No. 32 -- 13 April 1932

Mr. N.A. Hughes,
C/o Y.M.C.A. College,
5315 Drexel Avenue,
CHICAGO. Ill. U.S.A.

My dear Noel,

We did not receive a letter from you this American mail, but a copy of the “Collegian” came to hand. We must assume that no news is good news.

Noel from the early 1930s
in Chicago. 

Affairs at home are much the same as I reported in my last letter. Mother is keeping well, and of course, sends her love.

Keith is getting back into his old stride, although the illness shook him up a good deal. He doesn’t expect his present job will last much beyond this month, and as far as we can see, there is nothing ahead immediately.

Ruth is still at home, although she is much better as the result of the rest she has had. We are sending her away next week for a spell, and hope shewill be soon right again.

The two little ones are as usual “in the pink”. Edith is getting more boisterous than ever, greatly to Joy’s annoyance. As you know, Joy is much quieter and less demonstrative than Edith and is consequently reprimanding Edith for her noisiness. However the two of them get on very well together, despite their little disagreements. Edith is making good progress with her music under Miss Marshall. Joy seems to be quite happy at Fintona and is entering into the sport of the school and is, of course, keen on that side of school life.

Rex. is still away in Sydney. We had a letter from him last week in which he stated he would probably be away for another fortnight, but even that is not certain – he may be away longer.

There is not a great deal of home news to pass on to you. Things are much the same as in my last letter. We held the Annual Meeting of the South Hawthorn Presbyterian Church last week, and had quite a good turn out of folk despite the very bad weather. The Church is having its problems as you can well imagine, especially along financial lines. Mr. Baird is, I think, preaching better than he was some time ago and there is good spirit in the Church’s life.

I have been pretty busy as Chairman of the Boys’ Work Committee of the Rotary Club, and just now am up to my eyes in preparation for Girls’ and Boys’ Week to be held April 30 to May 6. I have a very big programme in hand and hope this year will set new standards of achievement. I will send you a copy of the programme in our next letter.

At the Association we are still struggling with the financial problem. It is becoming a nightmare! We do not seem able to improve the revenue despite all the economies that we have effected in expenditure. However, we are trying hard to make changes in our work that will enable us to do more promotional work and in this way we hope to improve the position somewhat. It is clear we cannot continue at the present rate of loss. Our banker will stop us before long. The Board is meeting at weekly intervals to try and see daylight through the number of the issues tied up in our financial situation.

We had a good camp at Manyung during Easter time. While there were only 30 present, Ivor Burge reported that it was the best held in the last four years. There have been further improvements effected and showers have been installed at the camp. Also big improvements were made at Shoreham by a work party which spent Easter there.

We are still about two-thirds full in the Residential Department and the going is hard. Cafeteria has slumped badly during the last two months. We actually have a loss on the first quarter. This is something new for us. We are also trying to speed up revenue in the Billiard room and have re-formed the Billiard Room Committee with that end in view.

You will receive this letter about the middle of May and will then, I expect, be scratching hard in preparation for your final examinations. We know that you will endeavour to make a good showing and we ask you specially to remember the folk at home who are desperately anxious for your success. I know you will not give too much time to other matters and will put your best work into your studies. It is only in this way that you can expect results we all desire.

Please pass on my regards to Clive and May, and also to Foss, Dreaver and others. I must close now.

Yours affectionately,
Dad.

(Handwritten post-script)
All unite in sending their love.

Noel's Commentary on George's Letters, Part 1

Noel in 1982

Since we are 26 letters into this project and have passed the one-year anniversary since the project's inception, I thought this would be a good time to share a document written by Noel in the 1980s.

When Noel was putting together a family history, he used the saved letters from his father, George, as a resource. After the long job of condensing the letters down to just the family history, he was able to look at them anew and paint a general picture of what he saw happening.

I'll only share the first part right now, and save the second part for when we get a few more years into the letters.

Here it as as Noel wrote it:

Commentary on Dad's Letters

The following was written by Noel in 1984 after having read Dad's letters of fifty years ago. There is no intention to be mundane or emotional, but to say it as I see it with the perspective that the years give.

The first several years can only be characterized as very difficult ones for Dad particularly.

Economic conditions were chaotic making the financing of the "Y" almost impossible. The membership decreased significantly, occupancy of the residence declined to less than fifty percent causing Dad untold strain to keep the Association afloat. Salaries were cut several times resulting in a bare bones existence for Mum, Dad and the family. There was a period when the difficulties were so extreme that it was a question whether Dad would continue as General Secretary. However, times became a little better about 1934. The strain of the days showed up in Dad's health. In reading his letters it was obvious that his health had deteriorated considerably, even though he had minimized his illnesses.

Keith too had a difficult time. He was unemployed for most of five years. Fortunately he was able to secure casual, short time jobs with the Texaco Company, the Dryfus company, the Wheat Commission and others which did give him a very limited but undependable income with long periods of famine up to the time he secured permanent employment with the Myers Emporium.

Ruth also had a difficult time when she began nursing -- the long hours, the demands of the hospital and the exacting nature of her work also showed up in the continuous string of illnesses she incurred.

1934 showed the beginning of better conditions and a less stressful living for the family.

Of course Noel in a foreign country, without any financial backing, struggling to make ends meet, particularly in the years 1931 to 1933, and going to college, also caused some turmoil for Dad.

The bright spots in the family during these years were, as Dad characterized them, the "kiddies". They were full of life, vim, vigor and vitality -- shafts of sunlight in the dismal days -- a source of great enjoyment to both Mum and Dad, Keith and Ruth.

Speaking of the two girls, they were opposites in temperament, but in their pre-teen and teenage years pursued similar interests in church and school activities. Edith was more eloquent and excitable, and to quote Father, "Edith is getting more boisterous than ever, greatly to Joy's annoyance. As you know, Joy is much quieter and less demonstrative than Edith, and is consequently reprimanding Edith for her noisiness. However, the two of them get along very well together". "....... going along quietly, that is, as quietly as Edith can go!"

Also, Chas. F. Crosby was a great friend for on many occasions he made his Summer home in the Dandenongs available for the family to have a holiday in the country.

Part 2 to be published at a future date. 

No. 7 -- 24 June 1931

Mr. Noel A. Hughes, (of Melbourne, Australia)
C/o Central Y.M.C.A.,
2200 Prospect Ave.,
CLEVELAND. Ohio. U.S.A.

My dear Noel,

Well, here you are completing another stage in the big adventure. I hope the Conference at Toronto was of great value to you and that you made the most of every opportunity to hear the best of the discussions and to make contacts with the leaders.

Newspaper clippings from
the Melbourne Sun (22 June 1931),
the Melbourne Argus (22 June 1931),
 Melbourne YMCA's Manhood (June 1931).

Flickr

In Cleveland, I would strongly advise you to endeavour to visit most of the branches of the Cleveland Y, look over the educational work in particular and do not forget to go to the Westside Boys' Building to meet Mr. M. D. Crackel. You will find Crackel a splendid man of long experience in our work. Mr. Knebel, the General Secretary at Cleveland, has not been there for very long, but he is regarded as one of the best men in the North American work.

I had a friend on the staff by the name of Merriam. I do not know whether he is still there. You might enquire and if so, remind him of the meeting I had with him in 1917 when I was going to England and France.

The great Conference at Cleveland should set new standards in the work of the Association. The discussions centering around "Youth's search for God" should be very helpful to you in your own life, as well as in your work in the future.

I hope by this time you have been successful in securing an opening in an Association which will fill up the hiatus between now and your entry to the Chicago Y College. Perhaps Clive Glover has been able to find something for you. I know he would do his best to help you.

I am specially anxious that you should write to us immediately you hear anything regarding work, so that we may be able to write to you direct. Always give, if possible, the dates covering your movements and a specific address, so that mail matter may go direct to you.

If you are not successful in securing a job, I would suggest that you make contact with Mr. Ralph W. Cooke, the Assistant Secretary of the Chicago Y.M.  He would have a good deal to do iwth the placing of men in the Chicago branches. He may be able to find a job for you at that time. He will probably be at the World's Conference. You might make enquiries among the delegates and, if possible, locate him.

Another man I would like you to meet is Mr. HarryW. White, who is on the Foreign Department staff, located at Chicago. He is sure to be at Cleveland. I would not be surprised if John W. Cook wrote to you suggesting that you should spend some time with him at Baily Island, Maine.

If you should go to New York, do not fail to look up Eric Nicoll, Personnel Manager, Metropolitan Division, Western Union Telegraph Company, 395 Broadway, New York. Eric, you remember, was Boys' Work Secretary at the Dunedin Y during the time I was away in England and France.

I must close now. All of us are anxious to hear the news regarding your journeyings and are hopeful that you will have a wonderfully happy time. It is a great chance you have, and there  is no doubt it should be of the greatest possible benefit to you as an introduction to your College work. I know you will work hard. I believe you will face all the opportunities with a determination to make them count in your own life and in your future work. You will have many temptations to take the easy road. No success in life comes to the man who does that. There is only one royal road to success, and that is a long uphill climb in which at times you will be almost constrained to give up. That is the time to hang on. It is said that the darkest hour is just before the dawn. You  will find it so in your work.

Our love is yours,
Dad


See related post: The YMCA conferences in Toronto and Cleveland

Crossing into the United States

Noel's approximate route from (A) Toronto to (C) Cleveland,
with a crossing at (B) Niagara Falls.

 

I don't know many details about Noel's journey from Toronto to Cleveland, other than that he crossed at Niagara Falls on 2 Aug 1931.

Noel's passport showing his U.S. Visa, his entry into Canada
and his entry into the United States.

Flickr

I have to jump pretty far ahead in the letters to find anything relevant. George writes on 29 Sept 1931, "I was interested in your account of the journey from Toronto to Cleveland. People would find it difficult to imagine that you could make the trip on such a small expenditure. I am glad you were impressed with Niagara Falls. They certainly cause one to feel surprised at their extent and magnificence."

As I'm writing this, I'm staring to remember visiting Niagara Falls with my family. I had to pull out my photo album to figure this out, but it was 1982 and I was in middle school.

I vaguely remember the border crossing from Canada to New York. On previous crossings, the border patrol would ask, "Are you U.S. citizens?" and when we all replied yes, we would be waved through. But this time, border patrol asked us, "Where were you born?" When my grandfather replied, "New Zealand", it caused a few extra questions. But even that was simple and we were waved right through. Maybe grandpa had to show his drivers license.

Unfortunately, I didn't realize at the time the personal significance that revisiting that crossing would have had for my grandfather. If I did, that part of the memory is forgotten. But it would explain why my father laughed so hard at the extra questioning and thought it was significant.

Dressed up for our Cave of the Winds tour at Niagara Falls in 1982.
Pictured are my father, Alan, (left); my grandmother Marion; my grandfather Noel;
my mother, Sherrie; and my sister, Heather.

Flickr

See related post: No. 7 -- 24 June 1931

The YMCA conferences in Toronto and Cleveland

The next two letters, which were addressed to Noel in Toronto and Cleveland, finally move on to the business of the YMCA conferences to which Noel was traveling.

Newspaper clippings from
the Melbourne Herald (20 June 1931),
The Melbourne Age (22 June 1931).
and the Melbourne Herald (abt. 16 July 1931).
(click to enlarge or view on Flickr)

"Now, I hope you will enter into the Conference with the desire to get out of it the absolute limit in the way of help and inspiration," George wrote in the Toronto letter. "It will be a wonderful chance to meet many of the great leaders of our Movement from practically all countries of the World. You will be glad to make these contacts as they may mean a great deal to you in the future and I would suggest that you cultivate every opportunity in that direction."

I haven't found much about the conferences in my quick online search, but I did find an article from TIME Magazine titled Religion: Y.M.C.A. at Cleveland dated 17 Aug 1931.

The Toronto conference was a warm up for the Cleveland conference. They were the Twentieth World's Conference of the YMCA, which was a big international affair, and the 43rd International Convention of North American YMCAs.

"The great Conference at Cleveland should set new standards in the work of the Association," was George's prediction in his letter to Cleveland.

According to the TIME article, topics discussed were very timely for the 1930s, including:

• resolutions calling for revision of the Versailles Treaty and abolition of national armaments
• the German delegation proposing absolving Germany of sole guilt in World War I
• social problems related to unemployment
• urging huge governmental public works programs
• extending membership to women
• and offering sex education to boys and their parents.

That last bullet point, about sex education, I found really interesting, in that it seems counter to what a religious-affiliated organization might suggest today. "Professor Clyde A. Miller, Chairman of a subcommittee, addressed the conference on sex education, suggested that 'parents should give children sex education early in life. In view of the incapability of many parents . . . Y. M. C. A. directors and secretaries should pass on sex education to boys and their parents.'"

See related posts: No. 6 -- 23 June 1931  and No. 7 -- 24 June 1931

No. 1 -- 19 June 1931

Mr. N. A. Hughes
Passenger, R.M.S. "Niagara",
SYDNEY. N.S.W.

My dear Noel,

You are now starting out on the great adventure. I know quite well the sense of adventure is likely to be uppermost in your mind just now. There are many new experiences awaiting you and I can understand the thrill you will feel as you face them.

Noel's passport photo

Flickr

You know quite well that the folk at home are naturally anxious that you should "make good" in every sense of the word. You have your opportunity, and it will largely depend upon yourself just how far you will capitalise it and make it of real value in your life. All that we can do is to help provide that opportunity. The responsibility is now upon your own shoulders and you will have to measure up to the possibilities which lie ahead of you.

On shipboard there will be many new experiences, some of which may not be as pleasant as you would have them. You will be in the company of all kinds of folk and will need to be exceptionally careful in your choice of friendships. Scores of young fellows who have set out upon similar journeys have palled up with folk that they felt were companionable and safe, to find that they are simply looking for the opportunity to prey upon the confidence people repose in them. Every company of people has a section which lives by its wits. On shipboard you find that proportion greater than in normal life.

Flickr

The fact that you have Alec. Moodie with you should make it unnecessary for you to extend your friendships too widely. Be careful of the fellow who is short of money and who wants to borrow as he comes to the port, or, who at the port, discovers that he has only a few shillings and would like the loan of a pound or two, and will return it when you get back to the ship. There are plenty of that kind around, but they seldom pay up.

Be careful of your bags. Leave nothing lying around or it will disappear. Keep your bags locked and see that the first thing that you do is place your papers, wallet, etc. in the care of the Purser. Don't delay in doing this. There are some folk who clean up several cabins shortly after the boat starts. Be specially careful that your stuff is properly secured before you leave the ship at any of the ports of call. When you get to Suva, I expect Mr. A. Barker of the Methodist Mission may have some little courtesy to extend to you. If he should not put in an appearance at the ship, please look  him up, because you will find him a good friend. I have written him advising him of your arrival.

Old business cards from his Melbourne days
that my grandfather saved.

Flickr

And now, my boy, I have just this word for you in closing. If your service in the Young Men's Christian Association is going to be anything in the future, it will be largely determined by the depth of your own religious experience and your determination to make it of large account in the service of others.

Life has two major aspects, one in relation to God and one in relation to one's fellows. You cannot expect your service to your fellows to be of the greatest value unless you cultivate a deep and abiding fellowship with the living Christ.

Our love is yours as you go,

Dad

See related post: About the Sydney letters