Arizona republican., 1919-02-05
The Y. M. C. A.

This is the time of the year when the Y. M. C. A. enters upon.a period of recuperationbut not rest it is the time when it it's strength for the next year. financial strength, its strength of member ship without which t do nothing. Never since the establishment of the Y. NJ. c. A. in Phoenix has it so demonstrated it's usefulness in the past year. The gave it opportunity which it fully and noby met Perhaps other Y. M. c. A. in the whole country exerted more potent influence within its jurisdiction that the Phoenix Y. M C. A. has done It has deserved than the support of the com munity.
 Much of the work of the Y. M c. A. in Phoenix has never been given publicity it is of the kind that would appeal strongly the popular mind, but publicity for obvious reasons necessarily avoided. It could not of course, be proclaimed that the watchful of the organization has been tended erring boy in jail, and that his release taken in hand and set upon straight path. It would also be improper to recount the boys who have come to the institution in trouble sickness and poverty and have until they could right themselves. But all these things have been done and are being done in the days work of the T. NJ c. A. of Phoenix.
 It is now desired to do something than has been done to do it on broader scale and sys- tematicaly the boys. That is the natural and the fertile field for the operation of the Y NJ. C. A. When Francis F. Clark conceived this great work it was the youth of the world he had in mind to help. The middle aged the younger is not much in need of aid His of life is in large fixed. If he is going in the right direction. very we'll but, if in the wrong direction he is apt to pursue it in spite of the minstrations of any helpful organization It is the boys who to be saved.
 The Y. NJ. C. A. in the past has had to depend much upon outside aid; upon who in enthusiastic sympathy with it's aims; some give grudgngly because they believe it is expected of them civic community duty, and though it is really duty, it is not performed in helpful spirit It does not contribute to the morale of the institution which must depend so much upon morale.
 The Y. NJ. C. A. should not appear in the light of a began. No should narrowly regard it as para site For that reason the Y. M. C. A. is now appeal ing not to the pocketbooks of citizens but to their hearts It wants less their money than their presence and their help. It wants them in the organization helpful part of it, so that have a campaign for membership Citizens asked to support only institution but support work help in the task of the institution, not in spreading a religion but to make the bodies souls of the community cleaner, to make the community more prosperous
 Even to those who hold sordid selfish point of view the Y M C. A. must appeal What does the selfish man think Phoenix would have been without the Y M. C. A? Of course it would have been good town, but it is a better town for the efforts which have been co-ordnated through this organization We may imagine for instance, and we believe that but for the Y. M C. A. would not have had that splendid group of buildings which added so much to Phoenix. We would in all probability have had a Water Users building maybe only offices here and perhaps federal building there but they would not have constituted group in which we would have felt civic pride.
 But that is only outward manifestation of the influence of the Y. NJ. c. A. illustration of it's ef- fleets upon the material existence of the community an influence which has been in most instances un- But all the material effect oeen small in comparison with that which has been exerted upos moral existence