History of YMCA arts and humanities

The arts and humanities aren't new to YMCAs. As you'll see below, they've been a vital part of the YMCA movement since its founding in England in 1844. The YMCA movement has played an important-and historical-role in our country's cultural arts.

The Y movement realized early on that by providing cultural and educational activities for its members it could cultivate the "whole" person in mind, body and spirit. In addition to cultivating the body through health and fitness programs, the earliest Ys offered reading rooms, libraries, literary societies, lecture courses, and general education and cultural courses in order to provide members and residents with ample opportunity to improve themselves intellectually and spiritually.

Reading rooms and libraries

In the mid-1850s, U. S. YMCAs universally adopted "the library and reading room" as previously established at the London YMCA. After visiting London, the Boston Association immediately subscribed to some 40 New England newspapers, which they believed helped crowd their rooms every evening. By 1865, the Boston Association was able to claim that its library-a collection of standard works of scientific, moral and religious character-was "unsurpassed" by any other city library.

The Washington YMCA's library was said to be the first of its kind in the city. And in the late 1850s, the Chicago Association became so closely identified with its reading room that on two occasions, the YMCA, a competing library and a lecture organization proposed merging libraries!

By 1890, there were 779 YMCA reading rooms for young men and boys. The reading rooms not only provided an educational avenue, but they were also viewed as important tools for attracting membership and participation in other Y activities.

Literary societies

According to 1890 reports, literary societies for young men were in place at 133 associations. Twenty-nine associations also hosted literary societies for boys. Each society consisted of "from six to perhaps fifty members each," organized under various forms for engaging in debates, recitations, essays and criticisms.

Lecture courses

YMCAs began to think an aggressive and appealing program was needed to supplement the reading room. In the mid-1850s, "Lecture Courses" were added, which became immensely popular in American towns and cities.

At many Ys, lectures were interdenominational and community-wide cultural events, often quite fashionable and frequently reported on at length by local newspapers. They covered a variety of topics. Religious controversy was scrupulously avoided-secular topics were most popular.

Many Ys sought acclaimed speakers and presenters. But Ys were also strongly encouraged to cultivate "home talent" in presenting lectures. Ys were also encouraged to identify community members with expertise and interesting stories to share with the average lecture goer.

General education and cultural courses

In the spring of 1857, the associations of New York City, Brooklyn and Charleston announced classes in the languages and music at low rates for the benefit of members who had not had the advantages of an early education. These gradually became popular. Two years later, the Kingston, Ontario, association reported classes in reading, spelling and grammar, history, geography, and writing.

In May, 1897, the Chicago Y's "Chicago Camera Club" had just closed a very successful series of lectures by some of the leading photographers in the city. The program's joint leadership of an artist and a photographer was touted as "thus giving the club an actual and practical experience in the landscape photography from both the artistic and photographic points of view."

In the same year, camera club members from associations all over the country coordinated a "Men's Amateur Photographic Contest." All photographs were to be made, developed and mounted by amateur photographers who were members in good standing in a YMCA camera club. The best photograph submitted by each club would be published in subsequent issues of the Y's MEN magazine, and the photographer would win prizes and honor.

Cultural arts and times of war

YMCAs across the United States used the arts and humanities to entertain prisoners of war during World Wars I and II. The Geneva Conference had designated the YMCA as the authorized agent for ministering to the recreational, intellectual and spiritual needs of the prisoners.

A premiere means of support was a global "book exchange." The Geneva Conference found books to be the prime method in helping prisoners fight boredom, find relaxation and improve their minds through study. During World War I alone, the YMCA shipped 2.5 million books to POW camps in continental Europe.

As the war waged on, tons and tons of materials were shipped to camps to help prisoners pursue personal interests. These materials included an almost endless list of hobby and handicraft items. Prisoners with artistic abilities or leanings gave expression to their creative impulses through carpentry, wood carving, pottery making, bookbinding, weaving, sculpting, manufacturing musical instruments and countless other pursuits.

Theatrical groups were quickly formed, and in some instances, complete theaters were set up with stage, lighting and seats. Makeup kits, wigs and other theatrical supplies were sent in by the YMCA. When supplies weren't available, prisoners simply improvised their own.

Finally, the YMCA installed motion picture machines in the camps and arranged for a regular supply of films (local conditions permitting). Through the generous cooperation of the American motion picture industry, the Y was able to showcase 287 current American films, which were shipped to Geneva and circulated among American and other Allied prisoners in Germany.

Timeline of the history of arts and humanities at YMCAs:

1850 Reading rooms and libraries   Lecture courses   General education and cultural courses

1890 Literary societies

1900 Music clubs

1914-1918 Arts and music for the military during World War I

1939-1945 Arts for the military during World War II

1960 Adult education   Negro heritage series

1981 The Writer's Voice

1990 The YMCA National Writer's Voice

1997 Arts and Humanities initiative