Arizona republican., 1916-01-23


 the Phoenix Young Mems Christian Association, your president brings to you greetings and felicitations.
 The real history of the Phoenix Association is known to the ajority of the persons present. How through many trials and tribulations the Y. M C. A. movement in Phoenix began in 1890, was somewhat formerly estab- lished in 1892 and down to 1907. when the present organization was incor- porated under the laws of Arizona.
 It was during that year, under the leadership of MT. J. w. Doris, that a campaign committee raised $103,000 in eleven days to build and equip a modern Young Mems Christian As sociation for the boys and young men of Phoenix.
 However, owing to depression in business conditions through the actual building was deferred until in 1909, under the presidency of the Honorable B. A. Fowler The building was dedi- cated in February, 1911. and has been occupied now for five years. During that time the membership of the Phoenix Association has varied from 400 to 800, reaching that high water mark in February of 1915. The present membership being exactly 775 members.
 During the past two years your Board of Directors has felt the need of additional dormitories in the asso- citation. Realizing also that the added income would greatly facilitate the associations financial problems. Not wthstandng the strained financial conditions, which precluded the con- ducting of a financial campaign for this much needed improvement, the House Committee has reported from month to month during the past two years a waiting list desiring associa- | tion dormitories. By resolution of the Board of Directors on April ,. 1915, | the president and treasurer of the as l sociation were authorized to negotiate a loan of $40,000 to take up the pres | ent outstanding loan indebtedness of l $30,000 and to provide an additional S10,000 for the purpose of construct | ing the third floor in the association building for dormitory purposes. | This loan was negotiated early in August and the construction was oe- gun October 1st and practically fin ished December 2S This third floor, | which you have inspected earlier this evening provided T additional rooms, | rha dormitory earnings from this addi- tional floor for the first month has already amounted to s435.50, there being only one vacant room on the | third floor at the present tipe Your President is pleased to report that the Phoenix association will only | have to raise by popular subscriptions l the approximate amount of the annual earnings on the mortgage to conduct 1 the association activities for the year 1916.
 However, there is back current expense indebtedness that ought to be 1 taken care of in the near future. The report of the treasurer for the past year shows that the earnings of the association have kept up remarkably well during the past year and the average daily attendance has con- tinued to increase from month to month until at the present time over 400 men and boys use the building every day.
 MT Edwin G. Fitzgerald, who was out physical director for five years resigned in the early fall to accept a similar position in the new associa tion just established at Great Falls Montana The directors recognized the need of curtailing the eXpendi- lures wherever possible, delegated the duties and responsibilities of the of flee to MT Robert E. Boardman, the boys secretary, and MT. Boardmar has acted in the dual capacity of boys director and physical director for the past four months with credit to himself and to the association he
 served, as indicated by the report oi the physical department. The gym nasium classes at the present time are better attended and more numerous than at any time in the history of the Phoenix association.
 Some of the outstanding achieve ments for the year have been, Father and Son Banquet on January 22, witt