Robert Weidensall portrait

Item Information

Title:
Robert Weidensall portrait
Description:
A photograph of YMCA Hall of Fame inductee Robert Weidensall. Described by his contemporaries as “the best-loved man of the brotherhood,” Robert Weidensall worked tirelessly for 37 years developing YMCAs in rural communities in the mid-to-late 1800s.
Creator:
Steffens Studio
Date:
[1900?–1920?]
Format:
Photographs
Location:
Springfield College Archives and Special Collections
Collection (local):
College Archives Digital Collections
Series:
IMLS YMCA Historical Image Collection
Subjects:
Young Men's Christian Association of North America
Weidensall, Robert, 1836-1922
Portraits
Beards
Mustaches
Link to Item:
https://cdm16122.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/ref/collection/p15370coll2/id/790
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
Notes:
Weidensall began his YMCA work after serving in the Civil War. He laid the foundation for the great network of local and state YMCAs of the Midwest, traveling nearly 200,000 miles over 14 years. He began building YMCAs along the expanding railroads, and soon expanded his work to German-speaking young men, college students, and the men of the South. He advocated for staff training and for state YMCA committees. He pioneered the YMCA movement in schools and colleges, proposed general secretaries associations and training schools for secretaries, canvassed the south, and developed state work in the Midwest. He was instrumental in helping to create the YMCA's training schools, state committee organizations and the Worker's Bible Training classes. Mr. Weidensall was elected the first national field secretary of the International Committee of the YMCA in 1868, a position which he held until 1918. Weidensall helped found both George Williams College and the organization that would become the Association of YMCA Professionals (AYP). He was described by his peers as a man of “great character, of the farmer-engineer-explorer-pioneer type…He had the gift of prophecy, combined with common sense.” He died on September 13, 1922 at the age of 86 (Kautz Family YMCA Archives).
This image is mounted on a 12 x 17 in. board.
Identifier:
SC18749