The Waterbury Democrat., 1931-01-17
Judge Beardsley Welcomes Delegates;
 Stacy Leads Singing
Fifteen Grouped Conferences Scheduled ~ State YMCA Staff First to Arrive Closing Sessions Will Take Place Tomorrow

Between five and six hundred delegates from every Y. M. c. A. in the state are arriving to-day at the Hotel Elton which is to be the head quarters for the 9th annual state convention of the Young Mems Christian association of Connecticut. This afternoon and evening and to- morrow morning and afternoon there will be many speeches and discussions on the convention theme Youth and Life To-day-Econom- ical, Moral and Spiritual"
 At 10 o'clock this morning the 1oby of the Hotel Elton witnessed the setting up of the educational ex- hibit and of the registration booth to whcih every delegate proceeded upon his arrival in the city to reg ister and to secure his credentials. Among the earliest to arrive were the secretarial staff members of the state Y. M. c. A., Harry Hedley Secretary, r. A. Stanley and Ira c. Matheny.
 At 12:3O o'clock the convention was called to order .by Henry Buck of Hartford, chairman of the state executive committee of the Y. M. c. A. The opening session was held in the ball room of the Hotel Elton. Preliminary conference business in- cluded the report of the committee on nominations and the election of convention officers, the announce ment of convention committees by Chairman Buck, the presentation and action on the 1880 convention minutes by Walter E. Crittenden. the recording secretary of the conven- ton, the summary of the report of the treasurer for the year ending December 31, 1880 by Levi Snow of New Haven, the report of the busi- ness and finance committee for 1880 by Charles w. Holman of Manches- ter, presentation and action on the report of the state executive con- mittee of the Y. M. c. A. Dr. John N. Lewis offered the prayer at this meeting.
 The two main features of this opening session were the address of welcome by Judge Harry J. Beards- ley in behalf of the city, the cham Der of commerce, and the Y. M. c. A.: and the first inspirational ad- dress of the convention on the topic "Youth-Whither Away" by Dr. Robbins w. Barstow, Dartmouth graduate, who since 1890 has been president of the Hartford Theolog- ical Seminary Foundation. Levi Will COX, president of the Waterbury Y. M. c. A., gave the invocation at the opening of the meeting. Announce ments were made by Arthur l.. Pur- inton, educational and industrial sec retary of the local Y. M. C. A.
 Group singing was led by Leland l.. Stacy, formerly secretary. now with the Modern House Utilities Co.
 IS Group Conferences
 At 3:10 D. m. the first session is expected to attend the delegates to the convention will break up into 15 sectional conferences, as follows: , Boy1 work, educational, industrial. and Town and county, which will be held in the rooms of the First ! Congregational church: girls and women, presidents, officers, and members of boards of directors, of local association, both of which will be held on the second floor of the Hotel Elton; and the following groups all of which will be held at the cen- tral Y. M. c. A.: Christian educa- tion, dormitory. membership, physi- cal education, student, transporta- tion, Y's men and young mems clubs. These group sessions are scheduled to begin promptly at 3:15