The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-12-30

BY 0. ]. sTIRRATT.


Accomplishments d, the \. n. C..
A. have been characterized not 90
much By the spectacular. ~ BY the
steady. progressive work which
builds not only for the present but
for the future as we'll.
Every department OF the associa-
ton has been maintained through
out the year with . high degree Of
interest apparent in ali phases Of
the work. The period OF business
and financial depression has affect
ed the work Of the association iD~afl
departments, SO that receipts and
activities have been curtailed yome-
what. The remarkable thing, how
ever, is that the business Of the
association has been carried on
successfully and efficiently when
business in general was 80 SER,
iously affected.
The most extensive of these re-
pairs and improvements was the
laying Of a terrazo floor in the
boys lobby, the decorating and re-
decorating eof the 100 dormitory
rooms and Railways. the purchase
Of new rugs for the dofmitOry
rooms, electrical rewriting for the
swimming pool room, installing a
new hot water heater In the base
ment, uph0lstering chairs and
settees both In the boys department
and the main lobby, and improve
ments of a minor nature.
Special emphasis has been placed
this past year on the work for the,
boys. In order that the older boys
might have more privileges. and
find the association q more pleas
ing and profitable place in. which
to spend their leisure tine, the read
ing room in the main lobby was
moved from the south to the north
end of the room, in front of the Of
fee, while the former space was
fitted up with a number Of game
tables, and turned over to the older
boys.
The experiment OF allowing the
older boys and the seniors to min
gle together in the main lobby was
a decided innovation SO far as the
Rock Island association was con-
cerned, but due. to the cordial Cos
operation of both groups, it has
worked out in a decidedly success
full manner.
This arrangement has left the
boys lobby free to the younger
boys who have their recreation
room to themselves.
Regular gym classes and swim
ming periods have been maintained
throughout the year, for all boys in
the boys department, thus building
the boys physically as we'll as men
tally. Six bible classes and clubs
were conducted in the boys depart
ment during the fall and winter
months Fourteen boys in the as
ISOLATION were successful in pass !
ing examinations, and secured d.
plomas from the international COM
mittee of New York.
The Rock Island boys depart
ment was sixth in the state in, num-
Der of such diplomas awarded. Dam |
vile was first with 80, Peoria sec
Ond with 3S, Hyde Park IS, Moline
16, Springfield Is and. Rock Island
IA. This year many more boys are
taking bible study work, and the |
number of certificates, it is hoped,
will be much greater.
The state Y. M. c. A. older boys
conference in Peoria, Dec. 1, 2 and |
3 was a great occasion in the lives |
of the delegates who went from
Rock Island. The trip to Peoria |
and return was made in a truck
donated for the occasion by John |
H. Hauberg, thus reducing the ex-
pense of the trip and enabled boys
to attend who would otherwise have
been deprived of the privilege.
Two Hi-Y clubs have been in
operation this year. The first club,
the junior Hi-Y, includes boys in /
the freshmen and sophomore
classes of the high school, while
the senior Hi-Y is composed of the
boys in the junior and senior
classes. On alternate Thursday
evenings during most of the months
a free moving picture entertain
ment was sponsored, and all boys
OF the community regardless of
membership have been invited.
The association followed out its
usual practice during the year and
remembered the boys of the COM
regardless Of membership
at its annual watermelon feed, HAL
lowe'en programmed entertainment.
Christmas celebration when each
boy was given a present by the as
sociatfon, and on numerous other
occasions which always add inter-
est and delight to the boys.
Father and Son night was cele-