Christian Lantz and Salem YMCA

Item Information

Title:
Christian Lantz and Salem YMCA
Description:
This lantern slide shows two images: the Salem YMCA and Christian Lantz, who graduated in 1894 from the International YMCA Training School, now Springfield College.
Creator:
W. H. Drew, Stereopticons
Date:
[1900?–1910?]
Format:
Photographs
Location:
Springfield College Archives and Special Collections
Collection (local):
College Archives Digital Collections
Series:
Lantern Slide Collection
Subjects:
Young Men's Christian Association of North America
Springfield College
Springfield College--Alumni and alumnae
International Young Men's Christian Association Training School (Springfield, Mass.)
Lantz, Christian
Lantern slides
Portraits
Buildings
Telephone lines
Places:
Massachusetts > Hampden (county) > Springfield
Extent:
3x4 in
Link to Item:
http://cdm16122.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/ref/collection/p15370coll2/id/3767
Terms of Use:
Text and images are owned, held, or licensed by Springfield College and are available for personal, non-commercial, and educational use, provided that ownership is properly cited. A credit line is required and should read: Courtesy of Springfield College, Babson Library, Archives and Special Collections. Any commercial use without written permission from Springfield College is strictly prohibited. Other individuals or entities other than, and in addition to, Springfield College may also own copyrights and other propriety rights. The publishing, exhibiting, or broadcasting party assumes all responsibility for clearing reproduction rights and for any infringement of United States copyright law.
Contact host institution for more information.
Publisher:
Springfield College
Language:
English
Notes:
Born in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, Christian Lantz was a civic leader and father of the playground system in America. He served as general secretary of the Greenpoint YMCA in New York (1894-1899) and the Salem YMCA in Massachusetts (1900-1935). In 1907, he solicited funds to set up two playgrounds. After two years, he persuaded the city of Salem to take over the operation of the playgrounds. He founded the Salem Philharmonics and in 1914 was chairman of the Salem fire relief committee. He was drafted by the National Red Cross in 1917 to set up rehabilitation work in Halifax, Nova Scotia, following an explosion of a munitions ship. During World War I, President Wilson drafted Lantz to organize the war branch of the merchant marine and reorganize the United States shipping board. He was founder of the Pioneer Viollage in Salem, which was prepared for the 1939 tercentenary celebration of the state as a reproduction of the original 1630 Salem colony. Lantz was a member of the Salem park commission, trustee of the Salem YMCA, trustee of Salem Hospital, member of the Salem Rotary Club, and vice-president of the Salem Savings Bank. On September 19, 1955, the Salem YMCA broke ground on a swimming pool named in his honor. He died on October 16, 1955. The Salem YMCA was established in the 1850s, and the historic building pictured here was built in 1898. It has served as a museum, professional building, and civic building. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1983.
Text on border reads, "Christian Lantz '94, Gen Sec, YMCA, Salem, Mass."
Identifier:
LS-04-03