Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1913-09-12
Y. M. C. A. WORK
IN SOUTHWEST VA.

AT the suggestion of the En-
cutive Committee of the State
Y. Nj. G.. A., Hon. ii. C.. Stuart.
DR.. j. p. Mcconnell and Prof.
l.. S. Randolph, members of the
State Committee of the YIN. C.
A., invited a number of gentle.
men of Southwest Virginia to
meet in Bristol June 18th, to for
mulate plans for bringing the
benefits of the Y. M. c.. AZ, to
the young men and boys of the
indutrial towns. the villages and
rural sections of this part of the
State. In compliance with this
call about fifty men, prominent
in business and civic life of this
section, met in the Y. M. C. A.
Building in Bristol and spent the
day in discussion of the needs
of the young men and boys of
Southwest Virginia.
OUR NEEDS
Attention was called to the
perils and needs of young men
away from home in the indus
trial villages and in the mining
towns. The needs of the boys in
the villages and rural sections
also were discussed. Attention
was called to the fact that in
most of the villages and rural
communities there is little oppor-
tunity for wholesome recreation
and social life. In consequence
of this many young men and
boys falllnto idle and sometimes
serious pastimes and habit.
1t was pointed that Southwest
Virginia in the last few years
great changes have taken place
in transportation, industry, agri-
culture, education, home COM
forts and conveniences. Along
with these changes have come
change in the life and ideals of
our people. We are in the midst
of a period of transition in moral
and social life as we'll as in in
dustrial methods; many forms
of relaxation and social pastimes
are appearing that do not develop
the finest and sturdiest type of
men and women.
in this period of Elasticity and
change in our section we have
a great responsibility as well as
an opportunity and through pro
per institutions and social
arrangements so to shape the
ideals and direct the thought
and Astounding enegry of our
youth as to get the greatest be-
nefit from the great advances
that rae being made in the de-
velopement of our material re-
sources.
WHAT SHOULD BE DONE
In view of all this it was the
opinion of the meeting that some
wholesome stimulating influence
should be substituted for the de-
moralizing that are now so pre-
valent in rural communities,
small towns, and Industrial
villages.
Several representatives, of the
National and State Y. M. G. A.
were present and spoke showing
the benefits brought by the Y.
M C. A. to young men and boys
in the villages and rural sections
in other parts of the country.
They showed that the extension
of the benefits of the Y. M. CA.
to the High School students, the
young men and the boys in small
towns and villages and country
places in Southwest Virginia
is perfectly feasible
1t was decided to employ a
Travelling Y. NC. A. Secretary
for the counties of Southwest
Virginia who shall organize the
boys and young men in the High
Schools, villages, industrial
towns and rural sections and re-
gularly visit and superintend
these organized groups and CO.
operate with them in making
their work effective.
The special effort will be made
to organize the boys in the high
schools direct their energies
along wholesome lines. The Y.
M. C. A. has long been a potent
infiuenc in the life of the college
student. This movement will
bring the same helpful influence
to bear on the high schools boys.
Provision will be made for the
boys and young men who are
away from home at work in the
mining towns and industrial
villages of this section. An at
tempt will also be made to or.
ganize the rural boys and younf
men of each county and to pro.
vide wholesome recreation fol
them in the country and so tC