subject: Charles Crispin On Being A Part Of A Historic Youth Center [print this page] One of the reasons why Charles Crispin accepted a seat in the board of directors of the Coral Gables War Memorial Youth Center was due to the centers history, which he found impressive and inspiring. When the Second World War ended, civic leaders were determined to pay tribute to their local heroes heartbreakingly young men and women who had shed blood and lost lives in the battlefield to protect and defend the weak and uphold what is right. In time, their efforts paid off as the citys War Memorial Youth Center was finally completed. It is an expansive and beautiful structure, so much so that it has earned the reputation as being arguably the worlds loveliest youth center.
The creation of the center would not have been possible if not for the passionate commitment of the centers first president and founder, Harry W. Mortgenthaler. He was responsible for uniting 22 civic groups for a single cause and in 1944 was able to raise $75,000 for the project. Assisting him was his co-founder and leader of the womans division, Mrs. Lewis Hall, the city Mayor Thomas Mayes and the mens division leader Paul Brinson. After the associations incorporation as head of the youth center, the group was able to process more than 400 applications of volunteers wanting to be a part of this wonderful project.
Today, Charles Crispin is proud to be a part as well of such an inspiring story. At the start, the youth center compromised simply of 48 lots, with a quarter of that bequeathed to the association by Helen Doherty while another quarter was claimed with the help of Ted Semple, a city attorney, and who invoked the right to eminent domain on the associations behalf. Eventually, a small building for summer pursuits, a dance patio, and a baseball field were also added to the mix. The overall cost of the property amounted to $16,000 and the youth center formally opened on Pearl Harbor Day of 1945.
Charles Crispin also has the deepest respects for other pioneers of the youth center, which include the likes of Ed Beckman, the centers athletic director and once named an All-American footballer. Not to be forgotten as well was the centers first supervisor, Betty Ward, who previously worked as a Key West-based entertainment director.
