Dayton YMCA Records

The Dayton YMCA was born during a speech by Professor Milton Saylor, the president of the Cincinnati YMCA on July 8, 1858. Professor Saylor spoke to a small group of Dayton Christian gentleman about a movement that was "spreading over the U.S. with the speed of good news." At the time of this speech, Dayton was a small town of 10,000 citizens, which was just beginning to blossom into a bustling metropolis. The professor told the men about George Williams, a London dry goods employee who, in 1844, started prayer and friendship meetings within the drapers' guild which led to the creation of the organization called the Young Men's Christian Association, better known as the YMCA. The group joined together for religious activities and moral improvement. The organization grew rapidly and branches were located in many countries. A national/world alliance of YMCAs was established and the organization constructed buildings to house their programs and created paid positions for their administrators. A Negro branch of the YMCA had also formed-Dayton's YMCA program would become the nation's oldest continuously existing black YMCA. The general purpose of the YMCA was to improve the spiritual and mental condition of young men.

Due to the outbreak of the Civil War, the association was disbanded on 31 October 1861. The present association was then formed on 2 March 1870. The first building, Dunlevy residence, was dedicated on 3 May 1875. Work began on the Third and Ludlow building on 10 May 1906.

During the flood, the Dayton YMCA was used as a relief headquarters. YMCAs from around the country sent aid to help the Dayton branch.

By 1921 the Dayton YMCA was bursting at the seams. The dorms, known as Ludlow Village, overflowed into two private residences next to the main building. A campaign was started in May 1926 to raise $85,000 to build a six-story addition and two small dormitories and to provide a new building for the Dayton Negro YMCA on W. Fifth. Street. The Fifth Street Branch was open in 1927.

On September 8, 1929, the new central branch of the Dayton YMCA was dedicated and a special eighteen page section of the newspaper was devoted to its opening. The building contained 245 residence rooms for 300 men, three gyms with galleries for 500, a beautifully tiled swimming poll with a gallery for 300, a 450 seat auditorium, a 450 seat basement hall, 15 classrooms, four labs, facilities for 1,000 students in the educational department, a chapel and library, four handball/squash courts, a health service facility, an athletic club, and a cafeteria and luncheon counter.

In 1929, the Montgomery County YMCA, which was established in 1910, became the Town and Country Branch of the Dayton Y. John H. Patterson had organized this branch as a rural YMCA. The branch offered Bible study, athletic programs, and gardening clubs. Its athletic programs alter became the Montgomery County High School Athletic Association and its gardening clubs led to Four H clubs. In 1921 the Farm Bureau took over the gardening activities.

The Dayton YMCA was affected by the stock market crash in 1929 and subsequent depression. By 1931 one-tenth of its members were out of work and one-half were seriously affected by the depression. Cutbacks by the Y included no newspaper scrapbooks until 1937, no salary increases for employees, less publicity and a reduced payroll. The bank that held the Y's savings closed and the Y found itself with a $20,000 deficit. James McCandless, the new general secretary in 1934, set in motion changes to increase membership and youth services. He quickly discovered that the Fifth Street Y had a deficit and was badly in need of upgrades. His quite campaign to reduce the deficit was a turning point for the Dayton YMCA: he was able to wipe out $435,000 of the basic mortgage and reduce the organization's debt. His efforts paid off when by 1936, finances improved and air condition was installed in the central branch dining room and employees received pay raises.

World War II heightened the activities of the YCMA: program hours were lengthened, there were open houses for employees of both local air fields, the residence hall was expanded, and there were free physical privileges for members of the armed forces. Approximately 164, 211 services members received guest privileges during the war years.

In 1947, the Y began a campaign to raise funds to rebuild 83 YMCA buildings destroyed during the war throughout the world. The Dayton YMCA raised over $40,000 for the "World Youth Fund." The Y's World Service program expanded into missionary work and education in world affairs. The chief concern of this program was the teaching and practice of Christian principles throughout the world.

The postwar years were a time of expansion for the Dayton YMCA Camp Kern was expanded and endowed by corporate and personal donors. The G.I. Bill provided educational benefits for veterans who flocked to the YMCA College. The College, in cooperation with local industry, rapidly expanded, creating a day division and work-study and university transfer programs. In 1948, it was named "Sinclair College of the YMCA in honor of David Sinclair. Over 2,500 students registered that year.

By 1950, Hi-Y clubs, social and service YMCA organizations for youth, were organized at many local high schools to combat juvenile delinquency. The Y annual membership enrollment, established in 1912, reached its greatest success in 1951 when 9,515 new and continued members enrolled. For many years, this annual membership drive had the active involvement of many of Dayton's prominent civic and industrial leaders, including Charles Kettering, Col. E. Deeds, and Orville Wright. The Oakwood Branch of the Dayton YMCA opened in 1949, the Fairborn Branch opened in1951, and the Kettering branch opened in 1957, joining the Fifth Street and Town & Country branches. By 1953, the Dayton YMCA had a membership of 15, 432. The physical education department started leagues and tournaments for weightlifting, wrestling, gymnastics, and swimming. The YMCA's general program expanded to include a Travel and Adventure lecture series, the Y Players theater group and the YMCA chorus. The youth programs also expanded with the establishment of the Indian Guides, a father and son program.

In 1957, the overall operation of the Dayton YMCA became a metropolitan organization. The central branch became a distinct and separate branch for administrative purposes. The following year, the organization introduced the concept of family memberships to the Dayton area.

During the early 1960s a Capital Funds campaign was launched to help the YMCA keep up with the growth of Dayton and the ensuing problems of poverty and delinquency. The YMCA programs were expanded, especially those concerning poverty and delinquency in the inner city. An enrichment center was established with an after school program for educational, cultural and recreational growth for children living in poverty. At this time the Fifth Street branch Men's club organized an international service club to combat racism and poverty.

By 1970 the Dayton YMCA had 30,000 members, 27% of which were female, and family memberships were on the rise.

Current branches of the Metropolitan Dayton YMCA are as follows: Beavercreek, Coffman, Fairborn, Huber Heights, Kleptz, Preble County, Kettering, West Carrollton, and Xenia.