- building ▁programs . ▁Under ▁the ▁direction ▁of ▁Director ▁Walter ▁C . ▁Douglas , ▁Y M CA ▁Boston ▁adopted ▁the ▁Four fold ▁Plan . ▁The ▁plan , ▁developed ▁by ▁Y M CA ▁of ▁Gre ater ▁New ▁York , ▁combined ▁evangel ism ▁with ▁athlet ics ▁and ▁encourag ed ▁attention ▁to ▁all ▁four ▁aspects ▁of ▁a ▁young ▁man ' s ▁life : ▁spiritual , ▁intellectual , ▁physical ▁and ▁social . ▁At ▁the ▁same ▁time , ▁Y M CA ▁Boston ▁also ▁re defined ▁its ▁qual ifications ▁for ▁membership . ▁For ▁the ▁first ▁time , ▁all ▁men ▁of ▁Boston , ▁evangel ical ▁Christian ▁and ▁non - Christ ian ▁al ike , ▁were ▁able ▁to ▁join ▁Y M CA . ▁Y M CA ' s ▁membership , ▁not ▁surprising ly , ▁grew ▁consider ably . ▁ ▁The ▁inclusion ▁of ▁a ▁modern ▁g ymnasium ▁( the ▁Boston ▁organization ' s ▁first ▁dedicated ▁g ymnasium ) ▁and ▁sw imming ▁pool ▁reflected ▁Y M CA ' s ▁en hanced ▁commit ment ▁to ▁physical ▁fit ness . ▁The ▁bas ement ▁of ▁the ▁building ▁held ▁f encing , ▁wrest ling ▁and ▁box ing ▁courts , ▁along ▁with ▁two ▁double - height ▁hand ball ▁courts ▁and ▁a ▁six - lane ▁bow ling ▁al ley . ▁The ▁first ▁floor ▁offered ▁access ▁to ▁gallery ▁se ating ▁for ▁view ing ▁matches ▁within ▁in ▁the ▁hand ball ▁courts , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁an ▁exercise ▁room ▁with ▁wood ▁flo ors ▁and ▁a ▁large , ▁sky ▁lit ▁sw imming ▁pool ▁with ▁a ▁slide ▁and ▁spring ▁board . ▁A ▁mar ble