| Show YEARS OF BROTHERHOOD YMCA Plans to Expand Services In Small Sma 1 Towns and Rural Rura Areas The first of two articles One hundred years ago the Young Mens Men's Christian Association known familiarly to four generations of Americans as the Y was founded in the US U.S. to fight vice degradation degrada degrada- tion and delinquency In the cities Since then its aims have broadened Today the Y teaches Christian ethics through good fellowship to the entire community With members the Y has been successful successful suc sue in the cities Now in planning planning plan plan- ning rung its next century th the thc YMCA Is going to move into small towns and rural areas Always a self-searching self organization tion the Y is taking into account the somewhat humiliating fact that in this new campaign they are joining join ing the tail end of the parade The H 4 clubs the Epworth League the Camp Fire Girls the Future Farmers Farm Farm- ers of at America the Girl Scouts the theRoman theRoman theRoman Roman Catholic Rural Life Conference Conference Confer Comer ence and even the youth program of the Mormon 1 church are arc far ahead of the YMCA in respect to rural area activity Even their rivals arch the Young Women's Christian Assoc is better organized outside of the cities than the Y Some advisers at last years year's Y conferences argued that other organizations organizations organizations or or- held such a decisive edge In the farm country that competition competition com corn petition would be a l waste of time The social service program of ot the theY theY theY Y however is without parallel offering offering of of- fering as it does everything from recreation In the swimming pool or oron oron oron on the basketball court to a course In auto mechanics or professional advice in marital or parent-child parent relations No organization which attempts at at- tempts to do similar work In in any of Its fields of activity is as as aswell well organized nationally or Internationally ally has such or tremendous re resources resources resources re- re sources in manpower equipment and experience In rural areas however the Y has a lot tot to learn four Fifty per percent percent percent cent of ot the YMCAs YMCA's established In cities under have died of inertia and disinterest in the last fifty years For its failures in the past the Y freely blames itself The organizations have failed to learn what people in small towns are like what services they need and want and how they are best reached Y officials recently declared In the cities the Y has been particularly particularly particularly par par- successful In handling restless Idle youngsters from all I social and economic classes who anxious for something to do can just as easily be attracted by a stimulating hobby or a vigorous healthy sport as by a pool hall haU or ora ora ora a low-class low movie The same need for lor legitimate outlets for aggressive energy does docs not exist In rural surroundings surroundings surroundings sur sur- i Y researchers have dis dis- dis- dis covered Nor are they interested inthe In Inthe Inthe the same skills or educational trends On the other hand people in non- non urban areas are arc likely to be anxious anious about health problems and the Y will turn its attention to promoting good health in the country THE TIlE LACK OF P PROPERLY It 0 PElt L Y trained teachers the movement for consolidation of schools the decline of the rural church the absence of ot recreational programs for both children children chil chil- dren and ups grown-ups will be its other major concerns It will attempt to introduce a new awareness of the importance of mental health and study in conjunction with trained scientists the emotional stresses and strains peculiar to country liv liv- ing The program sounds overly ambitious ambitious ambitious am am- to those not acquainted with the Ys Y's last century of progress but the organization has proved Its I right to plan on a grandiose scale Its influence on American life In the past century is almost without par par- Basketball now called the country's country's country's coun coun- try's most popular sport was invented Invented invented in in- vented by a YMCA physical education education education tion instructor who was looking for something to replace the dreary up- up down up calisthenics of ot his hie day A few years later another Instructor instructor instructor in in- introduced volleyball The TheY TheY TheY Y was the first to establish summer camps and to encourage the now multi million dollar dolIar summer camping camping camp camp- ing lag movement They gave the Boy Scouts their start off push A quart quart- century er-century ago the Y first recognized the psychological dangers In the decline of father and son relationships relationships relationships relation relation- ships and devised the Indian Guide program to bring fathers and sons back together They were the first to declare a holiday to honor the nations nation's fathers and they h have a v e taught millions of young Americans how to swim |
