Figure 1.--This photograph was apparently taken at an American YMCA, probably in the 1930s. I'm not sure why the boys are listening to the rdo at the Y. Perhaps there is mnot such a good set at their homes. Perhaps a ball game is being broadcasted.

The Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA) is not a uniformed group, but it is the first major youth organization and was influential in the organization of many uniformed youthgroups. The YMVA or "Y" as it is commonly called was initially for young men, but soon began initiating important programs for boys. While not a uniformed organization, in many ways the YMCA along with the American Boys; Clubs helped lay the groundwork for the Boys' Brigade, Scouts, and other uniformed youth groups.

History

The Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA) which had been organized in England during the 1840s. YMCAs opened n in Switzerland, France, Germany, and the Netherlands furing the 1840s and reached America in the 1850s. The first YMCA was organized in Boston and Montreal in 1851. This came about largely from entusiastic letters home from young Americans and Candanias living in London. American and Cannadian YMCAs held their first conference in 1854 and the convention agreed to a loose confederation, annual convention, and the creation of a central committee. The first world conference was held in Paris during 1855 and formed a World Alliance. Debatecensued for many years as to whether a central YMCA organization would dictate the policies of localasdociations or whether the YMCA would be a loose association of national groups which would create their own policies and programs.

The Second World Conference was held in 1858. Nearly 200 delegates of all confessions attended except Catholics. Major debates concerned: 1) Condition of admission as YMCA member to be strictly based on the Paris Basis Principles. 2) To decide what to provide for YMCA members during their leisure time.

The YMCA was initially conceived as an association for young men, but work with boys, not forseen by the founders, was to become a key activity for the new organization. The first activites with boys began in the 1880s. The International Committee of the United states and Canada also began their missionary thrust which was to send fraternal secretaries to Asia, South America, and later Europe. YMCA leaders appealed for the creation of YMCAs on all five continents. Through missionary work, there were already YMCAs in China, Japan and India. Schools for YMCA leaders were founded in Springfield during 1885.

Two concepts of YMCA involvement with the Church existed at the turn of the 20th century 1) Anglo-Saxon concept: the YMCA is totally independent of religious organizations and is open to all young people. 2) European concept: the YMCA needs to have narrow links with the national church of each respective country.

"Y"s spread fast and soon were serving boys and older men as well as young men. Although 5,145 women worked in YMCA military canteens in World War I, it wasn't until after World War II that women and girls were admitted to full membership and participation in the U.S. YMCAs. Today half of all YMCA constituents and staff are female, and half are 18 years or under.

Country Differences

The YMCA program was quite varied from country to country. In America the YMCA besides developing a very effective program of its own, played an important role in developng rge Scouting movement.

America

The YMCA expanded in countless American communities. Often YMCA were organized around specific groups such as universities, railway workers, military services, industrial as well as urban areas, and blacks in both northern and southern cities. The YMCA which began as an exercise program in poorly designed gynasiums developed into sophisticated programs of health and physical education that proved so popular that they came to symbolize the "Y" in the popular mind. The "Y"s work provide the foundation for modern physical education programs in the public schools. Part time and evening classes prved extrodinarily helpful to young men of modest means. Many "Y"s organized low cost summer camp programs for urban youth. The Y played a major in popularizing the summer camp program for American boys--making the experience available to boys from families of modest means. When the BSA was founded in 1910, 400 local YMCA summer camps were already serving 15,000 boys. The Y in America also played an important role in the fledgling Boy Scout movement. YMCA Executive Edgar M. Robinson, in fact, played a major role in the early Scout movement.

Other countries

No information developed yet.