In 1885, at Springfield, Mass., a school was established for the training of general secre taries for the Young Men's Christian Associa tion. The year following a physical department was added for the training of physical directors. This school at first offered a two-years' course of study, which was later extended to three years. In 1890 a similar school was established at Chicago. This institution also conducts a summer term at Lake Geneva, Wis. In 1902 a summer school was established at Silver Bay, Lake George, N. Y. These educational agencies seek to thoroughly train officers for the Young Men's Christian Association as a life work. About one-sixth of the officers of the associa tion have received training at these institutions. The courses of study cover the Bible, Church history, psychology, sociology, religious peda gogy, physiology, anatomy, anthropometry, physical diagnosis, physiology of exercise, gym nastics, athletics, aquatics, history of the Young Men's Christian Association, methods of work among young men, etc. There are about 500 students enrolled in these two institutions in addition to those attending the summer insti tutes. The summer schools have attracted so many of the employed officers (over 1,500 in 1919) that six additional summer schools have been established in the South, the West and in Canada. The Southern associations have also established a training college with a two-year course at Nashville, Term. The first summer school was held at Lake Geneva, Wis., in 1884.
The building movement in America has de veloped with increasing momentum. In 1890 there were 205 buildings, valued at 14050,003, in the United States and Canada; in 1900 there were 359; in 1'W there were 460. The num ber has now passed the 1,010 mark, valued with other real estate at $96.000,000 During the past year 27 association buildings have been erected. There is no greater testimony to the confidence of Christian philanthropists and business men in the Young Men's Christian Association and its work than the investment of large sums of money in association prop erty. The type of architecture developed by the Young Men's Christian Association is of the club order, its buildings being homelike and social.
One of the striking developments of this period in the city work has been the growth of the educational classes. Immediately upon the erection of the building on the corner of 23d street and Fourth avenue in New York City, evening classes were begun in different subjects for young men. Similar classes were carried on in other cities, and by 1892 20.5.1 different men were under instruction. In 1892 George B. Hodge was appointed secretary fur the educational department of the International Committee, and this work has been systematized and greatly developed. His successor is Mr. William On.. International examinations arc now held annually, in which large numbers of students take part. International certificatc, are accepted by more than 100 different col leges and institutions. An illustration of the growth of this department is seen in Boston.
where the association in 1918 reported 3,84.3 different students, studying in its educational department. This association has a law school which has been given by the legislature a char ter, granting the right to confer degrees. It has the Huntington Avenue school for boys who are preparing to enter college. It has schools of engineering and of certified account ancy. The Boston association has also re cently incorporated •Northeastern College.• of which the educational director, Frank P. Swam is president. This college supervises branch work in the neighboring city associations of Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Nearly every association contains a reading-room, 7tX) report having libraries and many others are distribut ing stations for public libraries.
In 1918 the Year Book reports 82.000 stu dents in the day and evening association schools. There were 327 secretaries and as sistants supervising this work and 2.303 paid in structors who were giving part-time service.
The religious spirit of the association has been dominant from the beginning. All wel fare work for young men — economic, physical or educational — is conceived of as an expres sion of the religious spirit and as contributing so a many-sided personality and a symmetrical Christian character. This distinguishes the asso ciation from boys' clubs, social scouts and many other agencies for the betterment of young men. There has been a large conservative element in the association which has held theologically to traditional orthodox teaching. The association has, how ever, made remarkable progress in its distinctly religious work. This is now organized into a system with five features: (1) Religious meet ings; (2) individual interviews; (3) classes in religious education; (4) social service; (5) mis sions. Religious meetings are chiefly held or Sunday afternoon. These were for many years almost exclusively of an evangelistic character but in recent years have in many cases became forums for the community where the grew. social, civic and religious problems of the or( are discussed by prominent leaders from sx ethical standpoint. At Springfield, Mass, soda the leadership of Kenneth Robbie, such a Sun day afternoon forum has been maintained for seven years with an attendance often reaching 4,000.
Mr. Fred B. Sinith during this period was secretary of the religious department of the International Committe. Under his leadership general evangelistic campaigns for young men were promoted culminating in the Men and Religion Forward Movement of 1912 in 60 North American cities. In 1918 there were re ported 1,061,000 auditors at theatre meetings, 2273,000 auditors at shop meetings. These are held outside association buildings. In the build ings there were reported 2276,000 auditors at men's meetings and 295.000 at boys' meetings. There were a total of 6.000,000 auditors at these various religious meetings. There were 32,500 decisions for the Christian life reported and 6.434 young men reported as uniting with churches.