Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1923-10-13
New Railroad
Y. M. C. A. Secretary
Takes Up Duties Here

COlI1e u lIllS city " tame up TIC WI n |
of secretary at the Railroad Y. M. G. |
A. Mr.. Benn was selected by the |
state committee some time age to fill |
this position which was held by |
George Quick for five years. Mr.. |
Quick left in the spring for Ontario
where he has accepted a position as
secretary of Railroad Y. M. c. A.
on the Canadian Pacific line. During
the summer Everett Candage was in
charge Of the Y. M. c. A. in this
city. Mr.. Candage left the last OF.
September for Springfield, Mass.
where he entered the Springfield Y.
NJ. c. A. Training college.
Mr.. Benn has been in Y. M. C. A.
work for over Is years and during
that time has been in charge of sew
eral Y. NJ. c. AS in different parts
of the United States and Canada. He
comes to this city with his wife and
three children, Roger, age II, Janet.
age II, and Charlotte, age 2. For the
past four years Mr.. Benn has been
secretary of the Grand Trunk Rail-
road Y. NJ. c. A. in Portland. He
was not only in this work but he had
what was considered the best troop
of Boy Scouts in the city of Portland.
This troop of Boy scouts numbered
~ uuulUck anu IL was Will SISdl
regret that he left them in Portland
for Mr.. Benn declares that he likes
nothing better than to associate with
boys.
Perhaps that is what keeps me so
young myself, said Mr.. Benn yester-
day afternoon to the reporter who
called at the Y. NJ. c. A. to interview
him. My scouts have won the
Springer efficiency cup for the past
two years." declared Mr.. Benn smil-
ing land they expect to win 1t again
this fall. The contest closes the end
of October and the mothers are go
ing to give the boys a chicken sup
per. I expect to go to Portland on
the night that event occurs"
The reporter remarked that enthu-
siasm in the Boy Scout movement
would be a great help to Waterville
and would keep the boys out Of mis-
chief. To this Mr.. Benn replied that
when he first started his troop in
East Deering the citizens there were
much troubled by the pranks of the
boys but since the boys had got in
terested in the movement they con-
formed to the idea that no Scout will
break windows and perform harmful
FRANKS and the people of that part of
eiC SitS tdNtil OIL tnlS.
Mr.. Benn said that before he came
TO Portland he was secretary of the
Grand Trunk Railroad Y. NJ. G. A.,
at Port Huron. Mich. for eight years.
When he first stared as a secretary
he opened up Il Railroad Y. NJ. Z. \.
in Allendale, Ontario.
Il got my first experience at Y.
NJ. g. A. at West 72nd street, New York
City" said Mr.. Benn. Il was there
Tor some time as an assistant"
When asked how he liked Waterville.
Mr.. Benn said that he thought it a
very fine ct% and that the people have
been very friendly to him in the two
weeks that he has been here. lie
spoke Of the schools Of tho city being
very fine also, as he had already
noted. as he has two children who are
attending.
Mr.. Benn was born In Colebrook.
Ontario. the son of William H. aud
Eliza Benn. ''But | am a Yankee
Doodle hoy through and through"
laughed the secretary. when I was
SIX years old came to this country to
live and as soon as l was OF age took
out naturalization papers" Mr.. Bcnns
father died when he was six. and as'his
family was not wealthy he came TO
New York state whore he lived with an
aunt. He attended the grammar and
high schools of Waterton, y. Y, and
graduated from Watertown Business
college. Mr.. Ecnn worked his way
through the business college ct tho
same time taking a double course OF
stcnographic and commercial work. For
some years he followed the stcno-
graphic profession in Watcrtown
1T WAS while ] had n Sunday school
class in the WATERFOWL Methodist
church that l decided to go into Y. NJ
{. A. work" said Mr. Benn. Il taught
the Comrof class made up of 40 Young
men," When asked the meaning of
Comrek, Secretary Bonn laughed end
said more than one person had asked
that same question and had hunted
through Greek and Latin dictionG ries
to find the meaning. He explained that
before he had a class a Mrs. r. r,
king taught the boys, and after think
ing over good name for the class he
decided it would be appropriate to use
the first letters of the following words.
Class of Mrs. r. T.. King" ard thus
the class received its name. Mr.. Bcnn
was 19 years old when he started
teaching this class back in 1901. While
he was doing this. Secretary Fred f.,
Lawrence of the Watertown Y. NJ. q.
A. persuaded him to go into Y. NJ. c.
A. work.
Secretary Bonn is very enthusiastic
about his work in his city and lie de
clared yesterday that there was no
other kind of work he would enjoy as
much.
Mrs. Bonn is graduate Of the
Methodist Dcaconcs3 Training school
of Washington. d. c. She was in this
work for several years after leaving
college. Mr.. Benn met his wife while