State Normal School - Crystal / Levana Yearbook (Athens, GA)

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I 'II' I I r I I I I I I I I I 1 I 1 I I , I I. I I -I I I. I I I o 4 I Y. M. C. A. I oFF1CERs 1 1 H. G. WILEY L .I . . . President F. V. PARADISE K Vice'President I I. R. ROACH . . Secretary J. Q. HARVEY Treasurer J. C. WEEKS ..... Librarian l COMMITTEES: ' Program Committee. ' W. G. Acree L. I. Westbrook I C. S. Jones V Sick Committee. I ' I E. B. Davis .F. R. Zetterovver D. L. B. 'Jones Reception Committee. . I. VV. Cole P. Aiken I C. L. McClure Membership Committee. I. Q. Harvey W. H. Key ' M. A. Acree Nominating Committee. R. F. Freeman V. L. Jameson I G. C. Cole' W

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YOUNG WOME-N'S CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION. .- ...,l.., From the beginning of the School, those most interested in its welfare realized that a knowledge of science, mathematics, literature, and history would be a poor equipment for a teacher unless combined with a strong spir- itual nature and an earnest zeal for God. This essential factor in education having been recognized, and the need of a non-sectarian organization to pro- mote this spiritual development having been felt, Miss Ida Young and a few earnest students organized the Y.'W. C. A. in the spring of 1897. While the student-body has been transitory, the Y. VV. cg A. has remained permanent, exerting its divine influence over all within its sphere. In IQOO, our Asso- ciation gained admittance into the Gulf States division of the National Y. VV. C. A. It has steadily increased in membership, until the enrollment for the present year is 300. W Our Association has increased not only in membership but also in strength. Its influence over the entire school seems more marked this year than ever before. For several years there have been no student volunteers, but this year seven girls have given their strong young lives over to Crod's keeping to be used as He may deem best. The sweet influence that Miss Kate Cooper has wielded over the students this year will not soon be forgotten, and their love and prayers will accompany her as she goes to Korea on her mission of love and service. Perhaps some one will ask, 'fVVhat is the work of the Y. VV. C. A. PM In answering this question, let us take up the-various branches. 0 Recognizing the importance of a knowledge of the Bible, and realizing the need for laborers in the harvest, we have Bible-study and mission-study classes, which are held every week and thrown open to any who may desire to attend them. A de- votional service for the entire Association is held every Sunday afternoon. This meeting is led by an officer of the Association, a member of the Faculty, or some outside Christian worker. In these meetings-our souls are refreshed with beautiful truths,-practical lessons f-rom subjects which deal with the joys and the problems that lie nearest a school girl's heart. Perhaps that which gives us most real joy and peace is the twilight prayer-meetings. These meetings are held in each dormitory every evening. Altogether informal, sweet and simple, led by the girls themselves, they come as a benediction after the work and the struggles of the day. In these meet- ings every girl may recount her blessings, receive courage and inspiration for a heavy heart, make known her requests for herself and others, and gain strength for the duties that lie before her. Many a timid girl has been brought to speak her Hrst word for Christ in these little prayer-meetings, and has gone away to be a blessing to her home and her community. Xfvhat girl, longing for the love and sympathy to which she has been accustomed at home, could come among us-a stranger in a strange land-and fail to appreciate the beautiful spirit that prompts the Y. VV. C. A. girls to be so courteous, kind, and sympathetic? A By all these means and by personal workthat is done, we hope to accom- plish our aim4r To bring young women to Christ, to train them up in Christ, and to send them out for Christ.

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YOUNG MEN'S CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION. l Every boy who stays in the State, Normal School dormitory belongs to the Y. M. C. A. This is as itshould be. Important as is a. literary education, that for which the Y. M. C. A. stands is as important as any education could possibly be. VV. G. Acree, who was our representative at t-he Asheville Conference last summer, has given us some pleasant and profitable accounts of his trip to that meeting in the beautiful mountain country of North Carolina. We contribute to the support of the Association of which we are a part. Our meetings are held in the Library at twilight on Sunday evenings. Wfe shall carry with us from school beautiful mental pictures of these Sunday afternoons. The campus, the buildings, the friendly faces, the pleasant room, -these will ever be fresh in our minds. Daily, just at dusk, the boys meet in the hall for a twilight prayer-service. These services are interesting, instructive, and well attended. On Sunday nights there are Bible-study classes. These,'l at present, are conducted by E. P. Clark and OL C. Baskin, who faithfully discharge their duties. The Association has a small but well selectedand helpful library. At the prayer-meetings, the Bible-study meetings, and the Y. M. C. A., all the boys are free to speak, hence we get much valuable information from one another, as well as learn how to express our own thoughts properly. Some of the teachers of the Normal School and of the University have given us many interesting and helpful talks. It is in the Y. M. C. A. meetings that we get nearest one another's hearts, and it is in connection with these meetings that we shall have our pleasantest memories. The times when we spoke of mother, home, duty, love, honor, and heaven, when we thought of being and doing all that we could for humanity and Christ,-these are the times when we shall remember with the .greatest pleasure. Then it was that we felt that all men are brothers, forgot our nar- row, selfish aims, and lived on lovelier, happier, better, broader planes. We .pray that these memories may linger with and profit us until we shall, at last, clasp the hands of those with whom we have associated and with whom we have parted, and shall be forever reunited in a Christian Asso- ciation that will forever endure. W ' J. W. COLE.