This black & white educational/promotional film is about the YMCA and what it does. It was produced in 1941. It was directed by famed filmmaker Julian Bryan. The film is especially notable for showing “Negro YMCA” facilities which were segregated at the time, starting at the 18:40 mark.
Opening titles: The Young Men’s Christian Association presents MEN OF TOMORROW (:06-:28). Map of England 1844. Houses of Parliament were still under construction. Poor people in London. George Williams, a farmboy, organizes some people to improve conditions and thus created The Young Men’s Christian Association. Where they can be found all over a map of London followed by where in the United States and Canada. Where the YMCA spread throughout the world on a map (:29-2:21). Shot of The New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad Dept. YMCA sign. Exterior YMCA building. Regular Americana shots. People walk the streets. A policeman points out the YMCA to a man. He goes in and asks for a room. Shaking hands, the man heads for his room, and relaxes when he gets there. The secretary of the YMCA gives the man a tour of the place. Swimming lessons
(2:22-4:46). A man writes a letter and then gets some food. Men exercise, wrestle, then play basketball. Swimming in an indoor pool. A boy and a girl set up decorations for a party. Couple step through a paper heart. Man plays piano. Couples dance (4:47-6:47). Board of Directors meeting. A boy lights a candle. Boys sit around a table. They watch a film on a screen. Boys sit in a sailboat and swim. An instructor teaches swimming lessons. Eating at summer camp. Mail is passed out. Boys wash dishes and pick up on the grounds and garden (6:48-9:33). Men paint boys bodies’ for a sacred Indian dance. Indians light a fire. Volleyball, baseball, Chapel. Boys sit and listen (9:34-10:46). Men talk. Men in a library. A meeting is in progress at the YWCA. Women ask questions. Men sit and listen at a meeting (10:47-12:04). Men go to church. Shake hands with a woman. A man sits with a family at dinner and gets to know them. Children at the YMCA play outside. Bike riding, a club meeting. Older boys make bags for a hospital. Boys handle musical instruments. Boys raise their hands in prayer (12:05-14:44). High School boys, they park bikes. An election takes pace. Boys walk through the snow and go skiing. They ski wearing short sleeves and shorts (14:45-16:25). College. Young men in church. Exterior factory shots. A man meets with a college rep (16:25-17:56). Railroad engineer. Men play pool. Train Conductors play checkers. Exterior city shots. African Americans are shown at special “colored” YMCAs, which were part of segregated facilities in this era. Art classes. Men look for jobs (17:57-20:08). USO. Service Men find lodging at the YMCA. Small town America. People meet in a firehouse (20:09-21:06). YMCA in China. Chinese people talk. Chinese farmers walk. Troops march. Young boys run. YMCA in Peru and Uruguay. A boy works out. Family summer camp. YMCA in Rio. Boys in school. Buenos Aires has a YMCA as well (21:07-23:09). Canadian YMCA. British YMCA. YMCA tea car serves firemen in England. Traveling YMCA library. Men grab books. Boys work out and play (23:10-24:22). Closeups of many boys faces (24:23-25:03). End credits (25:04-25:13).
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This film is part of the Periscope Film LLC archive, one of the largest historic military, transportation, and aviation stock footage collections in the USA. Entirely film backed, this material is available for licensing in 24p HD, 2k and 4k. For more information visit http://www.PeriscopeFilm.com
