South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1919-12-14
PreSt 4. Walker Tells
Why the YMCA. Needs
To Raise Special Fund

Why does the South Bend Young
Mems Christian association need
S3O.00O2
And why should the citizens Of
south Bend contribute freely 70 the
campaign for this $40, 900. inaugu-
rated by the association?
These questions are answered by
PRIEST L. y. Walker in a statement
Saturday in which the head Of the
association here reviews the history
Of the organization and what il has
accomplished, going into the diff
culties il has encountered financial
" PRIEST Walkers statement fol-
lows.
Few people OF South Bend know
the magnitude Of the work of the
Y. VI. Q. A. and the services render
ed the community by the Y. n c..
A.. the boys department and Camp
Eberhart Few people know the
amount of expense that is necessary
TO maintain IT, We feel that the peO-
pie Of South Bend should know the
facts We. desire TO present facts
and figures for your consideration,
thai you may know what the prob
lens are that confront the y. NJ. G..
A. We desire that the Y. NJ. c. A
receive due credit in the community
for what II has done and TO profit
10y the mistakes of the past
Our Y NJ. G. A, one OF the hes.
in existence, was the gift OF the
Sudebaker Bros. corporation in
1905. IL was complete in every de-
TAIL even 10 the linens and silver
ware in the cafeteria. There was
an abundance of everything and all
was of high quality. and was given
10 the citizens Of South Bend that
they might use it 10 develop the
spirit. mind and body Of the young
men Of the day and Of future gen
eratiOns.
1t IS apparent that the citizens Of
South Bend did not realize the rare
opportunity that this generous gift
presented TO them TO use this man
hood factory. or they would have
rallied 10 the support OF the board
OF directors and a sinking fund
would have been provided to care
for future deterioration Of the build
ing and equipment, and provided for
increased demands for service as the
city grew.
In consequence il was necessary
for the directors TO merely operate
the building and not attempt any
outside activities. such as industrial
.f~ - =, hvvk
stantly trying to close each year
without a deficit and, as the build
ing was new in 1908 and having
been built so well. there was for
several years no visible deteriora-
ton in either building and equip
ment. but as the years went by de-
terioration naturally increased more
rapidly and finance would not per-
NIT establishing a sinking fund "a
make repairs when they became
necessary; so the decay of 10 years
accumulation arrived while we were
at war. and the Y. NJ. c. A, as well
as all business was disorganized
and demOralized, because so many
men were called TO service. leaving
the home field without sufficient
workers 20 maintain efficiency. We
were even without n general secre-
tary for year after Mr.. Ames went
into the service and we had almost
an entire new staff in the building.
II was during such a period that
we entered into the war chest end
from which the Y. VI. c. A received
during the year 100000.
Many prominent citizens 81
South Bend. who were not familiar
with the Y. NJ G. A affairs. asked
this question:
What did the Y. NJ c. A. do with
the S31. 900 that 1t received from the
war Chest2
The year 191S-1919 inherited a
book deficit of $500 and an ac-
cumulated deterioration on building
and equipment ever since the cree
ton of the building in 1908.
Many items Of deterioration ap-
peared without warning in that year
and il was absolutely necessary tC
meet them.
A few of them are:
4 ne fV-Aoot eAtchS4uh Oh the lai "a
I brick smokestaCk. which had stood
for years. was found swaying in the
wind and condemned and ordered
removed by the building inspector
This was done and. after waiting
nearly all summer for funds, il was
rebuilt at a cost OF about $500.
The building was constantly be-
ing flooded in one place or another
because the water piping in the ce-
ment and tiled floors In the shower
bVth. lavatory and toilet rooms were
decayed so from chemical action
caused by cinders used In films
floors in various places. that the
water pipes would break out with
-. III l.....-... ..r..t.l, a., ~.