The Oroville weekly gazette. [volume] (Oroville, Wash.) 1905-19??, 1915-07-30
WORKING FOR THE BOYS.
4 Most Worthy Organization That
Should BE Supported and En-
cOuraged by Everybody.

George R. Keith, publicity and pro-
motion secretary for the Young Mems
Christian Association of the state of
Washington, including the college,
|city, industrial, army and navy
branches, spent last Friday in Oroville
in the interests of the various state
wide activities of the association. Dur
ing the evening about 25 local high
school students brought together by
L. L. Work and p. M. Snyder met at
the new public library and after re-
freshments listened to brief outline
by Mr.. Keith of the work which the
Y. M. c. A. is endeavoring to do for
men and boys. He also explained how
any boy or man who was trying to do
his best and got ahead in the world
could receive cooperation from the
association.
THE Y. M. c. A." velated Mr.. Keith,
was founded 70 years ago by dry
goods clerk in the city of London.
This clerk had come in from the coun-
try with the determination to become
the biggest merchant in that great me-
tropolis. He believed that success de-
pended on living according to the teach
ings of Christ. He also believed that a
man was very largely what his COM
panions were. At that time there were
no club rooms in London founded on a
Christian basis. To meet this apparent
deficiency the young clerk and few
friends started a sNall club of their
own, meeting in one of their bedrooms.
Years later the young clerk had risen
to the head of one of the greatest mer
chandising firms in all England and
had been knighted by his queen as Sir
George Williams. During this 70 years
the association has grown from it's
humble beginnings to a world wide
movement representing a capital in
vestment of over $250,00O,0OO with
branches in every country in the world
operating for the use of men of every
color and nationality and in every oc-
CupdllOH VI liIe. Iolll Sildll CluD
rooms the modern "Y" is now one of
the largest and finest buildings in any
city, always being pointed out to tour
lists as evidence of the up-to-dateness
of the community. The activities of
the association are almost innumer-
able, every activity being under the
supervision of a. staff of secretaries
peculiarly qualified by nature AMI
specially trained TO-, their particular
work. Every school of higher learn
ing in the state of Washington has it's
Y. NJ. G. A., enrolling nearly all of the
bes- men in the college and exerting
|e tremendous influence over the ath
lstics, al, social and scholastic life
of the students. To each school is as
signed a "Y" secretary who arranges
to meet the freshmen when entering
residence, helping him to get acquaint-
ed and to get started off in the right
crowd, secure work, suitable living
and boarding Accommodations, and if
necessary to help plan course of
studies. Last year the association in
this state secured work for 1892 boys
and men. Now the Y. M. C. A., is or
ganized in nearly every college and
large town in the country the officers
are turning their attention to the
smaller towns and rural centers. For
many years the Y. M. c. A., has en-
deavored in various ways 20 reach the
country and small tow 10y when he
leaves for the city. To do this they
have built up an elaborate system of
corresponding members in all these
places whose duties are to keep the
central committees informed when a
LEGAL boy leave for another commun-
Iity. In the new community the boy or
young man is sought out and assisted
| to get acquainted, get work, go to
school and enjoy the use of the swim
ming tank, gymnasium, game rooms,
library, social and dormitory privl-
leges of the "Y" club rooms. About
two years ago there was started what
was known as the National High
School Christian Students movement
which has swept over the United
States and Canada, ..ow having a very
large membership. This movement
consists of organizing in each high
school boys club, officered and man
aged by the ''oy1 themselves and
standing for "Clecn living clean
speech AID clean atnlctics." In these
clubs as in all aGsocia+i,n work the
boys handle the affairs of the club by
themselves, backed and influenced by
the trained boys secretary who are
assigned to give all their time to a
given number of the clubs. Hikes,