A Happy Boy will Grow Into a Good Citizen !

Northern Advocate, 4 May 1926, Page 7

A Happy Boy will Grow Into a Good Citizen !

y.m.c.a. effective agency for building of human character

UGLY MAN COMPETITION

It is an undoubted fact that notwithstanding nearly a century of hard effort and splendid results, large numbers of people still have no idea of the real purpose of the Y.M.C.A., or of the means used to effect this purpose.

WHAT IT IS. The Y.M.C.A. is emphatically not an athletic club or a glorified billiard room, and though both of these institutions exist within its walls it must be remembered that they are only the means toward the. end for which the Y.M.C.A. works, not the end in themselves.

open to all, irrespective of caste, colour or creed, and a constant effort is made through any or all of the means at hand to arouse the interest of every member to the end that he may grow in station physically, mentally and spiritually, so that his usefulness to himself and the community will be considerably enlarged and extended.

it offers something far better than that. It offers our boys a healthy body and mind, and with what is it more desirable to commence any “walk in life than this?

The foregoing should be borne in mind when the Y.M.C.A. comes with a request for your contributions

The Y.M.C.A. has been proved to be one of the surest and most effective agencies yet devised for the building and bettering of human character. The thinking man will at once recognise the fact that the Y.M.C.A. in the light of modern thought and principles, is scientifically sound in its objects, and in the means it uses to attain these objects, when it is pointed out that the prime mission is to build rather than repair, to prevent rather than cure, and to create new conditions rather than to mend and patch old ones. It knows, what is more and more coming to be recognised as a great social truth, that while the alleviation of disease, poverty, and the resulting misery is a fine and noble work, and in our present state of civilization vitally necessary, and while it renders all homage and respect to the various institutions which throughout the length and breadth of the land give attention to the treatment and cure of these evils, nevertheless this work is only palliative, and does little or nothing to remove the actual causes of these conditions. Some authorities even go so far as to say that the evils in some eases are actually bred and fostered by the “cures” themselves, maintaining, for example, that the assistance of poverty by means of doles and similar methods tends to increase poverty and not to remove it.

PRACTICAL CHRISTIANITY. That this is a sound policy, and based on sound principles must be apparent to every one on a moment's reflection, but it is something more than this. It is an evidence of the Christian religion at its best: a religion of practice, and not merely of profession: a religion untrammelled in its work by theological consideration or limitations which are inevitable (and rightly so) in the more formal type of religious institutions.

WHANGABEI’S UGLY MAN, With a view to augmenting - the funds of our association, the newly formed Ladies’ Auxiliary of the Y.M.C.A. are organising a novelty, in the form of a “ Whangarei’s Ugly Man” contest, to he run during the course of the Winter Show. The Auxiliary are to he commended upon the energy and enthusiasm with which they have entered into the competition.

Their efforts have resulted in the nomination of the following prominent citizens as aspirants for the honour of being Whangarei's Ugly Man:

It is the doctrine of health and happiness preached by deeds and not words, in the conviction that a healthy body begets a clean mind, which in turn begets reverence of spirit, depth of character and religious thinking of the truest, strongest and most lasting kind.

(1) J. E. HOLMES (2) W. JONES, M.P. (3) D. A. McLEAN. (4) H. W. CRAWFORD, (5) R. G. HOSKING (6) J. A. FINLAYSON (7) A. CLARKE,

WHANGAREI’S Y.M.C.A. This institution is worked upon the lines set out above. The work of an association is not advertised; it is not spectacular. Its influence is taking effect every day, but these effects are felt not so mfleh now as they will be in the years to come.

As to the qualifications of each can-, didate for the position it would not here he wise to comment. Suffice to say that already there is a great divergence of opinion on the subject, particularly amongst the wives of the candidates, and it is possible that there will be some agitation to have the word “ugly" changed to “beautiful ’

The Boy of today is the citizen of tomorrow.

We desire the citizens of tomorrow to present to that tomorrow a clean and wholesome mind and body. Then is it not encumbent upon us to provide the means to effect this end?

The minds of those wives and any others who might take exception will no doubt be set at rest when they learn that the contest resolves itself into one of popularity only. The decision of who is Whangarei’s Ugly Man will be made by ballot. Votes will be sold by the committees representing their respective ugly men, at a price of fid each. The committee will be working throughout the town and there will also be a booth at the Winter Show kindly supplied free by the committee. To those having any doubt on the matter, caricatures which may be inspected for a small sum at the Win. ter Show will perhaps be a guide.

WHAT IT DOES. In order to do this it believes in using the means which are known to He close to the heart of the average man and boy. Games, athletics, social events, debating and public speaking clubs, addresses and discussions on religious and educational subjects are all used effectively and scientifically as modern thought and experience can make them. The doors and membership of the association are

The future of a country depends upon its boys. The Y.M.C.A., realising the significance of this, was the first institution to undertake what is known as “Boy's Work,” that thereby the boys may, when their time comes, be better fitted to fill their place in life. The Y.M.C.A. may be likened unto an insurance fund. It does not offer the payment of a certain sum on the happening of a certain event. No;