Riverside County CA Archives History - Books .....Young Men's Christian Association 1912 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.rootsweb.com/~usgenweb/copyright.htm http://www.rootsweb.com/~usgenweb/ca/cafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com March 3, 2006, 6:13 am Book Title: History Of Riverside County California CHAPTER XI. YOUNG MEN'S CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION By E. W. Holmes It was on the 24th of November, 1884, that the first meeting was held in regard to the formation of a branch of the Young Men's Christian Association in Riverside. It was presided over by Dr. T. L. Magee, and J. H. Goodhue acted as secretary. Among those most prominent in effecting the organization, were J. D. Chamberlain, E. C. Love, K. F. Hendry, O. T. Dyer, Judson House, A. M. Mackey and H. N. Sanderson. The first officers were B. W. Handy, president; John Cook, vice-president; J. H. Goodhue, secretary, and Thomas B. Stephenson, treasurer. The association affiliated with the state organization September 4, 1885, and was incorporated December 6, 1886, the members of its first board of trustees being O. T. Dyer, E. F. Kingman, H. P. Moore, B. W. Handy and Matthew Gage. The Association occupied rented quarters for several years, and when, in October, 1887, it became necessary that the organization should have a building of its own, Frank A. Miller, with his usual generosity when a worthy enterprise has needed assistance in Riverside, gave a lot in the Glen-wood block, on Main street, for the association's use, and equally generous contributions from others made it possible to erect upon it a building which served them excellently until 1909. The association had by this time outgrown this first building, and the popularity of the institution, and its needs of larger and better equipped quarters, enabled its members to obtain generous financial aid from the citizens generally, and build upon the corner of Eighth and Lemon streets the splendid block which they now occupy. It cost over $75,000, and is one of the best arranged Association buildings for a town of its size in the United States, having a lobby, reading room, assembly hall, gymnasium, baths, plunge, bowling alleys, handball and basket ball courts, and one story of dormitory rooms, which provide income to the Association and furnish rooms for young men who are away from home. The present membership is between five and six hundred, of which 200 are boys. The Association employs a general secretary, an assistant secretary, a physical director and a "boys' work" secretary, all of whom give their whole time to this most important work. The men who have served as president since its organization are as follows: B. W. Handy, John Cook, S. L. Alderman, J. H. Goodhue, M. S. Bowman, A. A. Adair, J. F. Crowe, E. P. Clarke, W. W. Roblee, C. E. Rumsey and J. M. Davison. The general secretaries have been few in number but earnest in labor. Those who have served in that capacity are: Rev. W. H. Robinson, Moore Hesketh, George F. Herrick, C. W. Janes, J. George Hunter and W. R. Hale. A lady's auxiliary was organized April 28, 1885, and has been a great help to the Association ever since. Mrs. M. E. Hewitt is now its president, and Mrs. Houston Harlan its secretary. It was twenty-one years later, November 5, 1895, when the first meeting was held to organize the Young Woman's Christian Association, "to assist the spiritual, intellectual, social and physical development of the young women of the city." Two hundred members, and subscriptions to the amount of $500, were promptly secured, and on the 5th of December, 1905, the organization was completed and the following officers elected: President, Dr. Louise Harvey Clarke; first vice-president, Mrs. Homer A. Plimpton; second vice-president, Mrs. Cora Gyde; third vice-president, Mrs. O. L. Moorman; fourth vice-president, Mrs. J. F. Hanna; recording secretary, Mrs. J. E. Strang; corresponding secretary, Mrs. C. Goodrich; treasurer, Mrs. H. O. Reed. Furniture was contributed by generous friends and the Association was first located in the Pennsylvania Block. Larger quarters were soon needed for a well-equipped gymnasium and a lunch department, and in November, 1907, they moved into the Reynolds Block, on Ninth street, where rooms had been specially arranged for their use. Within a few years the demands for larger accommodations have made necessary the enlargement of these quarters, and the cafeteria occupies a fine large room on the first floor, while the Association has besides rest room, parlors, physical director's office and large gymnasium on the second floor, and above a fine roof garden for social as well as gymnasium uses. The general secretaries have been Miss Maud Ewing Ross, 1906 and 1907; Miss Lenoir McCoid, 1907 and 1909; Miss Emma J. Parsons, 1909 and 1912; Mrs. Olive H. Mulholland, 1912. The membership has fluctuated in recent years, but averages about 875. The trustees, who are the legal representatives of the Association, are S. H. Herrick, Gaylor Rouse, C. L. McFarland, Dr. C. Van Zwalenburg, Mrs. Sarah J. Ford, Dr. Louise Harvey Clarke and Mrs. W. F. Taylor. C. E. Rumsey was chairman of the board from the time of its organization until his death, since which time S. H. Herrick has filled that position. Additional Comments: Extracted from: HISTORY OF Riverside County CALIFORNIA WITH BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES OF The Leading Men and Women of the County Who Have Been Identified With Its Growth and Development From the Early Days to the Present HISTORY BY ELMER WALLACE HOLMES AND OTHER WELL KNOWN WRITERS ILLUSTRATED COMPLETE IN ONE VOLUME HISTORIC RECORD COMPANY LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA 1912 File at: http://ftp.rootsweb.com/pub/usgenweb/ca/riverside/history/1912/historyo/youngmen152gms.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/cafiles/ File size: 6.0 Kb