News & announcements
Saving your history
Early accounts
Maps
Nearby towns
People
Churches
Schools
Municipal
Organizations
Businesses
The mines
Transportation
Streets
Buildings
Entertainment
Celebrations
Sports
Ethnic groups
Freeland Y.M.C.A.
What's on this page:
- History of the Freeland Y.M.C.A.
- "Y"sports and activities
- Photo of the Sandy Run Y.M.C.A.
- More Y team photos are on the Basketball page
- Halls and meeting rooms
HISTORY OF THE FREELAND Y.M.C.A.
On June
14, 1900 the Freeland Tribune reported that "The Young Men's Christian
Association building on East Front street, near Pine, was dedicated on
Tuesday evening. The program that evening included a talk by State
Secretary S. M. Baird about what the organization is and what it does,
prayers and scripture readings, and singing by the Park M. E. church
choir. This photo of the Freeland Y.M.C.A. lecture room in 1900 was
scanned at the "Y" in 2007 or 2008 and appears courtesy of the Freeland
Historical Society, Joe Flanagan and Tom Landers.Ed Merrick found an article dated November 19, 1959 noting that the Freeland "Y" was celebrating its 50th anniversary. The Young Men's Christian Association in Freeland was first organized in 1899 at a meeting held in the Refowich building, and it was chartered in 1909. Freeland's first "Y" building was built on Front street by Griffith at a cost of $925, and dedicated on June 12, 1900. It had a reading room, a billiards room and an assembly room. An addition housing a gym was built in 1906 at a cost of $1,139. One of the Y.M.C.A.'s main functions was to conduct religious services on Sunday afternoons. As time went on, the "Y" became a hub for much of Freeland's early athletic activities, and as years passed and more activities were made available there, it was valued for its physical, spiritual, cultural and musical influence on the community.
In 1929 a campaign was
being launched to
raise funds for a new, larger "Y" building. This picture at left shows
the projected view of the new Y.M.C.A. that funds were being raised to
build in 1929 (the time of the Depression). It was scanned at the "Y"
in 2007 or 2008 and appears courtesy of the Freeland
Historical Society, Joe Flanagan and Tom Landers. The Freeland Y had
already
shown its value in the years since it was begun. At right is the Y as
it
looked a few years ago. "Y" SPORTS AND ACTIVITIES
The
early Y.M.C.A. was not primarily about sports,
but sports soon became a way for young men to develop character in a
positive way. The photo at right of the Y.M.C.A. baseball team came
from John Zubach and is undated. 
At left is the 1905
Freeland
Y.M.C.A. baseball team, photo courtesy of Bob Vannauker. His father
George Vannauker was on the team and is marked with an "X" on the
photo. The enlarged image was repaired digitally by Jay Cawley; here's
what the actual photo looks like. Thank you, Jay.
At
left
is Bob Zimmerman's Y membership card from 1951. This magical piece
of paper enabled the bearer to be part of a world of play, sports,
effort, personal development, friendship. Here at right are some of the
lucky holders of such a card in 1939-1940. Do you see anyone you
recognize? Photo scanned at the "Y" in 2007 or 2008 and appears
courtesy of the Freeland
Historical Society, Joe Flanagan and Tom Landers.More "Y" team photos and information are on the Basketball page.
1959 GROUPS USING THE "Y": In October 1959 an article that Ed Merrick found estimated how much the "Y" had been used in the previous 6 months. Uses included 22 Saturday night Canteen dances, 127 bowling sessions, 520 gym sessions for boys, men and girls, 111 uses of the game room by men and boys, and 166 sessions for various uses by over 30 different organizations. YMCA-sponsored groups included the Canteen Council, board of directors, budget committee, executive committee, oil-painting class, Edwards Tournament committee, Camp Kresge meeting, Canteen Council picnic group. Other groups that also used the "Y" included Brownie Troops 35 and 252; Girl Scouts; Freeland High School basketball teams, practice and games; St. Ann's practice; Democratic Woman's Club; Boy Scouts; ILGWU Sportswear Union, Freeland Shirt and Freeland Dress employees; Freeland Recreation group; Lions New Projects; Freeland High School Band practice, dance and dinner; Rotary committees; Rotary Club dinner-meeting programs; MMI practices; Freeland Conference basketball game; Major Shirt, Freeland Manufacturing unions; Girl Scout investiture ceremonies; Cancer drive, FHS June Class Prom; Initial Gifts committee; Recreation Fund -- about 3 dozen groups using the "Y" facilities, many on a regular basis.
SANDY RUN Y.M.C.A.
This undated photo of the
Sandy Run Y.M.C.A. comes from Bob Zimmerman.
Upper Lehigh also had a Y.M.C.A., but I have not seen a photo of it.Thanks to Bob Vannauker, Bob Zimmerman, John Zubach, Ed Merrick, and the Freeland Historical Society, Joe Flanagan and Tom Landers for contributions to this page.