Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1921-11-16
"Y !" Meeting Thursday

Large things frequently develor
from small beginnings. This is the
history of the Y. NJ. c. A. in AleXan.
dria. About two years ago a small
committee of public spirited citizens
undertook to organize ali Association
in this town. About seventy-five con-
tributors furnished the budget for the
first year.
A general secretary was employed
and the work begun which has Tor
so long been needed for the boys and
younv men of the community. The
work has been conducted without q
building and practically without
equipment, but has been carried on
thorough the schools, churches, Sun
day Schools, Clubs, etc, with an as
founding amount Of work accomplish
ed.
Through attendance campaigns in
the Sunday schools these have almost
doubled in attendance; organized work
for boys with a definite Christian
training program has resulted in SIX
troops actively at work; organized
work in the railroad shops resulted
in splendid delegation going from the
shops here to the international Rail-
road Conference at Richmond, and a
Sunday School base ball league with
five teams organized by the Assocla-
tion played all summer to thousands
of enthuiastic fans.
Lenten services were held in many
OF the shops and factories last spring;
Several delegates attended the State
Y. NJ. G.. A. convention last year; a
ladies auxiliary organized by the as
sociation has initiated and carried on
at its own expense work for women
and girls that is meeting 4 commun-
ity need of an Invaluable nature.
A summer camp Of thirty boys gave
these young "Pioneers' thelr first op-
portunity to spend ten days under
canvas with definite training in Bible
study, first aid to the injured, nature
study, gymnastic training, etc, while
six delegates attended the older boys
conference at Lynchburg, resulting
in Bible study class of young men
in the high school with one of the
professors in charge.
Thrift week was observed last year
cal pastors at the request Of the AS
sociation on this most important sub
and five sermons were preached by To-
ject, special motion pictures were
shown and literature distributed. The
Pioneers practically unanimously a
dopted the weekly savings plan. Six
religious meetings we're held in down
town theatre to which men OF every
creed felt welcome and attended in
large numbers.
a Teacher training class for the
Sunday Schools with an enrolment of
ninty-eight was conducted with one
of the best teachers procurable in
charge. Free motion pictures have
been shown weekly to boys at the
Chamber Of Commerce and hundreds
have availed themselves of the oppor-
turity to see educational films.
These astounding figures are taken
from the records of the local 'Y:"
Mems meetings, six with an attend
ance of 1880; II athletic meets; II
committee meetings with an attend
ance of l34; 90 health talks to 44l5
men; $50 general talks to an audience
oils, 1888, or 212 addresses to 20,433
listeners; SO base ball games to 17,100
fans; II socialS with an attendance
of 1907, and 1873 visits to Sunday
Schools
SO gymnasium classes with an at
tendance Of 1923; 50 motion picturs
shows to an audience of 1865; 1880
calls made in the interest of commun-
ity betterment; Is Bible classes with
an attendance of $40.
Besides this work for men and boys
by the Association, the Ladies AuXil-
iary has initiated and carried on COM
unity work for the women girls and
girls, in addition to the assistance they
have been in the other work as well:
u sewing classes with an attendance
of 500; cooking classes of II sessions
with an attendance of 1913; while 53
have attended their drcssmaking
classes and 45 class in home nursing,
the latter having just begun this fall.
There will be special meeting in
the interest of the local Y NJ c. A.
at the Chamber of Commerce tomor-
row evening and State Secretary, NJ.
W. Lee. of Richmond, will be the
principal speaker.