Fergus County Democrat. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1904-1919, 1911-02-14
Enthusiastic Mass Meeting of Citi-
gems Held at Culver's Theater
Sunday.
INTERESTING SPEECHES
Secretary Peuhler, of Billings Y. M.
G. A., Comes Over to Help
Movement Along.

One OF the most notable meetings
ever held i'll this city, considering the
Importance of the object Of the gath
cring and the manner in which it was
received, was that at Culver's theater
Sunday afternoon, when the project
for establishing branch OF the Y
M. G. A. in Lewistown was formally
launched. The plan had its inception
a few weeks ago when preliminary
meeting was held at the Carnegie
library. AT that time the project was
gone over and small committee was
appointed to make canvass of the
business men and others to ascertain
how large membership could be
secured The committee met with far
greater success than any one antici-
pated and reported that about three
hundred had signed the list of pro-
posed members. 1t was then decided
to take the next step and Sundays
meeting was called.
Billings Secretary Speaks.
The committee invited Secretary
Peuhler, of the Billings Y. Nj. c. A.,
to be present and make an address,
and he accepted Judge + K.
Chcadle, who presided at the meet
ing, made some appropriate prclimi-
nary remarks and introduced Mr..
Pcuhler, whose address was the fea-
turc of the meeting He told of the
beginning Of the Y. NJ G. A., it's dd
velopment until its membership to-
day numbers round million, with
half million in North America, and
the extension OF its influences from
one field to another. 1t had received
the support of the United States gov
crnment, which turned over to it the
management of the club houses for
the men in the Panama canal zone;
Of the railroads, which subscribed lib
orally for its support, and Of the lead
ing business men of the country.
| This support was given it because 1t
was a good business investment. The
railroads received direct benefit
from it in the increased efficiency of
its men The problem of the boy and
| the young man was one that every
community had to face In another
would be taking their places in the
business and professional world in
all communities. 1t was essential that
they should be looked after, One
statistician had figured that it cost an
average Of thousand dollars to edu-
cate and look after boy until he
! grew out If the boy came through
all right he was an asset, producer,
to the community. If he went wrong
it would take another thousand dol
lars to protect the community against
him The Y. NJ. c. A. provided a
gathering place for healthy boys and
young mcn--a place where they could
have a good time The associations
endeavor was TO prevent them from
going wrong. 1t provided those ele-
mcnts calculated to hold him and it
was especially useful in the West,
where so many young men came in
with no home ties and associations
all to be formed .
Delivers the Goods.
If the v NJ c. A. were not de-
livering the goods, it would long ago
have begun to decline The support
Of railroad companies would not be
given to an institution that could not
point to definite results. In bringing
about its success, large membership
and large financial support had aided,
| Dul lDtlt Ndo ooiiStihhS thoi 'ie"'
helped far more than these That
was the spirit back of the movements
that started Y. NJ. c. A. branches
everywhere It was the spirit that
made man want to help the other
fellow. The business men Of Lewis
town who had naugurated this move
mcnt would get little strictly personal
benefit out of the Y NJ c. A. They
would not use its gym. probably, and
/ would seldom visit it. But they
wanted to help the other fellow and
movement founded upon that spirit
would win.
The Y. M c. A. did not take the
place of the home. the school or the
church. What it did do was to sup
plcment these
w. A. Hedges Speaks.
Judge Cheadle next introduced Hon.
w. A. Hedges. who outlined the pre-
liminary effort to get the Y. NJ. G. A.
started here The project as it had
finally taken shape was large one
and would require effort and ability
to carry it through. but he now be-
lieved it would succeed He referred
to the work of the Masonic fraternity
in carrying out will, entire success
. the plan for splendid home in this
city and believed the same sort OF
, plan should be adopted for the Y. NJ.
IC. A. He did not believe in starting
, ont in rented rooms. What was
(Cont;nued on oaoe 2\