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William M. Forbes photograph albums and papers

 Collection
Identifier: Y.USA.109

SCOPE AND CONTENTS OF THE COLLECTION

This collection includes six photo albums related to William M. Forbes and his time as a YMCA physical director in France, Poland and Romania between 1919 and 1922. The albums document both daily life and travels. Most images within the photo albums are not identified. There are also three folders with miscellaneous photographs, newspaper clippings, and other material. The folders are related to Forbes's work with Army and Navy YMCAs and with various national basketball and rules committees from 1923 to 1949.

Dates

  • 1919 - 1949

Creator

Conditions Governing Access

Open for use in the Elmer L. Andersen Library reading room.

Conditions Governing Use

This collection may be protected by the Copyright Law of the United States (Title 17, U.S. Code). It is the user's responsibility to verify copyright ownership and to obtain all necessary permissions prior to the reproduction, publication, or other use of any portion of these materials. Researchers may quote from the collection under the fair use provision of the copyright law.

BIOGRAPHY OF WILLIAM M. FORBES

William M. Forbes was born in 1886.

His work with the YMCA began in 1918. He was one of the nearly 26,000 workers who were recruited by the American YMCA to serve at home and abroad during World War I. He was initially stationed in Newport, Rhode Island. In 1919, he went overseas to serve as a YMCA physical director in France. He later served as a YMCA physical director in Poland and Romania.

After returning to the United States, he continued his work as a YMCA physical director. He served at various Army and Navy YMCAs until his retirement in 1946. From 1922 to 1935, he was at the Navy YMCA in Norfolk, Virginia. He then went to the Panama Canal Zone. In 1937, he returned to the Newport, Rhode Island YMCA. In 1941, he went to Fort Indiantown Gap in Lebanon, Pennsylvania as the YMCA associate director of programs. He then went to Fort Hancock in Sandy Hook, New Jersey. In 1943, he left Fort Hancock to direct a USO mobile service unit. He retired from the YMCA in 1946.

He died March 27, 1949.



Information taken from various materials in the collection as well as his obituary (“William M. Forbes Dies.” The Newport Mercury and Weekly News, April 1, 1949).

Extent

.56 Cubic Feet (2 boxes)

Language of Materials

English

Abstract

Photograph albums documenting William M. Forbes's work in Europe as a YMCA physical director from 1919 to 1922 and some miscellaneous photographs, newspaper clippings, and other material related to Forbes's later work with Army and Navy YMCAs in the United States between 1923 and 1949.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Donated by the Armed Services YMCA of the USA in 2020.

Processing Information

Includes accession number Y20200301.

Title
WILLIAM M. FORBES
Subtitle
An Inventory of his papers
Status
Completed
Author
Alex Bentley
Date
May 2022
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin

Collecting Area Details

Contact The Kautz Family YMCA Archives Collecting Area

Contact:

612-625-3445