The following is derived from
George Reeser Prowell's
History of Camden County, New Jersey
published in 1886

THE YOUNG MEN'S CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION next to the church, and therefore next to the heart and head of all religious work, has made great strides forward during the past quarter of a century. It was organized October 16, 1878, at the residence of Samuel B. French, corner of Cooper Street and Front, by George H. Davis, W. Howard Curtiss, Bartram L. Bonsall, Samuel B. French, Howard Carrow and I. S. Conover. Mr. Davis was chosen chairman, and Mr. Conover secretary. It was "Resolved, That we, members of the church of Christ, and believers in Him, organize ourselves into a Young Men's Christian Association, to be called The Young Men's Christian Association of Camden." W. H. Curtiss, B. L. Bonsall and Fitch Taylor were appointed a committee on organization. Another committee was appointed to visit the pastors of the city with the view of obtaining their cooperation. The next meeting was held in the lecture room of Tabernacle Baptist Church (now the hall of Wm. B. Hatch Post, G. A. B.), on the 24th of the same month. By-laws and a constitution were adopted, and the officers elected were, President, George H. Davis; Vice-President, W. H. Bancroft; Corresponding Secretary, W. Howard Curtiss; Recording Secretary, George H. Higbee ; Treasurer, Bartram L. Bonsall; Directors, Samuel B. French, Fitch Taylor, E. Dallas Stager, H. L. Titus and the officers. The association continued to meet in the Tabernacle until the 2d of December following, when the first meeting was held in the second story front room of the house at 318 Federal Street, and here the association remained during the year of 1879, growing in membership and influence, and carrying forward a good work at the Camden jail, at the rooms and at open-air meetings.

With the beginning of 1880 the association occupied the desired second and third floors of the hall now known as the Association Hall, at Third Street and Market. But, notwithstanding the limited quarters at 318 Federal Street, the older members still retain pleasant memories of the year spent there, and perhaps it would be entirely proper to claim that in no year of its history was the devotional work of the association conducted with greater enthusiasm. In 1881 Wilbur F. Rose was elected president, and he continued until January 1885, during which time the membership increased greatly, and W. H. Geistweit and William Getty successively filled the post of general secretary. John J. Robinson became general secretary afterward, and in the spring of 1886 George H. Barker, general secretary of the Bordentown Association, assumed the duties as general secretary of the Camden organization and has since done very effective work. Upon the retirement of Mr. Rose as president, at the close of the year 1884, Walter M. Patton was elected president, and is now the efficient head of the association. . The official minutes show the officers of the association, from its institution to this date, to have been as follows:

1878.—President, George H. Davis ; Vice-President, W..H. Bancroft, Corresponding Secretary, W. Howard Curtiss; Recording Secretary, George H. Higbee; Treasurer, Bartram L. Bonsall; Directors, Samuel B. French, Fitch Taylor, E. Dallas Stager and Harry L. Titus.

1879.—President, George H. Davis; Vice-President, William H. Bancroft; Corresponding Secretary, W. H. Curtiss; Recording Secretary, Jos. Alexander; Treasurer, B. L. Bonsall; Directors, Crowell S. Fewsmith, Fitch Taylor, J. Kelley Brown, Thomas S. Conover.

1880.—President, George H. Davis ; Vice-President, Robert P. Stewart; General Secretary, W. H. Curtiss; Recording Secretary, Dilwyn C. Cliver; Treasurer, B. L. Bonsall; Directors, James E. Leadley, Samuel R. Murray, J. Kelley Brown, C S. Fewsmith, S.H. Higbee, Westcott Campbell, Thomas S. Conover, S. G. Wallace, Carlton M. Williams, Charles H. Armstrong.

1881.—President, Wilbur F. Rose; Vice-President, Robert P. Stewart; General Secretary, W. H. Curtiss; Financial Secretary, Asa L. Curtis; Treasurer, B. L. Bonsall; Directors, George H. Davis, A. Ledden Iszard, C.M. Williams, C.A. Hotchkiss, J.E. Leadley, S.G. Wallace, E.M. Howard, M.D., G.H. Higbee, E. Shivers, E.H. Plummer.

1882.—President, Wilbur F. Rose; Vice-President, Robert P. Stewart; General Secretary, George H. Davis; Recording Secretary, Clifford W. Shinn; Treasurer, Bartram L. Bonsall; Directors, Harris Graffn, E.M. Howard, M.D., A.L. Iszard, Samuel Finney, S.G. Wallace, C.A. Hotchkiss, E.H. Plummer, Asa L. Curtis, G.H.  Higbee, Carlton M. Williams.

1883- President, Wilbur F. Rose; Vice-President, E.M. Howard, M.D.; General Secretary, W.S. Geistweit; Recording Secretary, Harris Graffen; Treasurer, George H. Higbee; Directors, J. Lynn Truscott, Harry Humphreys, Carlton M. Williams, C. A. Hotchkiss, S. Bryan Smith, Robert. P. Stewart, Samuel Finney, George H. Davis, F. W. Ayer.

1884.—President, Wilbur F. Rose; Vice-President, E. M. Howard, M.D.; Treasurer, G. H. Higbee; Recording Secretary, J. Lynn Truscott; Directors, E. H. Bryan, Samuel Russell, Carlton M. Williams, Walter M. Patton, Oscar C. Molan, E. E. Read, Jr., J. T. Harker, Harry Humphreys, E. A. Armstrong, Louis T. Derousse, Thomas H. Harris, E. R. Smiley, M.D.; George E. Taylor, David M. Chambers, J. L. Truscott.

1885.—President, Wilbur F. Rose; Vice-President, E. M. Howard, M.D.; Treasurer, Harry M. Anderson ; Directors, E. H. Bryan, Oscar C. Molan, E. M. Howard, Samuel Russell, Walter M. Patton, Harry Humphreys, Carlton M. Williams, George H. Higbee, R. P. Stewart, E. A. Armstrong, Bartram L. Bonsall, John T. Seymour, S. G. Wallace, E. H. Plummer, Charles Danenhower.

1886.—President, Walter M. Patton; Vice-President, E. M. Howard, M.D.; Recording Secretary, John F. Seymour; Treasurer, Harry M. Anderson; Directors, Carlton M. Williams, Oscar C. Molan, E. H. Bryan, E. A. Armstrong, S.G. Wallace, B.L. Bonsall, W.F. Rose, J.E. Roberts, Charles L. Reeves, Christian Schrack, A. E. Street.  

"The Ladies' Auxiliary of the Young Men's Christian Association," one of its noblest supports, was organized in the hall on the 15th of January, 1883, a preliminary meeting having been held on the 10th. At the second meeting the following officials were chosen for the year: President, Mrs. H. L. Hotchkiss; Vice-President, Mrs. Wilbur F. Rose; Treasurer, Mrs. Harris Graffen ; Secretary, L. W. Hurlbut.  The Auxiliary from that date steadily grew in power for good, and it is now a most effective agency for the promotion of the objects of the association..

Camden Daily Telegram * March 21, 1893

Camden Daily Telegram * February 28, 1896

ARMITAGE RESIGNS AS SECRETARY OF Y 
Consolidation of City and County Institutions Now Being Planned

Arthur E. Armitage, Collingswood's commissioner of public works, yesterday resigned as general secretary of the Camden Young Men's Christian Association. 

This was announced following a meeting of the "Y" board of directors. The resignation is due to be come effective September 15. That date will mark the twentieth year Armitage has served the Y. M. C. A. movement. Seventeen of these years have been with the local 
association. 

Fulfillment of an early ambition and a desire to devote his time to other interests, was expressed by Armitage as the basis for his resignation. 

Consolidation Planned 

At the board meeting, over which Wilfred W. Fry presided, a proposal was considered to consolidate the local "Y" with the Camden County Y. M. C. A. Armitage was named with Charles Wagner and E. W. Stedman as a committee of three to study the plan and confer with 
officials of the county unit. 

The retiring secretary first entered the young men's work as boys' physical director at the Orange Young Men's Christian Association, on September 15, 1913. He remained there two years and then took up similar duties with the Carney's Point. Y. M. C. A. when the movement was sponsored there by the duPont interests. On September 15, 1916 he became educational secretary of the Camden "Y" and later was appointed general secretary.

In tendering his resignation he remarked:

"My interest in the "Y" movement is just as keen as ever, but I feel since I have given 20 of my best years to the work and have fulfilled an early ambition that now I would like to devote time to other interests."

Founded Law School 

Armitage's other .interests include the South Jersey Law School, which he conceived in 1926 and advanced with the aid of Elmer G. Van Name, an attorney, and the College of South Jersey, which was developed in 1928, Both are housed in the same building 

He is president of the Spartan Building and Loan Association, past president of the Camden Rotary Club and in addition to his borough duties at Collingswood also is active in Masonic circles. 

In accepting his resignation the board elected Armitage to the directorate and chose LeRoy A. Goodwin, William Atkinson and S. B. Golf to draft resolutions commending the retiring secretary. 

Elmer E. Long, vice president, Francis B. Wallen and Millard Tay were selected to consider a candidate for Armitage's post.