YMCA

GEORGE WILLIAMS, , BORN IN ASHWAY FARM, WORKER AT HITCHCOCK- WILLIAMS STORE IN LONDON SIR GEORGE WILLIAMS, FOUNDER OF THE YOUNG MEN’S CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION IN 1844 “A GROUP OF 12 YOUNG MEN GATHERED IN HIS BEDROOM TO ORGANIZE THE YMCA.”

Y.M.C.A. AMERICAN CAPTAIN THOMAS SULLIVAN, VISITED LONDON YMCA. WHEN HE RETURNED HE STARTED THE BOSTON YMCA IN DEC.29 TH 1851 IN OLD SOUTH CHAPEL, SPRING LANE, MASS.

U.S. YMCA TIMELINE 1851 FIRST Y IN THE U.S. (BOSTON) 1853 FIRST “NEGRO YMCA” IN WASHINGTON, D.C YMCA ESTABLISHED IN CHICAGO AND ANN ARBOR 1869 NEW YORK BUILT THE FIRST TYPICAL Y STRUCTURE; ORGANIZED WORKS FOR BOYS, FIRST ASSOCIATION BUILDING WITH A GYMNASIUM

YMCA 1877 INTERCOLLEGIATE CHRISTIAN MOVEMENT ORGANIZED 1885 FIRST CAMPING FOR BOYS ESTABLISHED BY THE Y FIRST HIGH SCHOOL Y CLUB (CHAPMAN, KANSAS) 1889 Y MISSIONARIES TO JAPAN, INDIA, ETC. (32 COUNTRIES BY 1940)

YMCA & SPORTS 1891 GAME OF BASKETBALL INVENTED AT SPRINGFIELD YMCA COLLEGE FIRST VOLLEYBALL GAME ORGANIZED AT HOLYOKE, MASS. YMCA, ORIGINALLY CALLED MINTONETTE BY WILLIAM G. MORGAN, A PHYSICAL EDUCATION DIRECTOR 1897 FIRST Y CREATED IN CHINA

1901 WILLIAMS LETTER 50 TH ANNIVERSARY BOSTON YMCA/ PURPOSES OF THE ASSOCIATION: UPLIFTING OF THE YOUNG MANHOOD. SPIRITUAL, SOCIAL, MENTAL AND PHYSICAL WELFARE. SALVATION OF YOUNG MEN.

GEORGE WILLIAMS COLLEGE FOUNDED IN CHICAGO, AS YMCA COLLEGE IN 1890, CHANGED TO G.W.;TRAINED STUDENTS TO BECOME YMCA SECRETARIES RECRUITMENT AND TRAINING FOR YMCA INSTRUCTORS, MANAGERS, DIRECTORS.

YMCA 1898 WORK ORGANIZED FOR SERVICE MEN IN THE SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR INDUSTRIAL YMCA ORGANIZED 1909 NATIONAL SWIMMING AND LIFE SAVING CAMPAIGN; 1909 FATHER AND SON PROGRAM LAUNCHED 1910 NATIONAL BOY SCOUTS ORG.

YMCA 1914 HI-Y MOVEMENT FOR HIGH SCHOOL BOYS ESTABLISHED 1915 WORK WITH PRISONERS OF WORLD WAR I BEGAN IN EUROPE NATIONAL WAR WORK COUNCIL WITH AMERICAN SOLDIERS 1923 TRI-HI-Y CLUB FOR GIRLS

YWCA 1920 FIRST CHAPTERS WITH SPORTS 1858 LADIES’ CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION FORMED IN NEW YORK CITY 1860 FEMALE BOARDING HOUSE IN NYC 1866 YWCA FORMED IN BOSTON 1889 FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN YWCA FORMED IN DAYTON, OH 1960 FIRST MERGER SURROUNDED BY STRONG CONTROVERSIES

CHICAGO YMCA FOUNDED BY CYRUS BENTLEY,D.L. MOODY AND OTHERS. ROOM RENTED IN A METHODIST CHURCH GOALS:RELIGIOUS IMPROVEMENT FOR STRANGERS AND RESIDENTS. IN CHICAGO SALOONS YOUNG MEN ARE TRANSFORMED INTO LOAFERS. Y=ANTIDOTE vs. LIQUOR, VICE, RUIN, MORAL DECAY FIRST BUILDING, DESTROYED BY FIRE IN 1868, 1868 MORE THAN 2,000 MEMBERS 1869 SECOND BUILDING, ALSO DESTROYED IN THE 1871 CITY FIRE $150,000 BUILDING

CHICAGO YMCA 1882 EDUCATIONAL CLASSES 1880s EXPANSION TO OTHER AREAS “COLORED MEN’S” BUILDING 1915 YMCA COLLEGE INAUGURATED

CHICAGO YMCA 1859 FIRST ANNIVERSARY ACTIVITIES: SECOND PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH CHOIR “ROCK OF AGES” SONG READING OF THE SCRIPTURES PRAYER ADDRESS SINGING BENEDICTION

YMCA CHICAGO FOOTBALL, BASKETBALL, TRACK TEAMS. BOXING, WRESTLING, GYMNASTICS. SWING BAND, DANCE GROUP. OLYMPIC-ATHLETIC-GYMNASTIC CHAMPIONSHIPS

YMCA DOCUMENT, CHICAGO 1908 I LOOK UPON THE YMCA AS ONE OF THE BEST AGENCIES FOR THE CULTIVATION OF MANLY, CHRISTIAN CHARACTER. THE INFLUENCE EXERTED BY THE ASSOCIATION, ESPECIALLY UPON THE THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF YOUNG MEN WHO HAVE SEVERED HOME TIES BUT ARE STILL IN THE FORMATIVE PERIOD OF THEIR LIVES, HAS BEEN OF INCALCULABLE BENEFIT TO THEM INDIVIDUALLY AND TO THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE. THE OPPORTUNITIES AFFORDED BY THE ASSOC. TO THE AMUSEMENT AND ENTERTAINMENT AND TO THE IMPROVEMENT OF THEIR MINDS AND BODIES CONSTITUTE A POWERFUL CORRECTIVE OF THE MANY LESS HEALTHY FORMS OF PLEASURE TO BE FOUND ON EVERY HAND AND WHICH TOO OFTEN LEAD TO DISSIPATION AND DEPRAVITY… DONATION LETTER, CHICAGO DEC 30, CHS, YMCA OF METROPOLITAN CHICAGO COLLECTION, BOX 2.

YMCA DOCUMENT, CHICAGO THE YMCA RESORTED TO DIFFERENT PUBLICITY DEVICES TO ADVERTISE ITS POSITIVE IMPACT ON THE LIVES OF YOUNG MEN LIVING IN URBAN AREAS. HERE IS THE CAPTION TEXT IN ONE OF THE PICTURES FEATURING A SUCCESSFUL YOUNG MAN IN CHICAGO: “AN ASSOCIATION PRODUCT. HOMELESS EMPLOYED BOY, NOW A RESIDENT OF THE NORTH SIDE BOY’S CLUB, OF THE YMCA OF CHICAGO. THROUGH THE HELP OF THE ASSOCIATION HE HAS BECOME A VIRILE CHRISTIAN BOY, RESTORED TO THE CHURCH, ASSISTED TO A GOOD POSITION, AND ATTENDS THE ASSOCIATION NIGHT SCHOOL. HE HAS RECEIVED TWO PROMOTIONS DURING THE PAST SIX MONTHS.” SOURCE: YMCA BULLETIN, FEBRUARY 1913 CHICAGO. CHS YMCA OF METROPOLITAN CHICAGO COLLECTION, BOX 2.