The herald., 1919-06-26
SOLDIERS MAKE
SIXTY MILLION
VISITS TO Y.M.C.A.
Stupendous Figures Given Out by
Southern Department Headquar-
ters-Religious Meetings
Popular.

StupendOus figures showing some
thing of the activities Of the Army
Young Mems Christian Association in
the Southern Department during the
year ending April 80, 1919. have just
been compiled at Southern Depart
ment headquarters at San Antonio,
Tex. The Southern Department en-
braces the states of Texas, Oklahoma,
Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico and
Arizona, and according to the figures
submitted to Executive Secretary III.
III. Simmons by Business Secretary L.
G.. Williamson, the total attendance at
Y. NJ. c. A. buildings during the year
was 60,212, S23-Or equivalent to more
than half the population of the United
States. Statistics are based on daily
reports covering each of the 800 days
during the year just closed.
A most remarkable showing is made
by the religious work department,
very positive refutatiOn Of the claim
on the part of some people that the
soldiers dodge religious services. Dur
ing the year, according to the report,
there were 1902 religious meetings
with an attendance of 2,719,719. The
movies, with total Of 1O.997 show
ings, had an attendance Of 3,914,6S1.
BY way Of explanation, it is said that
it is only fair to admit that many re-
ligiOus services We're held immediately
after the movies, thus getting the bene-
fit of the movie audiences. 1t is well
known that motion pictures draw az
tendance as no other amusement fea-
ture.
Among the outstanding figures en-
braced in the report, under the head
of the several departments of Y. NJ.
C. A. work, are the following:
Observation-Disclosures at buildings,
6O212. 1913; amount OF postage stamps
sold. 81 ,O22. 246.4S; money orders sold,
81 9S6,0O692; envelopes given away,
81, 1O6,170; pieces of mail handled,
10,212,755; comrades in service COM
mittees organized, 2,061; number Of
men serving on these committees,
6,5S1.
other than motion pictures, 13,453; to-
tai attendance at same, 5,473,412 num-
Der of entertainers participating, 40
S65; motion picture programs, 10,997;
attendance at same, 3,914,6S1; sOcials,
53S; attendance at same 1854.
Physical-Number participating in
compulsory athletics, S92 ia; partici-
pating in formal athletics, 639,27S;
participating in informal athletics,
2,951, 704; total spectators at above,
6,637, 461.
Observation-Disclosures of class meet
ings, 1882; class attendance, 951,907;
soldier-teachers, 13,40S; civilian teach
ers, 5,435: textbooks distributed. H.
90; pamphlets. 1,S06,707; lectures,
SS,727; attendance at lectures, 2,613,-
923; books loaned. 136,761; total vol
umes in library, 203,7S4.
Observation-Disclosures meetings, 49,
092, attendance at same, 2,719,719;
Bible class sessions, 9,913; soldier and
sailor leaders at same, 4,497; attend
ance at same, 213,571; meetings of in
ner circles or prayer circles, 327; at
tendance at same, 1887; normal train
ing class sessions. 255; attendance at
same, 1879; Christian life work de-
cisiOns, 967; Christian decisions, H.
175; Scriptures anG portions distrib-
uted, 3S4,027; other Christian litera-
ture distributed, S16,944; personal
Christian interviews. POI, 169; visits to
sick, 500, 404.