The Detroit times., 1915-11-13
IN a n k s giving Vaca-
ton Used for Spirit
ual Conference
STATE Y. M. c. A.
ARRANGES MEET
More Than 1000 Elk
pected At Kalamazoo
Convention

70 make the Thanksgiving yaca-
n1cn the occasion for great state
Wide roundup OF 2042 boys whose
noral and spiritual welfare Is an
onsniy advertised theme is some
} aim OF An achievement Even Eve
Sooru ago such . thing would have
Roen practically impossible. but
1oaay Il II being accomplished In
1glchigan, where. under auspices
and guidance OF the Michigan
xnnng Mems Christian association.
y o1dsr boys from every town and
0o1snty gather for . day conference.
biz conference this year will
4 q take place at Kalamazoo.
Nowhere In the United States
snns there been such a large and
"; rfenincant meeting of the youth OF
n Rreat state rs took place during
fha 1914 Thanksgiving vacation at
Anu Arbor. These 1000 boys. 10
voars and over. came together there
n ! three-day conference. sitting in
{ndxment on their own standards
~ personal conduct and Christian
1orvice and carrying out program
Dhich william J. Bryan declared,
n nlter personally Witnessing 1t, to be
enc OF the most inspiring sights OF
HI life.
II isn't the usual thing TO pay
9nuch attention to gathering OF
Eboys. Generally there Is lot OF
hiphurrah and ziss-boom-ah. with
~ generous shrinking OF songs and
Feat calls.
But here is something quite DIFF
fSront from the average annual con-
Exonion Of young people. In the first
E0le6e, II Is enormous In its proper
ttcKS-wliich gives II a power much
6foader and more effective than
a6eherwise would be the result. In
the second place, 1t is tremendous
Es1n . boys life, once he has been
f0t1rrod by the deep significance be-
hind AL these fellows of his own
oGe.
I'VE never have had q conference
where the response was so quick
ana the results so satisfactory"
1ntd J. A. Van Dis. boys work sec
6xotary for the Michigan Y. VI. c. A.
1.-The effect of the conference was
11nte-wide shortly after II took
ulace. Thousands Of boys have
&nught the Christian vision or ser.
Vlce for the nrst time; some OF
mem are going into religious or Y.
II. G. A. work as q result" -
The result OF Mr.. Bryan's visit to.
6nd speech before the conference
Was that more than 10000 persons
"a the state of Michigan. great
mA1crfty OF them boys and young
men. signed the total abstinence
Djedge. II the pledge means the
anne sort of protection TO them
1hAt Mr.. Bryan says II has meant
<o him. the direct and indirect re-
nnlts of that one conference will be
ovemendous In the manhood OF the
state throughout the years to come.
Busy men and women are apt to
forget the tremendous boy power
WrApped up In the youth OF a state.
H n an energy that is next 20 i'm
1cssible to impede once II Is put
intO motion. These boys of the
ndolescent period do things, and
fhey do them because OF that little
opark OF service or self-sacrihce or
1ltruism that lodges within them
Guring the progress OF one OF these
Gonforences
In the fact that the boys do the
thing themselves. without the aid
Tf their elders, lies the power and
ne inspiration of the annual boys
Gonference. Their own hands
1rains and legs have entered intC
HE success Of the big event--and
HAT Is a big thing to a boy, having
~ part in II all The encouraging
nature OF the conference Is that sc
many boys can be attracted from
19ery part OF big state TO engage
"a q three-day discussion of theil
noral. spiritual and life-work prob
rms At least that is one OF the
1e Impressions that comes to an
1olooker
Mr.. Van Dis says: Boys
Dork Is a safety first campaign
NJ are helping boys to save them
lives so we won't have to worry
~.
nm the manhood OF the state We
blink II Is much more business like
form character than to reform
The biggest crop in Michigan is
~ 25p.ooc boys between twelve
"a twenty. The thing we are after
% get bold Of those boys in some
Nv 80 we can interest them IN the
Yer things OF life. The boys
inference IL one OF them and II
10 most successful"