Evening star. [volume], May 29, 1932, Page 6, Image 50

About Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972

Image provided by: Library of Congress, Washington, DC

                
History of Washington’s Y. M. C. A.
BY JOHN CLAGETT PROCTOR.
THERE arc religious and semi-religious
organizations in this city which, from
the day of their inception, have re
flected credit upon the people of the
District of Columbia, but none more
so than has the Young Men's Chris
tian Association, begun here 80 years ago.
To become and remain a successful organiza
tion, as has this well known body, the founders
themselves must be given credit for having
been men of sterling worth, determined, sin
cere and enthusiastic, ar.d those who later took
up the work, and who carried it on to this day.
as being up-builders and character builders of
the highest types.
True, the names o 1 many of the latter class
—the more recent workers in this organization
—are familiar to the present generation, in
cluding as it does many of our foremost citizens,
such as John B. Lamer and William Knowles
Cooper, both of whom passed away recently.
But of the earlier m:n, those who put the as
sociation on its feet and kept it going steadily
forward even in its struggling day, perhaps not
so much is known, and, indeed, in some cases,
a few might almost b? o-gotlon. for the old
saying, "Our of sight, out of mind"—unfortu
nate as wc frequently flr.d it—applies here as it
does in thousands of other cate1-. And so the
writer in this story plans to revive sem? of the
rarlied local history of this notable organiza
tion.
In writing history, one can make his woik
easy or hard, depending upon the character
of work he wishes to p.oduee, or has the time
to devote to it. He may adopt sketches writ
ten by others, without cheeking up. or seek
original and undeniably authentic sources. If
he adopts the former course, he may get by;
if he pursues the latter, he at least will know
whereof he speaks, and not bo hke some one
who tells us in a document recently published
by Congress that the old Ford Theater in Tenth
street was formerly a theater, when it only
occupies the site of on?, or another re.ent pub
lic document that tills us that Gen. Forest
was wounded in the Battle of Germantown and
lost a leg at Brandywine, a thing almost im
possible to believe. The Batile of Brandywine
occurred September 11. 1777. ar.d that of Ger
mantown October 4 following, and surely the
general would not have been permitted to en
gage in battle again 23 days after losing a limb.
IN order to get at the early facts of the as
I sociation. the writer took th* straight and
narrow path—even though it c'id take more
time—and hied himself to the Library of Cong
ress where he sought out the National Intelli
gencer. In the issue of June 9 1852. he found
what was probably the first public reference
to the forming of the "Y" in this city. It said:
"NOTICE—The young men of the dif
ferent Protestant denominations in this
city, and all others interested in the ob
ject proposed, are most earnestly re
quested to meet at the Masonic Hall, cor
ner of E and Tenth str.eLs, this evening.
8th instant, at 8 o'clock, to take Into on
sideration a plan for organizing a Young
Men's Christian Association.”
That the meeting was held as announced,
we find by the same paper, two days later,
which gives an account for that time, but
which is not half full enough today to please
the members of this organigation. which lost
many of its records through a disastrous fire.
The write-up in 1852 said:
"Pursuant to a call given through the vari
ous pulpits of the city and the public press
a meeting of the young m:-n of the different
Protestant denominations, and others interested
in the organization of a Washington Young
Men's Christian Association, was held at the
Masonic hall, corner of E and Tenth streets,
on Wednesday evening the 9th Instant, at 8
o'clock, and organized by the election of Judge
T J. Johnston as chairman, and W. C. Lang
don as secretary.
"The meeting having been opened with
prayer by the Rev. Mr. Nourse, the chair
stated its objects and the designs with which
it had been called. At the request of Mr.
Dummer, Mr. Langdon submitted a statement
of the steps which had already been taken and
the encouragement which had been given by
the different clergymen consulted.
“A preamble and resolutions submitted by
Mr. Duncan, after some amendments and de
bate, In which Rev. Mr. Noble, Dr. L. D.
Johnson, Messrs. Dummer. Spurrier, Lawrence.
Langdon, Miller. Davis. Lane. Rothwell and
others took part, were adopted, as follows:
“ Whereas the young men of Washington,
present or represented at this meeting, are
deeply sensible of the necessity for the organ
ization and successful practical operation of a
Young Mens Christian Union Association for
purposes of mental, moral and religious im
provement: Therefore it is
“ ’Resolved, That the meeting appoint a com
mittee. to consist of one member from each
denomination here represented, whose duty it
shall be to prepare and report to a subsequent
meeting a constitution and by-laws for the
organization and government of such an asso
ciation.
” 'Resolved also. That those persons present
who intend to become members of the associa
tion be requested to leave their names with the
secretary.’
• 'A THIRD resolution, requesting the chair
to appoint a committee of three persons
to prepare and publish in the city papers an
address to the young men of Washington, and
of the union, calling their attention to and
defining the objects of this association and
soliciting their countenance and co-operation,
was. on motion of the Rev. Dr. Junkin, laid
on the table.
"After some remarks from Mr. Lawrence
and others, the meeting elected the foliowring,
nominated by their respective denominations,
as the committee on the constitution and by
laws :
"W c. Langdon, from the Protestant Epis
copal Church.
»
Incidents Connected With Founding of Organi
zation Recalled—Various Homes Occupied.
Rosters ofOfficers and Members.
Losses by Flames.
Home of Young Men's Christian Association, formerly the If ashington Club,
anti later the Chamberlin Chib. Destroyed by fire July 24, 1895; resloreil. and
again destroyed by fire January 2, 1898.
"Jame* N. Davis, from the Methodist Church.
"Judge T. J. Johnson, from the Presbyterian
Church. New School.
"Edward Myers, from the Presbyterian
Church, O. S.
‘‘William Q Force from the Baptist Church.
"A. G. Brown, from the Methodist Episcopal
Church South.
"Dr. L. D. Johnson, from the Methodist
Protestant Church.
“It was moved that the committee be author
ised to receive additions from denominations
not represented at this meeting, but. after a
discussion between Rev. Dr. Junkin. Drs. Linds
ly and Johnson. Messrs. Roth well. Sexton. My
ers, Spurrier. Langdon. Duncan. Zevelev and
Davis, the motion was withdrawn.
"On motion of the Rev. Dr. Junkin it was
“ Resolved. That persons not here present
wishing to become members of tills association
be requested to leave their names with the
secretary between this and the next meeting.
" Ordered. That the Committee on the Con
stitution and By-Laws be empowered to call
tiie adjourned meeting of this association as
soon as it may be ready to report.
“ Ordered also. That the proceedings of this
meeting be published in such of the city papers
as will give them insertion.’
"In pursuance of the second resolution about
--*
35 or 40 gentlemen came forward and enrolled
themselves, and the meeting adjourned.
WM CHAUNCEY LANGDON. Secretary.”
The comm,tier provided tor by the foregoing
resolution 'to prepare and report to a subse
quent meeting a constitution and bv-laws”
seems to have performed its duty promptly.
OF interest is the account of the beginning
of the association given by W H H.
Smith, In which he says:
"In April. 1852. Rev, Clement M Butler,
rector of Trinity Episcopal Church of this city,
placed a copy of the constitution in the hands
of William Chauncev Langdon and Thomas
Duncan young teachers in his Sunday school,
to oonskier whether such an organization might
not be effected here. These two young men
discussed the matter with their mutual friend,
William J. Rhees of the Baptist Church, who
lived In the same house with Mr. Duncan, and
he entered into the plan with great enthusiasm.
Theae three men. only about 21 years old. and
employed in the governmental service, met in
Mr. Rhees' room on F street between Twelfth
and Tlrteenth. and there made arrangements
for a public call to propose a definite organ
isation.
"It seems that Mr. Duncan had previously
been considering the Idea of attempting such
Birthplace of the Young Mens Christian Association, the old Medical College
Building which stood at the northeast comer of Tenth and E streets northwest.
an organization here, and credit Is to be given
him for taking the first steps for the formation
of the Washington Association. He. however,
left the city in October, 1852. and the details
of establishing the association devolved upon
rj* srs. Langdon and Rhees. ably a sisted by
Messrs. Z. Richards and M H. Miller.”
Mr. Smith further tells us that at the pre
liminary meeting of June 9. s xty persons were
in attendance in the room occupied by the
" ‘Central Academy' of Rev. James Nourse.”
and that ‘‘35 or 40 persons came forward and
enrolled as members, the numb r tying in
creased to 92 members within a w<ek or so
thereafter.”
Also, from Mr. Smith we find that the first
12 members who signed the c nsll.ution did
so in the following order: Thomas Duncan,
W. C. Langdon. John C. Whitwell, J. T. Coch
ran. A. G. Carothers, Zalmon Richards. Thomas
Brooks, A. H. Lawrence. William J Rhet-s C.
W. Schreiner, A. B. Johnson and William Five.
The first regular offl’ers, elect'd July 9 were
Alexander H. Lawrence, president; William
Jones Rhees. recording se retary: William
Chnuncey Langdon, corresponding secretary,
and Mitchel H. Miller, tier urer. On D cember
14, 1852. Zalmon Richards was made presi
dent, Dr. James S. M-.Kie. D • Ri-hard H.
Coolidge, William B. Waugh and William Q.
Force, vice presid nts, and A L. E i wards,
librarian; Messrs. Rhees, Langaon and Miller
being re-elected.
For a while the association met wheie it was
organized, and then, on October 7, mevtd into
the Fowler Building, on the can s de of Sev
enth street between D and E stre ts.
I 1TTLE is known of the Seventh .street build
ing, but the place of the association's birth,
at Tenth and E streets, was known as the
Medical Building, located on the corner where
now,- as the Potomac E'ectri - Power Co. Budd
ing. The old building stood th re for many
years and was a landmark, bting from 184>; to
1855 known as Masonic Hall, wiiee met the
Grand Lodge and seven of the subordinate
lodges. It was in a historic spot, in the same
block with the Ford Theater Bui’ding. where
Lincoln was shot April 14. 1865. and diaeonally
across the street from the house in which the
great emancipator died the following day On
the E street side it was also oppos te the house
at 918 E street where one - lived James Bu h
anan. The old building stood until 10 or 15
years ago. when It gave wav to a gasoline
station and more recently to the present struc
ture.
From the Fowler Building the association
seems to have moved ti the corner o: Penn
sylvania avenue and T.nl'r street subsequent
to 1855, and on November 22. 1858 moved into
larger quarters in the Parker Build.ng. on the
south side of Pennsylvania av»hue between
Sixth and Seventh streets, whi-h was no doubt
recently removed with the other buildings in
that block. In 1865 it was back again on
Seventh street, next dror to Odd Fellows Hal —
a few doors from its former home in this block.
On January 15, 1867. it moved to quarters
over Metaerotts buiidini. 925 Pennsylvania
avenue, and bv the following year had mo\ed
to 313 Pennsylvania avenue (old numberingi,
and here the association remained until it
mo\ed into its new home at the northeast
corner of Ninth and D streets northwest, best
known to the early resident as Lincoln Hall
and Grand Army Hall, shortly after it was
completed. May 26 1869.
Though the association had at one time nego
tiated for the purchase of the old Ford Theater
Building, on Tenth street, and the Brady gym
nasium building, on the south side of Louisiana
avenue between Ninth and Tenth streets, yet
Its efforts in these directions apparently came
to naught, for on Sept'-mber 16. 1867. we find
it making a contract for the erection of the
Ninth and D streets building, the corner stone
of which was laid on November 27 of that
year.
This was a fine building for its day and oc
cupied a spacious piece of ground which had
- previously been occupied for a long time by
the pretentious home of Hudson Taylor, one of
Washington's early book sellers. The house
stood back from the street, we are told and
‘ had quite a large garden with some fine old
trees growing on it," one of which, a beautiful
ash. w£s sold to Samuel Kirby when the
grounds were being cleared. Being a cabinet
maker. Mr. Kirby made the wood into furni
ture.
kiRS. JENNIE TREE RIVES, who was the
Ivl daughter of Lambert Tree, for a long time
chief clerk of the city post office, writing, in
1900. of this neighborhood where she had ; pent
her girlhood days, tells-us:
“Next to Hudson Taylor's, on Ninth street,
stood an old three or four story brick house,
the windows heavily barred with iron bars.
When my father came here, in 1820. this house
was used as a slave pen. He has often seen
the Negroes standing at the windows looking
out Into the street and waiting to be sold
South. • • • At the northwest comer of
Ninth and D streets- stood the house and
grounds of Thomas Don oho. Next to that, on
Ninth street, was Dr. Blanchard's office. Mr.
Galt's house stood next, and then came my
father's house, Lambert Tree, now Silverberg’a
picture store. Mrs. Murray and her daughter.
Miss Mary Murray, a quite noted music teacher,
lived on the north of us. Then there were
several houses with entrances below the street.
You had to go down several steps to get into
them. Boyd's hardware and Purcell's book
store occupy the old site.”
Mr. Donoho's house, which stood at the
northwest comer of Ninth and D streets north
west. Is recorded as being a beautiful cottage,
"with its attractive garden of old-fashioned
flowers.” Here now is old Seaton Hall, for