New Britain herald., 1917-01-18
Y.M.C.A. DORMIT0RY
CAMPAIGN TO Open
Drive for Fund to Erect Building
Coming in March


directors, committee was appointed
consisting of President e. M. Wight
man, F. G. Platt, G. J. Parker and
G. S. Talcott, to consider the advisa-
bility of adding dormitories to the
Y. M. C. A. After consultation with
experts in Y. M. c. A. dormitory
buildings, this committee recommend
ed that a campaign be conducted dur
ing March of this year to raise the
necessary funds to erect modern
dormitory and that G. S. Ward be Sc
cured to conduct the campaign. Inc
report of the committee was accepted
and it was voted to carry out the COM
mittee's recommendations.
1t will be recalled that some time
ago William H. Hart offered property
adjoining the Y. M. G. A. on Court
street, on condition that funds be
raised to erect a 'dormitory thereon.
Meanwhile the urgent needs of the
Y. w. G. A. and the Boys club claimed
the attention Of the citizens, and 1t
was deemed best to postpone action
on the Y. M. G.. A. dOrmitory. Now
that the needs of these other helpful
agencies for the welfare of the young
women and boys of the city have been
met, the equally pressing needs of
the young men living away from
home in New Britain are about to be
cared for. 1t is felt that the Y. M.
C. A. has not lost anything by keeping
in the background with it's needs UNI
til adequate buildings were assured
for the Y. w. c. A. and the Boys
club. Mr.. Hart recognized these other
needs and very generously extended
the time limit of his Offers that the
association has until June Is to raise
funds to build a dornlitory and thus
secure his valuable gift of land on
Court street.
History of Gift.
The history Of this gift, which
paved the way for meeting the needs
of the young men of the city, dates
back to 1912, when, with the APPROX
al and inspiration Of Charles f. Smith
and r. G. Platt, the secretary of the
Y. NJ. c. A. in his annual report, sug-
gested the need of a dormitory. I'M
medately afterwards Mr.. Hart re-
sponded with his offer. Various con-
ditions have held back the project,
but the board Of directors of the Y.
M, c.. A. is now unanimously deter
mined to conduct a campaign which
will make possible a feature OF Y. M.
c. A. work universally conducted by
modern associations.
Mr.. Hart is an honored member
OF the Y. M. c. A. board and during
his long and useful life has been
| one of it's most staunch supporters.
| He served as president from 1870 to
1907, and it. was during his admin
| tration that the present Y. M. e. A.
| building was rebuilt after the fire in
1906. Much Of the success and IN
| huence enjoyed by the Y. M. G. A.
| is undoubtedly due to his interest
and faithful service in its work. And
now, as the crowning achievement or
his Y. NJ. C. A. service, he wishes to
| see a dormitory erected for the use
of the young men Of New Britain.
Need for Building.
The need for such building is gem
orally admitted by people familiar
with conditions here. The Y. M. G.
| A. management daily faces this need
as it welcomes young men coming
| into the city to work in the factories
! and who seek the associations help
in securing a place to live. Many Of
| them apply, as a matter Of course,
| for room in the dormitory for it is
q matter of as standard equipment as
| the gymnasium in most Y. M. G.. AS.
These men have to be directed, for
| the most part, to private homes,
| where people throw open rooms for
/ their use. But even here there is a
| great scarcity Of desirable rooms we'll
| located in relation to a young mans
place Of employment. And although
the association has a bureau of reg
istration of private rooms it Is often
impossible to meet the mans need.
With the rapid growth Of industries
and the influx of young men to the
city, it is easy to realize this tremen-
dous need.
The Y. M. G. A. is a going con-
cern," thoroughly alive to the needs
of the young men of the community
1t has enjoyed the confidence of the
people of the city, has received the
hearty cooperation of the churches
and has been provided with such
funds in addition to its own receipts
from year to year as has made it pos.
sible for the carrying on Of it's mag
nifed work for the young men ant
boys of the community. But it ha
not asked for any large sum o
money since it's building was de
stroyed by fire ten years ago.
What Other Cities Have Done.
Other Connecticut cities who hav
not had modern Y. M. G. AS hay
recently provided for them. Water
, bury has just raised 1851, 900 for
new building. Meriden gave 5000,
900 for this purpose. New London
| Greenwich, Willimantic and Winste
have completed new Y. M. G. AS an
Bridgeport and New Haven have al
tered their Y. NJ C. AS to provid
| more facilities, while Hartford ha
| erected new dormitory building an
: remodeled it's old building. New Brit