The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1914-09-25
THE Y. M. C. A. AND THE Y. w. C. A.
IN SMALL TOWNS AND IN
SMALL COLLEGES

In large universities and in large
cities the services which the Young
Mems and the Young Women's Chris
tian associations are able to render
may be quite distinctive and of con-
siderable value to the youth they are
designed to benefit. In the cities the
providing of homes and recreation
halls is protection and an economy
for the young, poor, and inexperienced
In the large colleges the work of the
organizations may conceivably be the
chief recognized stimulus in the re-
ligious life of the students.
In small colleges and in small
towns the field of service is inevitably
much more limited, and there are
likely to be many other agencies and
organizations well established which
can and do perform any work which
the Christian associations can perform.
In the small schools this is particular
ly true because the churches and
ministers come closely in contact with
the student life, and there are always
numerous church societies that inter-
est themselves fully and directly in
the students in the same way and to
the same degree in which Christian
associations can interest themselves in
student welfare.
The result is that the work of the
II. oil l.
leges is likely to be chiefly-at least
so it seems to the outsider-not re-
ligion, but a campaign to raise money
to be applied to this or that purpose
which often does not obviously or ma
terially in any way benefit even indi-
rectly the general student life.
For example, the Christians associa
tons are very frequently engaged in
soliciting donations or in earning
money by benefit entertainments in
order to send delegates to conferences
at some pleasure resort or other
The practice of paying for the va
cations of few out of the pockets
of the public is in itself of question
able propriety and is considered by |
many actually reprehensible. 1t is
thought by many that this practice
fosters in the young people OF our
country the spirit of grating" their
expenses on some body else and that
it only increases the tendency now so
in American life to try to get
for nothing. There seems
wants a vacation should not pay for it
from the private purse. There seems
no defense for taxing others for ones
holidays; and the return which can
be or is commonly made to those who
pay is perhaps negligible.
If the associations taxed only their
bona fide members and solicited con-
.ributons only from those who could
expect to get any benefit
from the outlay, the practice would be
ess harmful and would bring the as
;ociations less into i'll repute. But ap-
1lication is constantly made to those
whose connection with the associations
S not even desired or permitted and to
hose whose sympathies are enlisted
elsewhere, or whose energy and money
re otherwise promised.
If in a small university some definite,
PRACTICAL work could be found for the
associations of great benefit to the stu
ents and not already taken care of u
" other organizations; if the mem
ers could be taught that they should
iven full measure for value received; :,
the organizations were not concern
d in money getting and money beg fl
ing; and if the standards of sery- IL
,e and ethical conduct were kept the pl
ighest the warmest encouragement 81
-ould doubtless be forthcoming for dt
lie associations, and the energy and "a
me expended by members would be '"
nply justified -