Perth Amboy evening news., 1912-05-31


may die out. Gentlemen. we are go
ing to have the building-the point
is when can we get the money
easiest? 1t is for you men to say"
The motion was made and carried
that the campaign be continued I'M
til Monday night.
From Dana Relief.
In making the report for his
team Abel Hansen said: Il want
to say that | have 500 from the
Dana Relief Association which l
want mentioned, and | also want to
mention that 1t is not Abel Hansen.
1t is his team,-and / make an
arrangement now that he will have
an organization of ten that will never
be disbanded."
Mr.. Darrow reported thai the
Kappa Delta Club, an organization
of young ladies', had promised to
raise 5000 for the benefit of the
campaign. They will hold a lawn
party next Thursday night, June g.,
at the Fowler residence and re-
treshments will be served.
Mr.. Pfeiffer suggested thai other
various clubs and organizations in
terested in the work make subscrlp-
tions likewise.
The following additions to the
teams were reported: To team 6
Joseph Lajac and Albert Hollen-
bach, and one addition to Team o
L. V. Emanuel.
The Swimming Pool Question.
Regarding the swimming pool
question, State Secretary Charles A.
Coburn says:
Some fear that a swimming pool
will prove too expensive for the
local Y. NJ. c. A. to maintain. This
is not the experience of the Young
Mems Christian associations: prac-
tically every modern building con
tains a pool, even places like Lake
wood, Madison and Summit have
new buildings with swimming pools.
"A pool 2lx40 can be Installed
for $4,000 and maintained at an
annual cost of $3.50 to $500; this
figure does not make much allow
ance for j~anitor service, as the Y. NJ.
c. A. must have this anyway.
The fees of the additional mem
bers, joining the association for the
swimming privileges, will more than
cover the cost of maintenance, Hav-
Ing had a part in the planning and
installing of some twenty pools, the
writer speaks from experience. In
this connection there is another
consideration which should claim
the attention of all interested in the
welfare of the community. New
Jersey loses by death fromAdrowning
annually some $50 persons, most Of
these are boys and men who cannot
swim. This Is an economic waste
which we should not allow to go un-
checked. We are told that the aver
age cost of a boy of eighteen years
of age is $4,000; II one hundred of
these are drowned annually It is an
economic loss to the state and COM
munity of 100000. If Perth Am
boy decides to provide funds to in
stall a swimming pool to cost ap-
prOXimately 5000, the writer
would advise and strongly urge that
the association undertake to teach
every boy in the city to swim,
whether he Is a member of the asso-
citation Or not. This plan has al
ready been adopted by hundreds of
cities and towns not provided with
municipal swimming baths.
THE Y. NJ. c. A. has swimming
experts who Fan take a large group
of boys right from the schools and
through class instructions teach
hundreds to swim in a few days.
We taught 10000 public school
boys to swim this group instruction
last year. Every boy who learns to
swim becomes In a certain sense a
life aver
A Patriotic Duty.
The Young Mems Christian Asso-
citation Is not asking for charity. 1t
is not a begging campaign which
the association has inaugurated.
The association will do a definite
and specific work in and for Perth
Amboy. 1t will do that work better
than 1t could he done by any other
agency which might be devised for
the purpose.
The proposition put before the
people of Perth Amboy. therefore,
Is plain. They are not asked to
give something for nothing. The
association ocmes to them and says:
Here is what we can and should
be doing. Do you feel that the well
fare of the town, which Is your well
fare, will be served by providing the
association with the to
undertake this splendid work"
That is the associations position.
The alternative is for the citizen to
consider. The association must be
equipped to measure up to the large
opportunities and obligations which
confront it.
The workers, therefore, In the
present campaign to raise $50, 900
with which to provide the ~associa-
ton with a suitable building, prop
erly equipped, need feel no embar-
rassment as they go out to solicit
subscriptions for this purpose. They
are not a nuisance. The public en-
%terprise which they represent Is as
worthy of support as are the public
schools for example, and in cham
piOning its cause they are perform
ing a patriotic duty which should
meet everywhere with patriotic re-
spouse.
There was a pitiful pathos in the
exclamation Of this New England
merchant, Il would give $1,000 to
have my own boys affections re-
stored to me and to his mother"
He had been 50 busy handling his
business and making a living rather
than a life for his family that he, as
thousands Of business men like him,
had failed to note the gulf that was
spreading between him and his son.
every day" said he to the associa-
ton man who had called to gain his
financial aid, "the gulf is widening,