The Oklahoma City times. [volume] (Oklahoma City, Okla.) 1908-1984, 1918-06-05
SEvENTY-SIxTH
Year OF Y. NC. A.
OPENS TOMORROW
Organized in Dry Goods Store
+ in England,

"There will be no local celebration OF
the seventy fifth anniversary OF the Y.
M {. A." X. + Wedding, secretary OF
the organization, announced this morn
Ing. Tomorrow is the seventy-fifth an
niversary OF the association.
Organized 10 England.
The founder OF the Y. M {. A, was
Sir George Williams an Englishman,
who died in London In 1905, in his
eighty-fify year. Mr.. Williams be
came a Christian in 1897, the year of
the coronation of Queen Victoria. who
knghted him in 1894. In l84l he left
his home in one of the provincial towns
and went to London, where he became
unior clerk in large dry goods
establishment. Here he found about
eighty fellow clerks, very few Of whom
were protesting Christians. At con
ference among a few OF the Christian
young men in the establishment, they
decided TO call conference OF all the
Christian young men in the house for
June g. 1874, TO consider the practi-
oabiity of establishing the world on a
firmer basis. II was decided to or
ganize the Young Mems Christian
association" the object Of which was
stated TO be ito improve the spiritual
condition OF young men engaged in the
drapery and other trades"
Mr. Williams lived to see the move
mint he had organized spread over
large part OF ihe Wort In Europe
and America, in Australia and Africa,
and in the cities Of far-off India China,
Japan and other lands are now to be
found branches OF the Y NJ {. A., act
ly engaged in spiritual, missionary,
educational and social welfare work.
1000 Branches Here.
The growth OF the movement in North
America has been even more marvellous
than in the British Isles where il was
given birth. The international commit
tee which maintains headquarters in
this city had general supervision of
more thar 1000 fully Organized branches
throughout the United States and
Canada.
When America entered the war in the
early part of last year the Y. NJ. {. A.
called for 100000 to launch its pro
gram OF social service work among the
enlisted men. The donation of $5,000,-
900 was the public response to this ap-
peal. With this fund at its command
the association Immediately set about
the building and equippng of "huts" or
association club houses for the comfort
and service of the men in the different
army camps and cantonments and at the
naval stations. 49,.
The rapid increase In the sire OF the
nation'> military establishment and the
sendir Of the Troops abroad called ~
. prc1orIonal increase in the activities
of-thr .a,gGAcation. The success of the
Y,N {. A. wotk among the American,
Canadian and British troops led to an
appeal to the organization to Duplicate
It's. service among the armies of France,
Italy and Russia
To meet The demands for its services
an to carry on its work in a systematic
manner the Y NJ. c. A. decided upon
the organization of national war work
council The organization of this coun-
Gil was completed last trll In Novem-
Der it issued an appeal TO the public
for $jS,0O000 with which 10 carry on
rs work The response to this appeal
with $S0,0000O0 from over 100000 per
sons was far more generous than was
anticipated.