Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-06-02
1.-THE Y.M C. A, OF WASHINGTON

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health necessitated his resignation in
July. 1900 at which time he was made
member Of the board OF directors.
The real effect of the fire upon the as
ISOLATION can best be realized when 1t Is
understood that the membership dwindled
from 100 to 1874, and that for three
years the work was practically at a
standstill All departments Of the work,
except the reading room. few educa-
tional classes and poorly attended Sun
day afternoon meeting. were diScon-
tinued. At the annual meeting in Octo-
Der. 1895 1t was proposed that this
Sunday afternoon meeting should also pc
given up because of the lack of interest.
This proposal, which showed how near
to death the association was. greatly
stirred some of the members OF the board
and meeting for prayer was proposed
for the following Sunday afternoon. This
was held. and had a marked effect on all
who attended. 1t was shortly after this
that the property on G street was secured.
where the activities OF the association
were entered into with renewed zeal. ana
the membership increased. this time to
nearly 1900.
In January, 1903. an association jubilee
was held, concentrating the fiftieth an
niversary of the association. Exercises
were held in many Of the churches while
a banquet was given, at which nearly
1Up people were present. II WAS at tuis
time that movement was begun to pro-
vide three hundred dollar
building on the remaining ground to the
west and south of the structure then oc-
cupied by the association. Several can
|, vases were made and subscriptions to
the amount required were secured. The
building. now the central building OF the
Y. NJ. G. A, was erected at cost of
$500, 600. while an additional $4,000 was
put into furnishing. In 1908 the associa-
@in,, -aA int tic oy,d
plete quarters.
At the present time SIS per cent Of the
total cost of running this enterprise is
secured from its mem
Maintaining bership fees, tuition fees.
dormitory rentals and
AAoono. miscellaneous in c m e
from business features. The membership
I fees pay 30 per cent of the annual cost
Of maintenance, the dormitory rentals a
similar amount, while the class fees net
% per cent. Consequently. there remains
but IL per cent OF the total annual ex-
penses to be provided by friends of the
work.
At the present time the work of the
Y. NJ. c. A. has spread over the whole
of Washington. AT the central branch
is the men and boys building. At ter
minal station is the railroad branch, at
| 1920 18th street the new. colored men s
branch. at Fort Myer. Va, marine bar
racks, navy yard and National Guard
headquarters are the army. and navy
branches, while at George Washington
and Howard universities are the student
branches. The association property In
the city Is valued at $4,000. The total
membership at the beginning of the pres
ent year was CATS. The membership al
the central branch is 1900. while 200
men live in the building, with the same
number as members of the Bible class
More than 1900 use the physical depart
ment, and more than 600 boys are in the
boys department. The employment de-
partment has placed Iii persons, and
there are G3O in the educational classes
and 10 in the education clubs. Nearly
14,OOO books are drawn from the library
in one year. while the daily attendance al
the central building averages about /. 400
The present officers of the association
are: George Otis Smith, president; Henry
B. F. Macfarland, vice president; w. p.
Thtrdeld, second vice president: Hugh A.
Thrift, recording secretary: John Poole,
treasurer; John B. Larner general coun-
sci
In securing the addition to the present
quarters. the building to be known as
the Sleman Memorial, the committee OF
100. in whose hands the campaign has
been placed, intends to make the gift
as general as possible The subscriptions
are to come from the friends OF Mr.. Sic
man. and will be therefore a truer me
mortal to him and his work. The fund
proposed to be raised Is 5000
The proposed boys department, which
it is hoped will be built shortly. will take
the place Of the present boys department
in the old Columbia Athletic Club build
ing which was the original G street pur-
chase. In this building 1T Is proposed to
have a large number of dormitories for
the boys who are not able to pay high
rents. but who need a thoroughly pro-
tected place in which to live. In addi-
ton the building will contain class and
other rooms.
The Young Mems Christian Association.
as whole, was organized in London py
Sir George Williams in 1874. Through
out his life he was the leader OF
the work and watched it grow from a
humble beginning to an organization
which reached the ends of the earth.
He was knighted by Queen Victoria in
1894, and died in October 1905. The
worlds committee, which has executive
charge of the branches all over the world,
is at Geneva, Switzerland. The interna-
tional committee of the association OF
North America has it's headquarters in
New York city.
OF the founders of the local Y. NJ. c. A.
Duncan, born in Philadel-
Surviving phia in 1880. is still a
resident of Washington.
FOun0eI. Mr.. Duncan still takes
an interest in religious matters and the
v M. c. A. He entered the ministry In
1886. acting first as an assistant to the
Rev. DR.. George d. Cummins here. Later
he accepted a call from Markham. Va.
where he remained until just previous to
the war. During the war he entered the
Confederate army as a chaplain In
Maryland regiment. in which he served
until the end of the conflict Since that
time he has had charge of parishes at
Annapolis. Md; Brookville, Md; Knox
VILE. Tenn Baltimore. Md; Elyria. Ohio:
Cecil country, Md, and Bedford, Pa. He
retired from the ministry several years
ago.
Last April the Y. NJ. C. A. held recep-
tion to the old time members and pub
lice service in honor of its founders. Mr..
ct tine