Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-06-22
CALL FOR TRAINED LEADERS.
Demand for Men Equipped for Re
ligious and Social Service Greater
Than the Supply.


ligous and Social Service Greater
Than the Supply.
A clear demonstration of the con-
stantly increasing work being done
throughout the country by the Young
Mems Christian Association Is con
tanned in an account sent from &e"
| York TO the Buffalo Express of the de-
mand for trained leaders. This Is OF
special local interest, since here III
Springfield is one Of the two interna-
tienal Young Mems Christian Assoeia-
ton training schools in the country.
| the other being in Chicago. The cor
respondent of the Express. who signs
| himself THE Religious Rambler. re-
ports that both college and secondary
schools are finding Young Mems Chris
tan Association trained men among
their most efficient physical directors.
Playground associations and school
| committees are asking for men of good
character who have leadership and are
pabe of supervising the play OF
| boys and girls. Now the boy scout
| movement is presenting a great opPor-
tBnity To laymen for making an i'm
press upon the lives of boys and the
question is constantly arising as to-
where adequate trained leadership igs
coming from. Already a heavy draft
| has been made upon the associations
personnel to fill these demands. But
this tendency is not at all regretted by
| the broader minded association lead
ers. Rather do they feel that the
glory of the association work lies in its
ability to contribute To the progress OF
all religious and social movements its
maximum amount of inspiration and
service.
Because of this great demand. how
ever. and furthermore because of the
| high type Of employed officers which
the individual associations must have
in order to train volunteer workers for
such religious and social service, it
seems to be most timely that the inter
| national conference of employed Of
ncers of the Young Mems Christian
Associations of North America. which
will be held at Columbus. Ohio June
1-6, should devote itself to the theme
of training for leadership In Christian
| service The program Will include
the findings of four commissions
previously appointed. The first has
studied the problem of employed and
|
ligious agencies for men and boys. The
second will report on employed and
| volunteer leadership I'm educational
| training for industrial workers. The
third commission will deal with en-
| ployed and volunteer leadership in so
| cial corporation and for the physical
welfare of men and boys, ana the
| fourth will discuss association EN-
/ 1. nj
In addition to the discussion of these
reports addresses on allied ubject WIN
be given by Dr. G. a. Barbour. DR..
| Washington Gladden. DR.. John X.
Mott and Fred B. Smith.
There are at present several meth
DDS of training employed officers for
the Young Mems Christian Assocta-
| ton. Many young men. after serving
on committees in local associations as
volunteers, obtain positions as assis-
| tants IN the larger associations and
gain practical experience which sup
| plements their general education.
| Some attend one of the summer
schools or training conferences which
are Offering splendid facilities for
| technical courses as well as for sum
mer recreation. Notably those at
Silver Bay. Lake George and Lake
Geneva are offering courses for the
coming summer both for employed of
| ficers and volunteer workers. An in
creasing number of men looking for
ward to the seeretaryship and physical
dictatorship in the associations of
America and on the foreign field are
taking the more thorough training Of
fered by the two and three year
courses in one of the two association
training schools. Whether or not the
commissions mentioned will simply,
indorse the present training agencies
and suggest ways and means of en- z
larging their capacity to turn out more,
men or whether they will recommend
the establishment of additional agen-
cies cannot now be ascertained. 1t is
apparent that the demand for men
with the right kind of training is
greater than the supply and because
the theme of the Columbus confer
enee is live one the conference will
doubtless be largely attended by the
representatives of the movement
Springfield Republican.