The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1919-06-04
Membership for Boys in Y. NJ. c. A. to
be Changed and Every Boy in
Town Given Same Privil-
eyes.
ORGANIZED BY GROUPS
Bruqman viii Head New Organize
ton, and Now Man Will Take
over His Present Work
In Association.

At a meeting Of the board Of direc-
tors Of the Y M. c. A. last night a
new policy was adopted for the
handling of the boys work of the
city.
Instead Of limiting the work to
boys who are members Of the or
ganization, it will be made to in
clude every boy in the city between
the ages OF twelve and eighteen, and
the work will be taken to them
through group organizations.
The plan is known as the Ameri-
can Standard Program for Boys. 1t
was worked out by the international
committee of the Y. M. c. A. and
is intended to reach large class of
boys that are not being reached at
the present time.
The movement started in Okla
homa about three years ago and was
found to work so well that the conf
mittee have worked out the plan in
suitable shape to apply to all cities.
Stated briefly, the plan is to take
the Y. NJ. C. A. activities to the boys,
instead of having the boys come to
the association buildings for their
work
Plan Of the Work.
The new position of outside sec
rotary will be created to promote the
groups out Of which the work is
made up. The plan includes the de-
velopment of the group or gang
spirit among the boys to allow them
to remain in about the same general
! groups that they would fall into
themselves without outside direction.
The work of the secretary will be
to direct and correlate the work OF
the groups.
A survey has been made Of Keo-
kuk and it was found that there are
between LOO and 1000 boys be-
tween the ages of twelve and eigh-
teen years. These will be divided
into as many groups as their various
activities and interests and neigh
borhoods warrant, and an older man
to take charge Of each group.
1t is especially desired that re-
turned soldiers and sailors may be
secured for as many of these leaders
as possible.
The plan means the adjustment
of paid boys memberships in the
Y. NJ c. A. eventually, as there are
to be no lines of distinction drawn
as to the privileges to which boy
is entitled.
I'VE do mot intend to disturb the
group or gang spirit" said II. 9.
Brown, president of the board OF
directors, this morning. I'VE Will
take the situation as we find 1t.
Those who want to go fishing may
do so. and those who want to go
hunting may do that. The idea is
/, to not disturb the boys in their ia
vorite activities-only to direct them.
Brown Gives the Details.
The negro boys will be under the
leadership of a negro, if possible,
and the Catholic boys in charge OF
Catholic, and the Jewish boys in
charge of Jew, and so on.
"The program will be fourfold.
There will be the physical, the edu-
cational. the social and the spiritual
phases of the work. 1t is possible
to develop all of these best through
the groups
There will be no expense what
ever to the boys for the work. All
! the money necessary has been pro-
yided for in the recent campaign, he
also stated.
Under our plan it should be pos
sible for every boy to have access
to the building and gymnasium two
or three times month. The groups
will hold their contests there just as
the schools have done in the past,
OF course, in the summer time,
most of the activities will be out OF
doors. and on the camping trips the
only expense will be that for actuaf
board
1t has been determined that Will
liam E. Brugman, the present boys
work secretary, will have charge OF
the enlarged work, and another man
will be secured to succeed him for
the work at the building.