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Crocker 1956

THE EXPOSITOR, BRANTFORD, Saturday, Sept: 22, 1956 Retire at 60? No, Sir! Dr. J. Howard Crocker Carved a Second Career By Jim Henderson When they reach retirement age, some men ready to settle down to a life of ease. Some decide they'll continue to work for a few more years. And there are others, Dr. J. Howard Crocker, Brantford's "grand old man of the YMYWCA," who take a derp breath and a second career for themselves. dos. When Dr. Crocker reached 60, the compulsory, retirement age for full-time workers, paused just long to tip his hat before moving to London to become director of physical education at the University of Western Ontario, That was in 1930 and at the end of his "second career," 17, years later, he was honored with an honorary doctorate degree in law and letters by his school. "y" First Love Though Dr. Crocker says he thoroughly enjoyed his A work at Western, the YM-YWCA is still his first love. He is no longer active but is still, as keenly a interested, in advis- the ory board and physical board of the local group and also of the national physical board of the YMCA. He was an active member of the YMCA for 64 years, serving across Canada and abroad. In 1951, the 100th anniversary of the TMCA in North America, he was one of 23 Canadians and Americans honored with life memberships. A keen interest in athletics, which he still maintains, led to his joining the YMCA in his hometown of St. Stephen, N.B., as a youth. He later helped as a staff member. In 1894 part accepted a post as secretary of the Amherst, N.S., branch and was started on a career in YMCA work that was to take him as far as China. Here In 1908 He moved to the Toronto Central YMCA a few years later and then came to Brantford as general secretary of the local branch in 1908. Headquarters then Wycliffe Hall, located on Colborne Street across from the market. Brantford has always been a progressive YMCA city, Dr. Crocker says. "Wycliffe Hall was a fine building in its day, When it became inadequate they built another one (1912) and now that one has been modernized to keep up with the times." YMCA membership here was about 100 when Dr. Crocker arrived, but before he left in 1911 it had jumped to 800 and planning for the new building was in the final stages. Wycliffe Hall carried on a vigorous physical and educational program during his three-year stay, Dr. Crocker says. "Swimming classes for the public were very popular after we renovated the old pool in 1908. William Henry Visit "And a visit and personal demonstration by William A. Henry, founder of the Royal Life Saving Society in England, helped spur interest in a water safety cam- Goodwill Policy The members of Congregation Beth David take this opportunity of congratulating the YMCA on the completion of their remodelling. May the "Y" continue its policy of goodwill amongst all the citizens of Brantford. CONGREGATION BETH DAVID David Miller, President paign we were staging that year. Mechanical drawing clesses proved to be the most popular feature of the educational training program of that day, he added. The social and educational part of the "Y" program has develtremendously since that time, Crocker says: "There is much more interest in club and group activities nowadays." But he adds that the physical side of the program has changed as well. Fifty years ago the emphasis was on calisthenics and gym classes for young men : and boys. Today the trend is to team sports and games. Off to China Dr. Crocker left Brantford in 1911 to take on his toughest assignment. He was sent to China to organize a national YMCA physical program there. *A few local organizations had been opened in YMCA buildings in some large cities like Peiping and Shanghai, but nothing had been done on a national basis,' he recalls. stir up some national interest Dr. Crocker helped organize the Far Eastern Oympic China, Japan, Philippines Games for competition, among and the Malay States. Though these games are now defunct they served to arouse the interest of the Chinese government in physical training. At the government's request Dr. Crocker was loaned to its educational board. In this capacity, he was instrumental in the formation of a school for physical training instructors a short time later and in the building of a teachers' training institute in Nanking in 1916. Returns to Canada In 1918, Dr. Crocker returned to Canada to join the national "Y" as physical director for Canada, He held this post until his 60th anniversary in 1930. birthday, according to YMCA regulations, he had to call it a career. "And that retirement rule is a good one," Dr. Crocker says. "It gives more men a chance to take up responsibilities." And so he "retired." But before his rocking chair could develop a squeak he was in London and working on his "second career" as "freshman" director of physical education at Western, His reward for 17 years of service in this was the honorary degree from the school and the post of honorary curator of the Jeffery Stamp Collection, property of the university library. The colleciton is one of the most valuable on this continent, a and to Dr. Crocker, an ardent stamp-collecto7 all his life, the position is a cherished one. Back to Brantford Though Dr. Crocker's original stay in Brantford was only a three-year stop in a wandering career, he liked it . and the people in it well enough to come back in 1948 to spend his second and final retirement. Even in retirement, Dr. Crocker has several irons in the athletic fire. Aside from his board positions here and his post on the national YMCA physical committee, he is a charter member and board member of the Ontario Branch of the Royal Life Saving Society. International athletics is another of his interests. He was manager of the first Canadian Olympic team in 1908 and has been a member of the Canadian Olympic Committee since it was organized in 1922. (SE is

Article from 22 Sep 1956The Expositor(Brantford, Ontario, Canada)

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