Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1911-02-19
The Swift Success When
the Movement Was I'm
dertaken in Earnest. A
Description of Home of
the Organization.
The Following is an Exhaustive and
Interesting Annual Report of
President 3. A. Fowler of
the Y. M. C. A,

In presenting the annual report of
the president Of the Phoenix Young
Mems Christian association for the
year ending January 10, 1911, + shall
take the liberty of reviewing briefly
some facts OF more or less interest
IN the early history of the Y. NJ. c.
n movement in this city with an oc-
caslonal comment thereon and re-
fresnng our memories on those in
cidents of~more recent date.
Introduction.
During the decade from lSSO-1S9O
there were occasional attempts to
arouse general interest in Y. NJ. c.
\. movement buts it was not until
1892 that the need of an organization
Tor the better care and provision of
the Young men of this city first
crystallized into a movement How
ever, after two or three years of life
1t ceased to become an active power
for good and a faithful few found
the financial burden too heavy to
carry. The movement took organized
form under the leadership of Col
William Christy as president and DR.
}. {. Norton as secretary. who. with
their associates labored amid great
disadvantages, surrounded with IN
friendly and antagonistic influences.
and at many personal sacrifices. Some
times, interest in the organization
waned. Again the love of humanity.
and a genuine, Christian public spirit
was fired anew and the good work
would be revived afresh. But in those
days there was no attractive head
quarters To compete with and offset
the dazzling glamour, the busting
high life. the stirring music-both
vocal and Observation-Disclosures fascina-
ton Of the climbing glasses, the rou-
lette wheel, the poker chips. and the
jolly social atmosphere which made
the saloon. even with its inseparable
gambling and dissolute appurtenances.
central meeting place. whose con
stantly changing current of varied
humanity furnished both entertain
ment and excitement, and was Of its
kind sort of a social center
We Of today. as we view the noble
structure which the gifts of a gener-
Gus public have made possible, with
its complete. equipment for better
physical. mental and spiritual devel-
opment Of the Young men who will
fill our places tomorrow. can hardly
realize, or appreciate, whats an i'm
mense advantage We have in attempt
ing 10 carry on the work which has
been handed down to US as a legacy
And we should. indeed, be untrue and
disloyal to ourselves, our city and the
grand opportunities which now are
ours to improve. if we failed. either
from neglect. spiritual inertia. or bust
mess incapacity, to. grasp the situa-
ton and build here an edifiee con-
secrated to the highest, the truest, the
best in physical and spiritual man
hood. Here the young man should
find his most congenial environment,
in a clean. stimulating, virile Chris
tian atmosphere Here character
building. on Christs own model.
should be the ultimate aim. Here
health and happiness should go hand
in hand with the Christian graces,
and a hustling. rustling vigorous
physique with a love of justice and
a rugged determination to. do right.
Here, free from all narrowness or be-
littling cant, should the Young men
from all denominations. from all so