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THE OMAHA SUNDAY BEE; FEBRUARY. 13, 1910.
How Boys Work and Play at the Young Men's Christian Association
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sons or the
ATHLITE3
OTS at work, boys at play the educational department, ' physical
tudylng: in the class rooms, training, social Ufa or religious training,
plashing In the flu-Inuring The secretary of the boys' department Is
pool, throwing somersaults in K. F. Denison. He Is assisted in the ex-
the gymnasiim, wrestling on the tensive scheme of administration by Wil-
mats, dans line In miil-alr frnn, liam Rnrfnn Mr Dcnlann ramA la Omaha
aerial rings fighting for one another or in April, 1905. from Ottumwa, la., where
among themselves In the- battles of the he was In association work nearly two
aTjm or contesting over little mental games years. He is a graduate of Grlnnell col-
-thls la the picture of the boys' depart- lege. William Burton, the assistant boys'
ment In the Omaha Young Men s Christian secretary, graduated from .Oberlln college
association. ln Jm Uln ,lome lg ftl frete. Neb. His
The glory of the association In Omaha uncle Is Senator Burton of Ohio,
as in every large center of the country Is "The boys' department epitomizes the
the problem of the city. It Is not so much best Ideas and Vork for men," raid Mr.
the problem of the young men that 1, of Denison. "All features ln the boys' woik
the youths who are shifting for themselves have importance. The name of our asso-
and are Independent of home but of boys elation may signify' a great tendency to-
who have reached the age of 12 years and ward religious training, but this fact is
are Just reaching the man-making stage not essentially true. When we encouraie
ln the boys to put up a manly, gentlemanly.
After the boy has cut loose from his Jure content on the gymnasium floor we
mother's apron strings he has reached the aro training that boy to be fair and honest
nost important period in his life. DuilngnJ straightforward. When we give him
thla stag he la moulded Into a good man 800,1 ltin' social life he learns
' or Into an indifferent man. 10 behave as a gentleman. The religious
The boys of 12 to 1 the period when the tralnl,1B " Important, but the physical
Toung Men's Christian association reaches t''nJnl. thJ social life and the educa-
them are the material out of which men lonal feature are Just as important. .
are made. During "those, years there Is "The boys' department alma to grip the
more man-making than during any other 'oulh during the years of his susceptl-
perlod of life. H Is the all-Important mid bllll'' llla mo"t raPkl Srwt)i- his fiercest
critical period. Before the boy drifts from temptations, while no oilier agency adc-
the period of transition muscles form, uately meets his needs. It recognises the
habits form, everything forms. Bad habits Doy aml 8,1 nls wants an1 aPIca's
are the result of bad surroundliias. wholesomely to his ambitions. It supple-
The Young Men'a Christian association "ot Hiipplnta, the home, sehool.
is grasping the problem of the city with a c,,ultl ",,d clul- 11 lire-t his service,
wonderful appreciation of conditions as mttltl1K Bang a power for gofjd rather
they exist. It is guided by that ll,an for vil' H Preoccupies the boy's
supreme uood sense that has not alone "fp' K,vlnK wh"lM'"' recreation, oppor-
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kept it out of politics and out of doctrinal """""" ii-ur.iHi.iii im
IhiOlogy. but out of the cant and charla- """ io "Isher Ideals and to a per
taniHm which so often hurt the efforts of onal d'vulion to ,he Bate.-t ot all he-
uioiamy.
roes.
i'lay Is essentially one of tlie salt-nt
feutuies in the boys' department. One of
IliM K i r .i'.nln i . f tKj. -m Ij II. a annunl
constant aim toward brotherly lovo and . . ., . . . , . ,.
" boys circus, tlie last of which was held
In the association work there is no gov
erning creed, no doctrine. There Is that
devotion that makes It an unassuming
aelf-devVted body. The association seeks
February 3. and 4. Over loO boys took part
In thin ttvetlt M rut til 1 110 khihlllill rclfnMil
to open the door of opiKirluutly in the a 0niera
world to whomsoever may enter and lo
make the young man that enters a good
clilxen. a capable, forceful man. It aims to
Tlie circus combined all the attractions
of the biggest shows on earth, (is pro
prietors were "Balum It Harnley." and the,
.w..,... ... ,.ur, i aea.ing wun ,lmntkgrT w F. ien!son and the main
men. not by preaching to them. booer Glplln 8u,,n Beald the m,ln
In the boys' department of the Omaha circus attractions, consisting of an Indus
Young Men's Christian association there trial parade, the streets ot all nations,
are TOl boys. ICvery one of these la IdentW cowboys, clowns, aerli4 artists, teddy
fird In one way or another In the activi- bears, masked animals, horses, ringmas
tie of the association, whclhtr It be iu ters, gymnasts and acrobats there were
"PEAKY- COOK
side shows galore. Pres
ident Taft was there for
a brief minute when he
put on a sketch of his
rapid-fire automobile trip
through Omaha streets.
Cook and Peary were
there ln real life. They
found the North Pole,
but Cook got his hands
on It first and brought it
back with him to dis
play to the audience. Peary, however,
took It away from, his foe and disappeared
under the tent.
Fun and amusement are necessary fea
tures in the boys' department. The boys
want diversion, something to lure them
to the association rooms. Once they are
there, amid games and other attractions
and always in good company, , they want
to- come again. Thus, pleasure Is one of
the ingredients in making- up the proper
training for the youth In his man-making
period of life.
"The normal boy likes fun," said William
Burton, the assistant secretary. "There
are few places where he can so thoroughly
enjoy himself at all times of the year as
he can In the Young Men's Christian as
sociation. After scheol or on Saturdays he
likes to don his gymnasium suit and get
into the gym for class , drill or apparatus
work, or, better still. Indoor base ball or
basket ball. In this age there Is perhaps
nothing that a boy needs so much as this
kind of work, for It develops his muscles
scientifically, enlarges his chest capacity,
tightens his grip, brightens his eye, and,
In short, gives him an avowed purpose in
life.
"Nor does the fun end In the gymnasium,
for, after every gym class, the boys have
twenty minutes In the swimming pool; It
Is Indeed Interesting to watch fifty or
seventy-five boys in the pool, some swim
ming, some diving, some splashing, but all
having the berft time In their young lives.
A great many boys take their first lessons
in swimming right here In our pool, and
many of them have become proficient In
aquatics
"Then the game rooms are scenes of no
end of enjoyment.- Anyone who has been
or Is a boy knows the fun that boys can
have with games. Cue loiiue, ping pong,
shuffle board, chesn and checkers, all have
their turn. I have known boys to come
early on the days there was no school and
remain unt'l closing time, becoming so In
terested In playing that they did not notice
the flight of time. Socials are held at In
tervals for small groups and at all the
boys are asked to remove their coats and
Indulge 4 n an informal good time. Blind
boxing, Indian wrestling, peanut races and
similar stunts are thoroughly enjoyed by
boys of all ages and sizes."
Besides the Indoor sports there are many
open air events that lend variation to the
lives of the boys and tend to make, their ex
perience more enjoyable.
"Cross-country hikes are a popular fea
ture of the boy's life," continued Mr. Bur
ton. "When a, boy la out In the woods by
tol.au
expedition"
a large camp fire, with meat
cooking1 over the flames and po
tatoes baking In the ashes, he be
gins to realize the freedom of
camp life and wants to come
again. Kxcurslons through the
Union Pacific shops, the street
car and electric light and power
plants, packing houses and other
places of Interest are taken from
time to time, and these prove of
Interest to the boys and are In
structive. "Four evenings a week groups
of boys gather about tables set for
them for a 10-ceti't supper, after
which they separate Into smaller
groups and meet with "an adult
to study and discuss life prob
lems of the boys. Sunday after
noons the older boys are invited
to a meeting addressed by a
speaker of note, and, after the
address, pictures of the Holy land
and other plaoes of Interest are
shown upon the screen.
"But greater than the gymna
sium or swimming pool, or game
rooms, or cross-country hikes,
or even religious meetings, is
opportunity of forming
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THE ORIENTAL.
"MU31CIAIT.S.
the socfatlon is not confined to the narrow secretaries endeavor to Infuse human In-
friendshlpj limits of the gymnasium. The scooe of terest Into the work In order to make the
friendships that grow richer and more val- the physical training- department extends
uable as time goes on. Yhen a boy feels to the public schools of the city, to tlie
that he has a friend one who loves him Park Wilde home and to the social setti'5-
and will help him in the little trials and ment. Every Monday evening Mr. Nichol-
perplexlties of llfo then the best and no- son goes down to the social settlement,
blest and most lovable traits In him will where he has formed a class of 'j.-china
be summoned and he will develop Into a Into a gymnasium class. These boys are
strong and useful man and a desirable cit- put through gymnastic stunts and taurrlit
Izen." , , , to exercise properly and Instructed as to
After all Is said It is patent that play the best manner of taking care of their
must enter to most of the features of as- bodies. Much Interest Is manifested by
soclation life. This Is not alone a feature these boys, who are unable to maintain
of the social training of the boy, but of memberships in the association. Friday
the physical development as well. evenings a gymnasium class Is conducted
J. C. Pentland. the physical director, and t Park Wilde ln the same manner. Also
his assistant, Mr. Nicholson, design the on one evening of each week a socul is
gymnasium work so at to -Interest the held for the boys under the direction of
Juveniles in developing ' their phyolipics. some Young Men's Christian assooU'lon
Kxenise in the gymnasium is of little worker. Gymnasium classes moet in the
value to the Individual unless there be Vinton. Train. Farnam. Park, Lothrop.
enthusiasm and Interest In the work. Central and Franklin schools at regular
Sharp contests among the boys, on the periods during the week and are In char-re
wrestling mat, In the basket ball court. f some leader from the Young Men's
In Hi, imn.t hull niiin-i an ,4 thn u. imniiiie- Christian assocla tlon. The Invasion of tlie
pool, all tend to establi.-fli competition. Public schools by the physical directors is " association, when properly done, is
The boys are urged to fight for honor in heartily welcomed by the boys and has Christian. The distinctly religious activl
athletlcs In a manly manner-in other become an Important part of the eurrlcu- ties, for the sake of convenience in pro
words, to be true sDortsmen. 'urn of the schools. School teachers unite motion Is delegated to a .so-called and
The physical department prescribes sclen- 1,1 Promoting the work.
tifin miiHriiiar rtYKrciue to Inrre&xft viirnr Of the 701 members in tlie boys' depart-
of bodily function, give strength to liv-i ment there are nearly 500 registered In One of America's most gifted orators
at one's beat, to live abundantly, to avoid gymnasium classes. During the month of once said, "The most Important Industrie!
the temptations that come with physical January there were z.7U baths taken in the are not the ones with smoking chimneys,
dissipation or physical vigor, to give skill boys' department showers. but schools, colleges, churches and Chrls-
In controlling the body, to make the body Of course, religious training Is of Import- tlan associations of younc men which can
the servant of the will and the enerulxer ance in the work of the Young Men's draw the raw material of an intended Ufa
of the soul. This It does not only tnrough Christian association. While a boy'a body and turn out goods priceless In value,
the teaching of the individual In tight Is being built up physically, while his which cannot be measured In dollars and
living, but in promoting public hyiie-ie, mind is being trained to overcome the prob- cents. The' United Htates has great grain
wholesome sanitary conditions and p-ib'lc letns of life. It la also well that he should elevators, but what It needs most of all Is
play grounds. bo taught to live acocrdlng to tho example brain elevators. There is no Institution
But the work of the physical dlreeiors set by the humble carpenter of Nazareth. In so well devised to elevate character as the
of the Omaha Young Men's ChrNil.in ts the religious life pf the association ' tho Young Men's Christian association and the
training appeal to the average boy.
"Tho deeper life of man must be stud
ied," said I-. T. Crossman, the director of
religious work. "The Young Men's Chris
tian association D?an as. a distinctively
religious organization nnd has sought dur
ing the years of its gnwth and expansion
to be true to the spirit of its inception.
Its chief duty is to win men to the leader
ship of the master. Faith Is what we want
faith In the teachings of Christ and of
the disciples. The association feels pledged
to continue an aggressive policy to realize
the purposes of tho community. Not to
make Itself prominent, not to reflect honor
upon the institution In Omaha, but rather
to infuse thn spirit of Christian living and
Christian brotherhood amongst the men
of the city, is the niotlvo that Impels it to
service. It la wrong to think of the Chris
tian activities of the association as fating
confined to the religious department.- A
man's whole life Is sacred and all the work
often Improperly regarded, religious depart
ment."
boys' department Is the most Important
branch of all."
The past ten years lias seen a wonderful
development in social and fraternal life the
world over. There Is u spirit of
brotherhood prevailing nearly all life.
Fraternallsm Is looked upon by emi
nent men to purify business, elevate
politics and even to weld the nations into
harmony. Questions of government can be
forgotten, politics may be laid aside and
when these features in human life are dis
carded It Is plain to be seen that It is a
bond of religious fraternallsm a common
belief that binds us all together. There Is
a greater tragedy than the death of a man
by accident or by fire. Such a one suffers
only a short time. It Is Infinitely worse
when a young man is going to ruin by
dissipation, for tho tragedy of his ruin
extends through the years t hat follow.
"The map next door" Is shown lo be a
-lowerful factor In the training of men.
It is influence that counts most In develop
ing boys In ways that are either iiti( V
wrong. After all it is true thut tlie tunes
demand worthier lives of us all. There
are men who cannot assert faith In their
fellows because they have been faithless
before their follows. When a man sets as
though he has not yet found himself out
he cannot hope to set out to find his
brother successfully. Muio men coma to
the Christian faith under tho giililuiien of
the man next door than under the Influ
ence ot the pulpit. The absence of young
men from church is not to be blamed upon
the minister, however. .Young men In the
church have an obligation to perform and
they must share such blame with the leader
of the flock.
There are two more departments In thn
Omaha Young Men'a Christian assoclat n
(Continued on Page four.)
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