HISTORY OF
OUR Y. M. C. A.
(Continued from Page 1.)
rectors of the college, and president
of the board of directors of the Y. M.
C. A., is the one man who has fought
the battles of the building all the way
through. L. A. Coulter, State secre
tary of the Y. M. C. A., is another
person whose service in the cause
was heroic, and Dr. C. P. Fountain
of the campus stood unflinchingly at
the helm. There are others, but these
three men ave borne the brunt of the
fight and where others have been lib
eral merely with dollars and cents
these ave been liberal with time and
efforts likewise.
Planned First in 1910.
“The idea of a Y. M. C. A. Building
originated in the spring of 1910,
when G. W. Binn, assistant State sec
retary of the Y. M. C. A., met with
the College Y. M. C. A. cabinet. A. L.
Ward, colonel of the regiment at that
time, was president of the association,
and when it was suggested that the
organization would never render that
vital service necessary until a build
ing was erected to house the organiza
tion, committees were appointed to
confer with Col. R. T. Milner, at that
time president of the college, with
regard to interesting the alumni of
the college in the proposition. Col.
Milner called a conference of the
alumni and within a few weeks a
meeting was held. Col. Cushing, Rus
sell Watkins, engineer for the South
ern Pacific; A. C. Love, John Q. Ta
bor, an oil man of Houston, and James
A. Cravens of Houston were prime
movers in this meeting and advocated
the organization of a campaign to
erect the building.
“The first subscription ever taken
for the Y. M. C. A. was taken imme
diately after this meeting when the
cadet corps, after an enthusiastic
meeting and an appeal by Col. Ward,
pledged $12,000. Many of the students
paid their subscriptions, but the
greater part of these pledges are still
outstanding. Failure to meet these
obligations as due in a large measure
to circumstances which halted the
work on the building at a later date.
“Following this first subscription
application was made for a charter,
and this application being granted,
a hoard of directors was organized.
Col. Cushing, Dr. Fountain and Col.
Milner are the only members of that
body who were members of the
original board.
Rockefeller’s Gift.
“It was through the efforts of Col.
Cushing and Mr. Coulter that John
D. Rockefeller became interested in
the building movement. Mr. Rocke
feller pledged a gift of $30,000 pro
vided the building should cost not
less than $65,000. After securing this
promise and after $6,000 in cash had
been obtained the contract was let
with the understanding that the work
was to be done as the money was
collected.
“It was a great day in April of 1911
when the ground for the new building
was broken. Col. Milner and Col.
Cushing were the principal speakers
and a general holiday was declared
at the college. Two months later the
cornerstone for the building was laid
by the Bryan Masons. Dr. William
States Jacobs was the orator of the
occasion. The work on the building
then went on until the basement
walls were completed and the first
floor was laid. Then the money gave
out and thereby hangs a tale. Work
was suspended and troubles began.
About $19,000 has been expended up
until that time.
Troubles Begin.
“With the funds exhausted but
with literally thousands of dollars in
good pledges, the life of the very in
stitution was threatened by a con
solidation measure. Friends of the
college succeeded in defeating this
measure, and then came the fight on
Senate Joint Resolution No. 18, which
was in effect a simple resolution for
consolidation. During all of that
time, more than a year, no effort was
made to collect old subscriptions and
none put forward to obtain new
pledges. It looked as though the col
lege might be destroyed and efforts
to obtain money or pledges in such
times would have been fruitless. At
the time there was about $20,000 on
the book of the committee and prac
tically none of that amount has ever
been collected.
“In the fall of 1913 Dr. C. P. Foun
tain assumed the leadership of the
fight locally and work was renewed.
Mr. Giesecke had withdrawn from the
college and S. J. Fountain, head of
the architectural department, and
who died last summer, became archi
tect for the building. Mr. Fountain
entirely revised the plans for the
huildin, no cost being entailed, and
gave his services free of any cost.
He also was a liberal contributor to
the fund. On October 13 Dr. Foun
tain asked the campus people for a
second subscription. Within six
months he had raised $15,000 in cash
and work on the building began then.
An elaborate campaign for funds from
alumni and friends all over the State
was planned, but was later abandoned
when the floods ravaged the State.
The money collected kept the work
on the building in progress until June
of 1914, and it was planned to make
another attempt to get money over
the State in the fall of last year. And
then the European war broke and
with that came the tumble in cotton,
and again the plan of those at the
head of the movement fell throug.
Campus People Liberal.
“And then came word that in order
to receive the last of the three in
stallments of $10,000 from Mr. Rocke
feller the building would have to be
completed and occupied by January
1, 1915. Dr. Fountain again called on
the campus people for funds with
which to furnish the building, provide
light fixtures and other such equip
ment. The college officials gave $1,-
500 in cash and Mr. Rockefeller’s
conditions were met.
“A study of the records kept by
Dr. Fountain shows that Bryan citi
zens and institutions were very lib
eral, a total of nearly $7,000 being
obtained from that source. Some of
the larger gifts there were $1,000 by
the First National Bank, $1,000 by
the City National Bank, $500 by the
First State Bank, $500 by G. S.
Parker, $400 by Dr. J. L. Fountain,
and many other donations.
“Gifts by the campus people have
been marked by extreme liberality.
In the three offerings taken from the
official family of the college a fund
of more than $7,000 was raised. Dr.
Charles Puryear gave $300, Dr. C. P.
Fountain gave $300, Dr. Mark Fran
cis $250, and there were many gifts
of from $175 down.
“The largest contributor aside from
Mr. Rockefeller was John Henry
Kirby of Houston, who gave $2,000.
Cleveuand Dodge, a wealthy citizen
of New York, gave $1,000.
“The building as it stands cost ap
proximately $75,000. The first and
second floors are complete. On the
firfist floor are located the handsome
chapel with a seating capacity of 400,
and the general lobby with reading
and game tables, piano, etc. On the
second floor are rooms for the press
club, athletic council, Bible study
rooms, alumni association and other
similar organizations. During the
commencement festivities the build
ing will be utilized as headquarters
for the alumni. Other distinctive fea
tures are a rest room for the ladies
and a campus parlor or room where
visiting ladies may he taken by
cadets and instructors.
Plans for the Future.
“Future plans call for the early
completion of the basement. In the
basement will be located the swim
ming pool with white enameled brick.
The pool is completed save for the
brick. Three bowling alleys will be
another feature of the basement. The
dining room and kitchen will be fitted
out. Provision also is made there
for barber shop and lavatories.
“Later it is hoped that a fourth
story can be added. This floor will
be used as a domitory for instructors
and officers of the college and for
transients.
“II would be hard indeed to esti
mate the good this building will do.
Already it has taken its place at the
head of all buildings as a social cen
ter, and some of the brightest, hap
piest social functions ever held at
the college have been staged in this
building. It means wholesome occu
pation for the student out of a job.
It means self-improvement by reading
and helpful association with class
mates and instructors. It affords a
place for social gatherings and amuse
ments. Campus people and students
will be brought closer together by
this structure. The social life of the
college will be quickened and placed
on a higher basis.
“Cadets will really enjoy a visit
from their sister, mother or girl, be
cause the building will afford a place
where their visitor may be taken for
a chat while waiting for the car.
“The building will help in thou
sands of ways and although it was
not formally opened until this week,
its influence already is felt and its
possibilities have been appreciated
to a small degree at least.
“All honor to those who have made
it possible.”
DR. C. P. FOUNTAIN.
IS STATE’S GREAT=
EST SPEAKER
(Continued from Page 1.)
call the words of Mark Antony over
the dead body of Brutus:
“ ‘His life was gentle and the ele
ments
So mixed in him that Nature might
stand up
And say to all the world “This is a
man.” ’
“Of Dr. Truett the world says:
“ ‘His life is gentle and the elemtns
So mixed in him that Nature does
stand up
And says to all the world, “This is a
man.” ’ ”
PROF. R. G. BRESSLER.
BASKETBALL TEAM RETURNS.
Nick Braumiller and Charlie Davis
brought their championship basket
ball team back to College Sunday,
after a victorious trip thru North
Texas. They played seven games on
the trip, and won six of them. This
is the best record ever made by an
A. & M. basketball team. Almost all
of the teams played were among the
strongest teams in the State.
Charlie Nitch now offers a good
clothes cleaner to the public.
HASWELL’S
BOOK
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3S3S
BRYAN, TEXAS
Invites Your Patronage
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