Youth Argosy was an organization with

tax exempt Tax exemption is the reduction or removal of a liability to make a compulsory payment that would otherwise be imposed by a ruling power upon persons, property, income, or transactions. Tax-exempt status may provide complete relief from taxes, redu ...

status for educational and charitable purposes which was dedicated to helping students travel internationally. It was incorporated on May 11, 1948 by

Monroe and Isabel Smith Monroe William Smith, a former Boy Scout executive, and his wife Isabel Bacheler Smith, art teacher, founded American Youth Hostels as a young couple, in 1934, in Northfield, Massachusetts. Monroe also founded Youth Argosy, an organization inte ...

who also founded

American Youth Hostels Hostelling International USA (HI USA), also known as American Youth Hostels, Inc. (AYH), is a nonprofit organization that operates youth hostels and runs programs around those hostels. It is the official United States affiliate of Hostelling In ...

. Monroe Smith, a

Boy Scout A Scout (in some countries a Boy Scout, Girl Scout, or Pathfinder) is a child, usually 10–18 years of age, participating in the worldwide Scouting movement. Because of the large age and development span, many Scouting associations have split ...

executive, resigned his position with American Youth Hostels in 1949 to focus his efforts on Youth Argosy. He described the goal of Youth Argosy as to "provide travel opportunities for worthy young people of slender means that they may enjoy the benefits of foreign study and travel, that they may engage in reconstruction work, and other helpful projects and that they may make worldwide friendships regardless of race, color and creed." An age restriction was not imposed; the organization considered a student anyone seeking knowledge. Youth Argosy was successful at first, sending more than 10,000 students abroad in 1949. Their average price for a round-trip ticket to Europe was $375 and a round-the-world ticket was about $1,495. Students traveled alone or in groups.Benfield, Irene. "A New England Group Places Confidence in Youth." ''Your Home in New England.'' Summer 1950. However, it was soon troubled by new rulings of the Civil Aeronautics Board changing regulations about charter flights. Youth Argosy went bankrupt in 1951. The company was based out of Northfield, Massachusetts. Members of the board of directors included Manfred Rauscher, Mary Ashby Cheek, John Rothschild, Armen D. Anderson, Jr., Stephen G. Cary, and

Harry N. Holmes Harry may refer to: TV shows * ''Harry'' (American TV series), a 1987 American comedy series starring Alan Arkin * ''Harry'' (British TV series), a 1993 BBC drama that ran for two seasons * ''Harry'' (talk show), a 2016 American daytime talk show ...

. Counsel for the organization was Greenbaum, Wolff, and Ernst. Student travelers with the organization were referred to as 'Argonauts', although etymologically '

argosy Argosy or The Argosy may refer to: Arts, entertainment and media * ''Argosy'' (magazine), an American pulp magazine 1882–1978 and revived 1990–1994, 2004–2006 * ''Argosy'' (UK magazine), three British magazines * Argosy spaceship in ''Escap ...

' has no relation to Jason and the

Argonauts The Argonauts (; Ancient Greek: ) were a band of heroes in Greek mythology, who in the years before the Trojan War (around 1300 BC) accompanied Jason to Colchis in his quest to find the Golden Fleece. Their name comes from their ship, '' Argo'', ...

References

{{Reflist Charities based in Massachusetts