The Tupelo journal. (Tupelo, Miss.) 1876-1924, 1913-03-14
First Annual Conference.

call to arms has been sounded, and
right nobly has the young manhood
of Mississippi responded
''On to Greenwood was the slogan
and over 800 older boys and leaders
met on March 7, 8, 9th, at Greenwood,
Miss, to discuss plans and receive in
spiration by which they could return
to their respective communities aDd in
the name of Christ, their Great Leader,
do things for the betterment of the
boyhood of our state.
When we remember there is practic-
ally no organized work among boys in
North Mississippi, that these delegates
represent less than FIVE per cent of the
older boys of North Mississippi, we can
not help but be overwhelmed with the
great need for trained leadership. The
harvest truly is great.
1t would be impossible on account
of limited space to give any detailed
account of the proceedings OF this great
conference, but we can only touch here
and there in the high places.
To say the boys had a glorious time
would be putting it in the very mildest
terms, and this proves what we have
always contended that boy gets more
fun and more genuine pleasure out OF
doing things for God and tor the right
than in selfishness and "hoodlumism."
He only needs that overpow ering ener-
sy for doing things to be turned into
channels of usefulness.
We shall never cease to sing the
praises of Greenwood and her people
for the generous spirit and wholesale
hospitality with which she threw open
her doors to the boys and leaders OF
this conference. And Mr.. W. A. Duns-
moore, the Y. NJ. G. A. Cummunity
Work Secretary, to whose LOYALTY and
untirine efforts we owe the success OF
this conference.
Practically every hour from our ar
rival in Greenwood on Friday after
noon to the beautiful and impressive
farewell meeting on Sunday night, we
were busy attending lectures. listening
to inspiring addresses, studying il
group conferences, taking automobile
rides and attending banquets.
II would be hard to tell which wa:
the best part of the programe but or
Sunday afternoon when Mr.. Blake
Godfrey, of Houston, Tex, with charac
teristic Texas eloquence and earnes
lodeic held up before the boys of the
convention the two Great Leaders, i
seemed a fitting climax to all the early
preparation of the convention.
The result of this meeting was thai
nearly 200 older boys took the forwarc
step in pledeing themselves to do some
active service in the name of Chris
and for their fellows And speaking
for the delegation from Tupelo, they
are now laying plans for permanen
organization to carry out the ideas ana
diffuse the inspiration which they have
received at this conference.
An athletic meet. which is aiway!
dear to the heart of boy, was plannee
for the entertainment of the delegate:
on Saturday afternoon. Tupelo, which
was represented by Byron Long in thi:
meet, came out victor in the majority o.
the events and was given the title o.
the best all round athlete in the whole
conference"
The most impressive Of all the event:
of the conference and the one which
will live long in the hearts of the boys
was the farewell scene at the First
Baptist church Sunday night, when all
the delegates joined hands in one great
circle around the auditorium and aftel
each fellow offering silent prayer fol
the boy on each side of him, we joined
in one mighty chorous of "Blest be ths
tie that binds our hearts in christian
love"
We feel that this conference ha.
been an opening wedge Of opportunity
for an awakening to the needs OF th'
.f o,,r &afe ond me haVt