Ober, Charles K. (Charles Kellogg), 1856-

Charles Kellogg Ober was born May 5, 1856 in Beverly, Mass., and attended Williams College (1879-1883). He developed an early interest in the Young Men's Christian Association which led to his appointment as assistant to Robert R. McBurney, Secretary of the Y.M.C.A. of the City of New York, in 1882. Ober married Julia Dodge in 1883, and served as State Secretary of the Massachusetts Y.M.C.A. from 1883 to 1884. From 1884 to 1890, Ober participated in the Y.M.C.A.'s college movement, the Northfield Student Conference, the Student Volunteer Movement, and conceived of the Fellowship Plan for training qualified college students as secretaries. He was made Field Secretary of the International Committee of the Y.M.C.A. (1890-1910) and was appointed the Y.M.C.A. Special Secretary in France and England during World War I. He died on July 13, 1948, in White Plains, N.Y.

YMCA executive.

Ober was born in Beverly, Massachusetts in 1856. He entered into YMCA work after surviving eight days afloat at sea off the Newfoundland coast. Crediting his survival to prayer, Ober decided to devote himself to Christian work. He was particularly active in the area of student work, working with John R. Mott with Ober on the development of student conferences and the Student Volunteer Movement for Foreign Missions. In later years, Ober worked in the YMCA's Field department, helping to promote YMCA work at the state level. In connection with this work he developed the "Fellowship Plan" to bring men with high potential into the YMCA and groom them for secretaryship, a program on which he continued to work until his retirement in 1922. During World War I, Ober also served as a special secretary in France and England.

Ober was born in Beverly, Massachusetts in 1856. He found his first job as a bootcutter dull and became a cod fisherman. He entered into YMCA work after surviving eight days afloat at sea off the Newfoundland coast. Crediting his survival to prayer, Ober decided to devote himself to Christian work.

Ober enrolled in George Williams College and was a field assistant to Robert McBurney. After his graduation in 1882, he entered state work in Massachusetts, first as an assistant to S. M. Sayford for six months and then state secretary for two years. In 1885, Ober entered student work as secretary for the International Committee, a post he held for six years. It was during this time that John R. Mott became involved in the student movement and with Ober aided in the development of student conferences, and the Student Volunteer Movement for Foreign Missions.

For the next twenty years, Ober worked in the Field department, helping to build up state work and to promote the organization. During his career, he was active in recruiting men for Association work. In connection with his work in the Field Department, he developed the "Fellowship Plan" to bring men with high potential into the YMCA and groom them for secretaryship. In 1910 Ober was released from the regular work of the Field Department to concentrate on the development of this program, which he continued until his retirement in 1922. During World War I he also served as a special secretary in France and England.