Harold Keltner (class of 1915) letter of recommendation
Description:
A recommendation letter on behalf of Mr. Harold S. Keltner, class of 1915 of the International YMCA College, now Springfield College. This letter of recommendation was written by Mr. Schmidt Stone, from Indiana.. Mr. Keltner was described as “one of Indiana’s best products, a friend of all, full of sympathy and happiness, and noted for [his] love of natural science and Indian life" (The Massasoit, 1915).
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.
After graduating from Springfield College, Mr. Keltner founded the YMCA Indian Guide program, and devoted his entire career to YMCA service. The Y Indian guide program was born in St. Louis, Mo. in 1926, as a result of Mr. Keltner’s interest in the character development of boys through their father-son relationships. The idea came to be as a consequence of many long conversations between Mr. Keltner and Mr. Joe Friday, an Ojibwa Indian, regarding the differences between modern day American and Indian father-son relationships. Mrs. Keltner played a major role in developing the first concrete steps to implement her husband’s idea and the organization of the first Y Indian Guide tribe. The program was finally adopted nationally by the YMCA in 1935. The Y-Indian Guides program was modified in 2003, out of sensitivity to Native Americans. The Y decided to drop Indian themes from their programs after an Indian civil rights group raised awareness on how the program could perpetuate offensive stereotypes about Indian cultures. The Y adventure guides program survives with Mr. Keltner’s main idea as its main purpose, “to foster father/child relationships”.
