened greatly
over airy camp with which | have
ever anything to do in my eight
years experience at boys camps.
With all this the cost of camping
there is less than the average cost to
boys in Y. NJ. C. A camps.
Soon after the older boys returned
the younger group went to the same
grounds, twenty-seven strong, includ.
ing help, and everyone in camp. This
camp was held from July goth to Both,
inclusive, and a better time would be
hard for any group of boys to have.
The cost of the first camp was $3.50
,ach, and of the second, $1,000 per
person. The ages of the first camp
an from II to 25 years. while the
after were from IL to 16, except for
he leader and the uncertain ages Of
he ladies (mothers) who acted as
-oks and mothers to the group.
Thanks to the kindness and courte-
of the Board of Directors of this
Association, the director was enabled
o spend very pleasant and profit
able vacation during August, which
vas greatly appreciated by the re-
,ipiant.
Before the fall work began the
gymnasium received thorough over
'lauling and cleaning. Every piece of
apparatus was gone over and bolts
tightened and all parts put into order,
walls and ceilings washed, floors