Y.M.C.A. CONFERENCE.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 939, 5 October 1910, Page 5

Y.M.C.A. CONFERENCE.

FIFTH DAY.PHYSICAL, EDUCATIONAL/AND BOYS' WORK." The fifth day of the conference of secretaries and delegates of the National Council of Young Men's Christian Associations of Australia and New Zealand commenced yesterday with a devotional meeting, conducted by Mr. Moore, lion, secretary of Milton Y.M.e.A> Mr. J. J. Virgo," took; the. presidential chair. Routine business followed.. The first sessional paper was taken by. Mr. G... Hughes, general secretary of the Dunedin Y.M.C.A., who spoke on "The efficiency of our physi-, cal work in the development _of .character." The speaker emphasised the need of the recreative side of physical work, and also the. work of physiological in-struction..-Varied grading systems.were; recommended, and eminent' authorities' quoted'to.'show, the" heed.of a deepened study ,of the .requirements', of men and boys, so faras' Y.M.C.'A;; physical,work: was concerned; Sexual; hygiene :'. aid talks by eminent;medical men,,wereto. be recommended.. The careful selection of the mah;.wlio,sbo'uld'.control;the work of. this -department was. of. vast import-' ance.if .the physical .department .were to. be ; really efficient; it must ,havo as.:' its dominating -purpose the - influencing -of men from a deeper standpoint, which purpose could only be brought about by: proper, selection.; ' :..>'" '■"'■.'■ . ''A''very..helpful.discussion: followed, put of .which came' one;pf.,the: first diffi-' culties, : not the . "muscle-bound.".' • so much as the ' 'tpngue-tiedj"' physical: director. The,work of tha Physical.De-* partmeht; Committee.; was 'of ~importance, -and;' here, a right selection of-, chairmen' .andr committeemen; was. essential. ;; Much \ emphasis. ,;.:was:, : laid, •upon' the '■close; touch .'that /should' be' maintained. between.; the 'association's, .physical director, and the' out-of-doors athletics of the',:city, .as;, well; as all ■movements .tending to;the health'of the community. • :. /VV;.' /':■;■ ~;; ,; '.;""'.' .'.(:;;;■-.EDUCATIONAL'WORK. :. : ;;- •

Mr. A..,;Jameson, followed. , : with ,:.a paper' on,"The'efficiency...of;;our educa-' 'tional ,work," touching, on, the .import-, a'nee of the reading room of.the.library. He hoped that .each .'assbciationjjwould have -ah; appropriation, upon'-its budget i'or-:library,extension.'.[He, was'.afraid ; : that, the young [men. 'of '/Australasia 'were not '\'literature'hardened,"''.arid too?much,care could,not be.takeri,upon, the -.proper choice and '.distribution,'. of 'clean,; good', -'"virile..;books.';/ : Refer'ence [was,made; to .the;splendid;reports .ftp: .hand of -the'.. educational work .; pf, ; the: ;American, Association. . The.■:speaker, : was [aware/' of /course,- of,, the" clirnatic conditions, that. prevailed of the .'world.. '■ In. America[the ■: , ous winter .'.weather led men: to ■an':earn-: .est,; profitable,; and/pleasurable: 'study; to their own'benefit. -'.It',should be'the; : association! s business,, to .anticipate edu- ■: /cational dehiands.v'fA'widb -range of' educational,classes .were'detailed,;',those'taking, premier :placevwhich'.spught,Ktbj 'help- men.;..in.their particular'/business,-.' ■to the men. in, the ; country,. : ..to';the ihbn who, were ;,seokihg.,to .take-;;., ; iip iland.Classes .for: ■■■■ camp', . cbokpry,;',,; harness-' •making, : -..carpentry, ■ /'.poultry-keeping:', boot; and ■'shoe; -repairing,,' firsts aid -;: andveteririary;'science were exceedingly,-,use-iful.'f/.lndoof and outdoor-educational': advantages' were' reviewed,' andjihtibbies j,.:A helpful discussion,ensued;:in;which; many .leading; men took, : parti!, The/ad: 'jourumentfpf lunch clofsed:the debate.:.■ y : :{; ;. BOYSVDEEAmiENT;';./;.;/';:- /'.: The,afternoon'; session;"began 'with .■•an address on. ; " The. efficiency.of,our'.boys'.; •wprk,'V;by:,Mri::;W.;;'H:;.Babcbck, ■ ; boys-' department :iecret'ary-fbii . Christcliurch. -There: was .a.great.difference, ,hp-said, .be'twee'ii i.wprk'i'fbf'.bbys; boys'.'workj: as/much:;differeiice,';iii fact,, as- there was' between.-.a,-'cHesthut , horse; arid a horse .chestnufe'br.fa bath sponge arid a/sppnge:::b'a'th::,;;.A;,.proper '.hold on the boy.;in Sunday.School;was' •very: : difficult..,,A boyi/generallyl./pb>„ ■ jecfcd;'to; a - .lady teacher.': , The;'.association-,, ought,,to. supplement .the' wpfk, of'. ;the.!•■ Sunday.'-'school through/ a': meeting.of.;:bbys'/ior club /life arid'Bible'studyf !in f ,suburban,, districts; /web'k/'by .■;week.' 1 ;, Unselfish; leado'tthip'and- the'.relationship -to'the Sunday), schbbl.bby,; '-and: :to, the suburbanite, bby, : /and.to "the'-bdy.' from' the' country:were.dealt : with.,;'.On" ■ request,..the .iipeakoi;::;briefly''f'putliued thof/jboy. sc'oiit'mpvemerit'/aridVits.. far-:; reaching influence. :j. s '■- : ','■%.'\':■>]':-':■s'.[ ■';'■•'" ..A.genpral -discussipn-followed,, cover; ing - the, varibris'''phaspsV of . bbys'i'work,camp;/life;. ;club, ;life,. ; and. group-work; !T)ie Old Boys'' Club, /such' 'as, wasv'in. .'operation- -at, <Welliiig'toi)j - was- practic-'. iallyjcpns'idefed/'and'str'ohgly.fufged.iipon': ■the;'association'.secretaries preseriti; A; ;■ resolution'was; at this stago,:,put-: irij .re-'' | commending ehch "Australasian ~ s'ebre- ; i tary : to;- give '.every ."assistance: .to ./the, ■ boy-scout ;movement../ : ;■/< ■; ■ V "/;';./" 'V ;,,;;;' , 'pTHER^;BUSINESs'^^^;: l : ;V Mr.'H.Arriistrbng'followed'with /a, :paper: : on;'Robertt'M'Burneyi; The '.life of .Robert M'Burney/was wrapt up in; 'the; life' and : history ; of-'the: Anierican ; Young'.: Men's .Christian /Association., The one:' certainly, could'riot,be .written 'without erribodying'.with it the 'other. I His-"early,'labours :,in\ the/Y;M.C.A..' : at'; : New York were of/a 'very modest; character,";SO far as monetary matters Averof ,concerned.' Following' upon nine years' 'strenuous.. work, ■'•■'■■ from 1872 - to; \ 1898 ;M'Burriey did;"yepman sefvicbj as'-secre-tary; ; The: firsts secretary that 'entered the/foreign;'field, was trained by - him;' ;He/ : founded and was'the first president-, 'of, : Springfield,:;Training , /College for,' Y.M.C.A.;, secretaries .and physical f directors,.and bequeathed'to at 'one-fourth of. his' estate. ' In ! September, l -1897, :he took- teriipofary charge; of -the 23fd 'Street BuOding New York, until a, suit-' able man. was found.', Ho died iri' 1898. • The; session .closed with:a discussion' on .country association'■■■ wbrkj the ■ work, '. of a . cor responding'.'. membership, /and: 'Y.M.C.A.fterritoriaTcam'pwork. / ; :,. : „.<