Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-10-20
WALTER M. WOOD
On the Work Of the Y. M. c. A. In Ph''a


TWELVE years experience as the general
i secretary of the Young Mems CHRISTIAN
Association Of Philadelphia has shown wal
ter Mabic Wood that young men and women
of today are willing to give their money ana
their leisure time toward self help ana sell
improvement through the varied opportunl-
ties offered by that organization.
In those twelve years the Philadelphia
Y. NJ. G. A. has grown from 5000 members
to 2S. 900. and it's budget of resources from
members has leaped from $4,000 to 81 ,OSo.-
600. It's property valuation has been more
than doubled and il now stands as the third
largest educational institution in the state.
"Our members have shown that they want
to spend their own money in tho EFFORT 10
make the most of themselves ana help cnch
other in their leisure hours" declared Mr..
Wood. "and the Y. NJ. c. A. has lost any
scmbance it may have had of mission char
actcr until it is now great public inStitu-
tion of self help.
This means that our young peopl" are
not of the hanger on class at all but eager
and anxious to give and work for all the
Improvement they can get. The result of
this is that the public, which has shown
itself to be always willing to help those who
will help themselves, has been willing to con-
tribute to the support Of the organization.
at means that 81 given to the Y. NJ.
G.. A. will be added ~ nine others that the
young men are w Nl"nh 10y tn'lr own
q, ou, The mcmi paying 90 per cont
of the operating 4 the sixteen Y. NJ.
G.. A. buildings tbs ,saout the city.
Another new feature of the work IN
Philadelphia. and one of the main princi-
rles on which we have built for the last
twelve years, is the service contribution of
membership. Instead of having club fee
Of fairly large size which would entitlc the
member to all the privileges Of the organiza
ten, we have made 1t possible for any one
to become a member and enjoy the social and
religious privileges Of the association for any
amount Of money he may wish to subscribe,
| from one cent on up. Once n member in
| this way, he can buy any or all the other
physical and educational privileges as he may
SEQ necessary and fit. And Us result Of
this plan our fees have been from : to 30
| per cent larger than the fixed membership
| price This is another indication of the
mette and disposition toward self. help which
| exists in the organization.
Is Nearly Self supporting
THE Y. NJ. G. a. Is practically on the
same financial basis as our colleges and
miversites-s self supporting except for the
! necessary equipment to meet its growth and
needs. Each member is a 60 operative factor
| in the great enterprise of making the most
of the individual,
I Another thing that we have done in Phil
adelphia has been to make the Y. NJ, C.. A.
cation Of separate branches and buildings,
instead Of having branch directors and ad =
ministration, we have central Offices and con
troll for all sixteen buildings.
''The administration is divided into house
service and educational committees, each
under the control Of an able executive. This
gives us a uniformity of efficiency and service
! that would be impossible under the old plan.
| Each separate department covers that par
ticular activity for the whole city. and the
! expcricnCc gained at one place can be an
piled at all the other branches.
"Philadclpha has made another forward
step in the admission of women to its y. NJ
| e A. privileges. In the five years that this
plan has been in operation we have an
auxiliary women's membership of more thar
6000.
Sees Unity OF Sexes
"Wc have admitted these women ant
girls because we believe that during the mex,
Ten or twenty years great public emphasi,
viii be- placed on the unites and common
interests between the sexes and not on thei
| differences. All the economic and politica
| tendencies Of the day are in this same djrrc
ton, and great Christian organization lk,
ours ought to be among the first to reali2
this and take steps to meet the situation AM
the need.
'In this way our work approaches th
great goal of the family instead Of appealiuI
to the isolated men and women. Men an,
women are brought more closely together Il
/ mutual understanding and appreciation an,