Charlevoix county herald. (East Jordan, Mich.) 189?-1953, 1913-01-25
RuralY NJ. c. A.

/
alton by it's right name. But while
the technical name Of the organic
alton may he OF passing interest you
are definitely interested in knowing
why the organization happened; where
the idea originated. aud wny Charlie
voix county happened 10 he one OF the
fortunate COUNTIES 20 be organized.
Then, first we will consider why
the organization happened. II just
one general answer would suffice II
might be said that the Rural Y. NJ
e. A. happened because ninety per
cent OF Americas bows are raised in
the open country. the villages OF the
small towns, The foregoing state
ment is only part Of the answer how
ever. When Sir George Williams OF
LUndon. England. organized group
o. fellows aud gradually developed the
organization which since has been
known as the Young Mems Christian
Association he planned for the boys
with city needs giving no thought to
The villages. towns or open country.
Later on when the work was started
in North America 1t met with won
derful success and Interested men in
the smaller communities said, 1--WE al
so Will provide the boys OF our towns
with Y. NJ. G.. A PRIVILEGES" Plans
were made, financial canvasses car
red on, buildings erected, and secre-
taries hired. In the New England
one half as rapidly as this kind of AS
S DciaI ion work fai ed. And these fail
ures came not from lack OF interest
that Was genuine or because or a lack
of consistent effort but because the
small town was not the proper
unit OF organization. Failures
had to occur in the East, West, North
and SOUTH aud numerous times
in all tour places before The people
were convinced that the city pattern
made TOO large suit for the small
town. Following the arrival at this
decision slme time elapsed before the
present Rural Y. NJ. g. A. pla1 was
perfected.
Where the idea of Rural Y. NJ. T..
a. work with the county as a unit Of
organization originated will he cOnsl-
dered next with out going much into
detail Robert Weldensall, "the faith
er OF Rural Y. NJ &. A WORK" as
we'll as the father OF all other depart
mental work of the association. or
ganized the first rural work in Du
Page township. Will county, Illinois
IN 1872 The next year a business
man iu Mason county, Illinois, vOlun-
tarily undertook the supervision of
the WORK ia seven or eight small COM
munitits aud from that it was an easy
step TO the employment OF a secretary
To give his entire time To- the super
vision of the work in an entire county.
Small town work developed here and
in other parts Of the United States
and Canada but the Rural Y. NJ. &.
A was not recognized by the inter-
national committee as department
until 1906. Al present there are go
organized counties aud provinces.
Michigan, leading with the largest
number. has only twelve. The organ
lied Michigan cOuDties follow in the
order OF their organization; Lenawee,
Alegan, Eaton, Hillsdale, ST Joseph,
Clinton, Ionia, Calhoun, SanIlac,
Gratiot. Cbarlevoix and Branch.
inst why Charevoix county should
walt six years before calling on the
state committe for the services Of Mr..
g l.. Rowe, Secretary OF the Depart
ment OF Rural Y. M. Z. A. work. is
Of little concern now. The fortunate
thing is that the county is now org
auized. due to the fact that
some interested men took time to
consider the need definitely aud u
secure the services and experience OF
the organization which has perfected
the plan above mentioned The work
OF Mr.. Rowe and his assistants cou-
pied with that Uf the men in the coun-
ty eliminated In a banquet held ia
Boyne City during the Latter part OF
Octo Der when the organization was
formally launched and the committee
elected and instructed To secure the
services Of secretary To proceed
with the work, The following are
members Of the County Committee
chairman. A. L Coulter. vice chair.
man. w. j. Pearson. clerk. John j
Porter, treasurer S. G.. Smith. execu-
tive committe, w 5. Shaw. w. r..
White, Il. w. Craney, NJ. Buttars,
and w. =. Porter.
On The 9th OF December the COM
mittee met In Boyne City and arfan.
ge with A Bruce Ball OF AlIegan
county 10 take care of the work He
took up his new duties on the 20th
OF this month with headquarters al
I w