The Providence News

ANNUAL MEETING OF LOCAL Y.M.C.A.

Interesting Reports From All Departments Presented.

A DEFICIT IN THE TREASURY.

General Secretary's Report Shows 550 Enter Building Daily—Big Field as Yet Untouched, He Says.

After an excellent supper served by the Woman's Auxiliary to about 75 members last night, the Providence Young Men's Christian association had its 50th annual meeting in the association rooms, Westminster street, President Frederick H. Fuller being in the chair.

Rev. E. Talmadge Root said grace and Rev. J. F. Cooper conducted the devotional exercises at the opening of the business session.

After the reading of the record by Thomas Clark, the president read the report of the board of managers.

General Secretary Calder, in his report, gave the number of different men and boys connected with the association May 1, 1903, to April 30, 1904, 2603; religious services held, 113; different men and boys connected with the gymnasium during year, 1247; baths taken during the year, 61,566; physical examinations made, men 8; boys 471; total 969; medical examinations given, men 255; boys, 471; total, 726; total enrollment in evening school, 389; books drawn from libraries, 1,859; directed to boarding place, 301; employment secured for, 70; Thanksgiving day reception to young men away from home, dinner and evening, 450; papers distributed in hospitals, 10,373.

The report continued:

"That no small work is being done is clearly indicated by these figures. Our building is kept open 14 hours each week day and six hours each Sunday. A careful estimate of the average number of persons entering the building daily is 550, or an aggregate of 220,200 for the year. Yet, what we have done is very small compared with what we ought to do. There is a large body of men who need what the association could give, if the means were available. The outlying districts, the foreign speaking class, the railroad men, the factory men are practically untouched.

"Realizing what could be done, we are face to face with the fact that we cannot maintain ourselves doing what we are, where we are. Shall we go forward then and do the thing that is ready to be done, that ought to be done, or shall we fall back and be content to fill a place in the second rank of American associations? It is for the citizens of Providence to answer this question."

A DEFICIT REPORT.

The treasurer then presented the report of the finance committee for the past 11 months is one of endeavor but not complete success. The work of the year has required an outlay for general expenses of $20,116.97. Of this amount the members and others who have taken advantage of the privileges offered by the association have paid $11,476.84. Invested funds, anniversary collection and rentals amounted to $1,247.64, making the amount required to be obtained by this committee from the community in contributions or gifts, $7,392.19. Your committee have succeeded in obtaining $2,395.16, reporting at this time a deficit of $4,997.03, for the year just ended.

The conditions for the next year will not be materially different and the problem for the succeeding committee will be, to obtain, exclusive of sustaining and other memberships, invested funds and rentals, practically seven thousand ($7000) dollars, or at the end of twelve months report another deficit. The alternative is to curtail, But where?

SALARIES NOT LARGE.

The larger expenses of the year have been lighting, amounting in round figures to $1,550; heating, $1,711; repairs to building, $1,015; care and cleaning of building, salaries of janitors and telephone, $2,148; insurance and water, $464.20; interest, $559; total of $7,445. Representing the building charges, things which must be provided for, if any work at all is to be done. To offset this heavy charge the income from the building itself was scarcely more than $900.

Salaries of the general secretary, boys' secretary, educational director and two office assistants amounted to $3,949. In passing, lest it would seem the salaries paid were excessive, the amount paid our highest salaried officer is not sixty per cent of that paid in a nearby association of less than two-thirds our membership, in a city less than three-fourths as large as our own.

REMEDY IS SUGGESTED.

The committee therefore recommends to the association and interested friends that an earnest and concerted movement be made to carry out a plan but recently adopted by the committee, that of obtaining subscribers to at least three hundred (300) guaranteed shares of twenty-five ($25) dollars each, payable annually until notice of intention to withdraw is given. Of this amount fifteen ($15) dollars of each share is to be applied to the current expenses, and ten ($10) dollars to a sinking fund to wipe out the deficiency of this and previous years. It is desired that these shares be placed principally with those who are not now on the sustaining membership list. If this can be accomplished, your committee believes that the association can be firmly established financially and occupy the place it should in this city of 189,742 people.

The physical department's report gave an interesting resume of the triumphs of the gymnasium classes and in regard to a proposed outdoor reservation said:

"We are sorry that nothing has yet been done about an athletic field. There was an opportunity this year and a committee was appointed by the board to look into the matter, but nothing has come of it. It should be done, a field is necessary, and the association members must help, if we are to get one. We believe that a field would be a great success, and a source of income to the association, if once started."

OFFICERS AND COMMITTEES

The room committee presented a report also and the following officers were chosen for the ensuing year: President, Frederic H. Fuller, elected for the second term; first vice president—Frederick H. Jackson; second vice president, Walter E. Brown; recording secretary, Theron Clark; treasurer, Ollys A. Jillson; auditor, William H. Scott.

These are the committees:-

Physical department, William H. Phillips, John J. Butler, Charles E. Hancock, A. P. Sumner, W. B. Tanner.

Boys' department, Walter O. Talcott, E. W. Wallace, Thomas E. Phillips, Harvey Mason, Jr., Frank D. Moulton.

Lecture and instruction—Prof. H. B. Knox, Arthur A. Fuller, Dr. Nathaniel Hibbard, Willard F. Bennett, William H. Grout, Dr. Frank B. Sprague, L. B. Stillman, T. Frank Thompson.

Relief department—Harry A. Slocomb, E. C. Parkhurst, Dr. Jay Perkins, Walter L. Rice.

Religious work—Herbert D. Cavery, A. R. Benson, A. C. Casey, Jesse E. Cotrell, J. A. L. Host, Charles O. Normandy, W. B. Norris, George Patience, M. E. Pickle, Henry Y. Stiles, Samuel Adams, S. G. Dorey, Pierre M. Baldwin, F. L. Brooks, S. B. Prentice, F. E. McBury, Herbert S. Jones, George W. Amison, Cyrus Western and Clarence Martin.

Reception and social department—Elliot F. Aldrich, Harry A. Slocomb, Fred C. Miller, Frank R. Laney, Edgar E. Baker, Frank A. Cushing, F. W. Ripley, William B. Weeks, Reuben Ireland, J. Harry Marshal, Ralph S. Richards, Mancel Talcott, Alom H. Boss, Howard F. Barker, Everett L. Adams, Arthur M. Read, Robert Robertson, O. H. Washburn, L. Amos Holt, R. I. Blanchard, B. G. Davis, Walter M. Gager, William H. Grout.