The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1911-05-23
SECRETARY WOLF
MAKES REPORT
GENERAL SECRETARY or LOCAL
n Nj. c. A. MAKES REPORT OF
EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT FOR
YEARS WORK ENDING LAST
WEEK-lN FINE CONDITION.

Ralph r. Wolf, general secretary Oh
the X. M. G. A. and his assistant,
George H. Cockburn, have submitted
the following report of the executive
department OF the institution for the
year ending last week:
Some will measure the strength OF
this work by it's financial success,
others by the number Of its members,
while others viii look to only its re-
ligious side. These are all significant
and as these points are brought out
may each of us try to grasp the gen.
eral idea OF an association OF men
and boys that has become in this
city great social force for right
eousness.
The high water mark in this years
membership was ST., which was
small gain over the previous year.
We close the year with S17 members,
also slight gain.
During the year we have served IN
total number Of members, almost 1900
different men and boys which is a
large gain over last year. The small
gain in the present membership has
come by reason of numbers of our
young men and likewise many busi-
ness men who have shifted to other
sections Of the country during the past
year. We estimate that there has been
fully SO per cent increase in change OF
residence among our members over
that of last year.
A study of membership record re-
veals something like seventy different
occupations, representing forty-three
la4n oil.
most every church found in the land,
twenty of which were foreign speaking
churches.
BY churches, the First Presbyterian
makes a strong gain and this year
leads over the combined M. z. churches
who held first place last year. The
Roman Catholic church comes next
and shows strong increase over last
year. The combined Lutheran church,
es are a close fourth and have made
the largest gain of any.
The tremendous wear on the build
ing can be accounted for when, by
actual count. we discovered that we
had 1872 boys and young men in the
building in one day. Adding ninety
four women and we have the grand to-
tai of 1,406 people who found on that
day some element of interest to draw
them here.
Although we have had great
many such days as this, yet it is not
fair to call this normal day. A
three days count, last year, revealed
an average of 4S7 per day. We con-
fidently believe that we have had full
ly so per cent increase in attend
ance over last year. This would make
the years grand total attendance dur
ing the active season 355,510.
This can be accounted for by in
creased attendance at the large num-
Der of games and contests held in the
gymnasium and by the large increase
of the number of men and especially
boys, who have been using gymnasium
privileges and also in the increase in
attendance at the boys department,
Much of which was made possible on
account of the new running track. And
with this, it is interesting to note that
in one Saturdays count we discov-
cred we had more boys in the build
| ing than had attended ON that day
the combined theatres in both Fargo
and Moorhead, including matinee and
all evening shows. These facts were
gathered from the theatre managers
A study of one sample day reveals
i the following schedule of activities
Business men volleyball and handball
squads. two groups; high school gym
nasiGn class, employed boys gymna-
SUM class; three basketball league
games; wrestling and boxing groups
by both boys and men; three Bible
classes; three evening school classes
and two committee meetings.
We have conducted during the year
seventeen different social functions
with the total attendance of 2,46S.
Although we have had no regular
organized employment agency, we have
assisted over fifty men and boys in
securing situations. We have had
many calls of this nature during the
past winter
Under the social department, many
lyoung men have been made to feel
at home and many have been interest
ed in some special department of ac-
tivity. The Resident Members club
under the leadership of Mr.. Corse, has
been especially interested in grad
handing and showing fellows about the
building We are now able. under the
duplex single bed system, to accom-
modate more rcomers than ever be-
fore. The showing in this department
is practically the same as last year
with an increase as to the total mum
Der in rooms caused largely by the
general shifting Of residence. Our
building, as many of you know, Is
never locked either night or day. and
it is not infrequent that we receive
calls after the midnight hour.
/ This year has been marked by ex-
cellent committee service, far strong
er than last. In this the board OF
directors and its officers have certainly
done much to set the pace for earnest
/ aggressive service.
The standing Of the association In
the community can be measured some
what by the 100 business and fifty
young men who personally solicited
members during the November cam
Ipaign. In this campaign we have dis
covered many excellent committee men
I'm the mems department alone, in
Guiding the ESQ men who pushed the
drum campaign we have had over Asa
Especial committeeman and $50 regu-
4 lar committeeman.
We have given much time and ef-