For Our Boys At The Front (ca. 1918)

Item Information

Title:
For Our Boys At The Front (ca. 1918)
Description:
This is a six-page pamphlet titled "For Our Boys at the Front." It is thought to have been published in 1918. It encourages donations to the YMCA in support of the war work being done overseas. Included is a list of donor names as well as two news clippings about YMCA soldiers. James Huff McCurdy, M.D. (1866-1940) graduated in 1890 from the YMCA Training School, now known as Springfield College. In 1895, Dr. James H. McCurdy returned to the school as an instructor. He contributed to the field of physical education in many ways, including his studies on the relationship between heart rate, blood pressure, and motor tasks in adolescent boys. In 1924, he published one of the first texts for Exercise Physiology. In 1918, James H. McCurdy realized the need “for an extensive programme of sports and recreation in the immediate postwar period that would bridge the gap and ease the transition between military service and civilian life.” The result was the Inter-Allied Games, the biggest international sports event that had ever been held at that time. Attended by 25,000 people, the Games were a huge success. Dr. McCurdy was the Director of the Division of Athletes, Hygiene and Health for the American YMCA among American troops in France. The College’s ties with the YMCA resulted in many alumni, students and faculty going overseas to work as YMCA camp secretaries. Like many colleges and universities across the country, Springfield established their own SATC unit on campus and built a barracks for them in 1918. The United States entered the World War One on April 6 1917 and in response Springfield College offered war work courses for YMCA secretaries. The training of war work secretaries and physical education directors were important contributions to the war effort by the college. The YMCA provided canteen services at the invitation of the US government and raised more than 150 million dollars in order to comply with the request. This kind of work was not new to the YMCA which provided similar services during the Spanish American War.
Creator:
Springfield College
Date:
[1918?]
Format:
Documents
Location:
Springfield College Archives and Special Collections
Collection (local):
Springfield College Armed Forces Collection
Subjects:
International Young Men's Christian Association
World War, 1914-1918
Springfield College
Springfield College--Faculty
International Young Men's Christian Association College
McCurdy, J. H. (James Huff), 1866-1940
Best, Ernest Maurice, 1880-1963
Mott, John R. (John Raleigh), 1865-1955
YMCA
War work
Fund raising
Places:
Massachusetts > Hampden (county) > Springfield
Extent:
6 pages
Link to Item:
http://cdm16122.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/ref/collection/p16122coll16/id/4045
Terms of Use:
Text and images are owned, held, or licensed by Springfield College and are available for personal, non-commercial, and educational use, provided that ownership is properly cited. A credit line is required and should read: Courtesy of Springfield College, Archives and Special Collections. Any commercial use without written permission from Springfield College is strictly prohibited. Other individuals or entities other than, and in addition to, Springfield College may also own copyrights and other propriety rights. The publishing, exhibiting, or broadcasting party assumes all responsibility for clearing reproduction rights and for any infringement of United States copyright law.
Contact host institution for more information.
Publisher:
Springfield College
Language:
English
Identifier:
rg104-05-a-05-21-001