| Creator | Boston Young Men’s Christian Association |
| Title | Boston Young Men's Christian Association records |
| Dates | 1873-1955 |
| Identification | CC 19 |
| Quantity | 1.0 linear feet (2 manuscript containers) |
| Collection Abstract | This collection consists of the annual reports of the Boston Young Men's Christian Association from 1873 through 1955 with several years lacking a report and two publications related to the BYMCA. |
| Historical Abstract | The Boston Young Men's Christian Association (BYMCA) was founded in 1851. It was the first YMCA established in the United States. The fundamental principles behind the BYMCA were to work among young Christian men, to maintain control of the Association through evangelical believers from various denominations and to "recognize the power of environment in influencing the lives of the men." |
| Language | Material in English. |
| Location | Collection may be stored offsite. Please contact Archives staff for more information. |
Collection is open.
Copyright for materials resides with the creators of the items in question, unless otherwise designated.
Please contact the College Archivist with requests to publish any material from the collection.
[Identification of item: description and date], Boston Young Men's Christian Association records, CC 19, Simmons College Archives, Boston, MA, USA.
Transferred from the Simmons College School of Social Work Library, 1991
Accession number: 1997.148
Processed by Deborah Richards, November 1997
Supervised by Joanie Gearin
This collection guide was encoded as part of the LEADS project by Sarah Gluck, October 2012
The Boston Young Men's Christian Association (BYMCA) was founded in 1851. It was the first YMCA established in the United States. Captain Thomas Sulivan, who was a lay missionary, and a group of men from different evangelical churches started the Association after becoming aware of the formation of a Young Men's Christian Association in London, England in 1844. They believed that there was a need for this kind of an organization in Boston due to its growth as an urban center and the migration into the city of young men from smaller cities and the countryside.
The fundamental principles behind the BYMCA were to work among young Christian men, to maintain control of the Association through evangelical believers from various denominations and to "recognize the power of environment in influencing the lives of men." The chapter intended to keep young, Christian men away from the vices of the city and on a proper Christian path. Its mission was accomplished by offering numerous services to their members. The chapter provided a reading room, a library, a popular lectures series, evening classes, social gatherings, excursions, a gymnasium, an employment department, and a register of respectable boarding houses. In addition, numerous religious activists, including bible classes and prayer meetings, were offered for young men and boys.
The first home of the BYMCA was a Tremont Street and Temple Place, where a suite of rooms was rented. This was the BYMCA home for twenty years. In 1872, the Association was able to purchase a building better suited to its needs at Tremont and Eliot Streets. But due to the chapter's rapid growth and success, the Tremont and Eliot building was quickly outgrown and a new building was built specifically for its needs at Boylston and Berkeley in 1883. Unfortunately in 1910 a fire destroyed the building and the YMCA was forced to reside in a temporary space at 10 Ashburton Place until a new building could be erected. By 1912 a new Association building was complete and the chapter moved into its new home at 246 Huntington Ave. This building was much larger than previous residencies and able to house all of the numerous services for the members. The chapter continues to operate from this location.
This collection consists of the annual reports of the Boston Young Men's Christian Association from 1873 through 1955 with several years lacking a report. Also included are an address by Robert C. Winthrop delivered before the BYMCA in 1859, and a brochure entitled The Centennial Year [1951] which describes contemporary activities and services. Each annual report includes the chapter's constitution and by-laws, committee reports, addresses given by officers during the year, and a list of officers and life members.
These and related materials may be found under the following headings in online catalogs.
Part of the School of Social Work Library Charities Collection.
Box 1
Box 2
Box 2
