Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1892-07-20
WOMAN'S WORK FOR WOMAN'S
GOOD.

sociation, of the City of New York, is a
living proof of the truth of the asser-
tion that women are capable of work
ing toget ler for WON ms good.
The ~. W. G. A Is not, however,
as we'll known to the great public as it
desc yes to be.
1t has been in active operation for
more than twenty years, and for the
last five years has occupied the beauti
full building which was planned and
erected for it, No. 7 East Fifteenth
street.
Any woman who supports herself, or
any girl preparing to do SO, is admitted
to the full privileges of the Associa-
ton. There are free classes, both day
and evening, for women who desire
practical instruction in useful arts fer
the purpose of self support, and the
branches taught include: took-keep-
ing, writing, commercial arithmetic,
busine S. training, stenography, type
writing, retouching phpto-negatives.
photo coloring, mechanical and free
hand drawing, clay-modelling, applied
designs, machine and hand-sew1ng,
choir music and physical culture.
Tne class-rooms occupy the tn rd,
fourth and fiftu floors of the building
and are bright, comfortable and we'll
ventilated. There are numerous sew
ing machines of all the different makes
for the use of the learners, who are
carefully instructed in all kinds of
needle work. A special course of cut-
ting aud fitting by the 5. L. Taylor
system is given to dressmakers for
moderate charge. and for those who
are busy during the day there are eve
ming classes.
The Art Course is divided into three
departments, the first year being pre-
paratory, the second devoted to High
School work and methods for teach
ers, and the third to study from life,
still-life painting, etc, or else model
ling and design. pGtternmaking, stuoy
of relief, etc The Art rooms are per-
haps the most attractive OF all, though
indeed the whole building Is intensely
interesting. They are on the top floor
and have large sky-light', plaster
casts and every requisite for study,
and as one looks at the bright, earnest
faces of the young students, one re-
fleets that here perhaps is being
fostered artistic talent which will some
day develop into genius, instead of
being left without aid, encouragement
or hope.
The photo-process for photo engrav-
ing is an industry which hss only lately
been entrusted to women, indeed the
Associations class is the first one
opened to them for the acquiring of
this interesting and lucrative accom-
plishment The worker takes an old
faded or imperfect photograph, and
using both pep and brush defines all
the important lines and shadows
and makes perfect picture which Is
then ready for the photo-engraver.
There is a room full of type-machines
of many different styles, and the girls
engaged in this easily acquired INDUS
try, are allowed to come and practice
on them between the morning and
evening class hours.
At the close of each term the most
proficient members of the Art, type
writing and photography classes, re-
ceive diplomas from the President of
the As ociatiOn.
Last year an evening class was held
once n week In which nursery govern
esse were taught Kindergarten games
for children, and this is to be repeated
next season if there is II demand for it.
During 1891 the number of pnpils
under free instruction was 1888. an
efficient corps of fifteen paid teachers
being employed.
The Y. w. G.. A. library, a large
lofty hall, occupies the entire front of
the second story, and contains more
than II, 600 volumes, b sides having a
well-stocked reference-room. The read
ing-room contains III current period
icais, and there is also a library of
musical compositions of the best mas
ters, aud another of 80 Art studies.
The latter are mounted on heavy card
board and are invaluable helps for
teachers and students. Ibis Is the
only free circulating collection of Art.
All women and girls have free
access to every part of the Lii
brary department, and one of its
many charms is the privilege al
lowed readers of taking the books
from the shelves and examining them
at pleasure, ard book-lovers all agree
in thinking that the next best thing to
possessing ones own library, is being
with n reach of that of the Y. w. g.
A. ANY woman or girl, who ls self
supporting or preparing to be so, may
on presenting a note OF introduction
from some responsible person, or from
a regular attendant, become herself an
attendant for life, and may then take
books home from all depar tments, eX-
cept the reference and reading room,
as from other free libraries, and this
privilege is extended to all self-sup.
porting women and without distinction
0F araaI nationality nrnfaaarnn tha
only conditions being respectability
of character, and obedience to the
simple regulation of the library. Its
circulation during 1891 reached "A, 577,
and 1T has at present 6, ID regular
readers Very young girls making use
of the books are expected to have the
librarians approval of their choice
and all readers are welcome to sugges-
tions and advice.
In the salesroom, on the first fool
there is fine display of needle-work
handpainting, etc, all of which is done
by self-supporting women. ANY suct
woman who gives references Is allowed
to consign her work, without any regis
tration fee whatever, and very
small commission is charged her fol
selling it. A special fund provides
material for fancy-artlcies, and the
women who make it up are paid i'm
mediately for their time without being
kept waiting for the sale of the articles
nor being put to the expense of the
handsome material necessary for most
kinds of fancy-wOrk. The Needlework
department receives orders for ladies
chi!dren's and infants garments, fol
all kinds of family sewing, for EN-
broidery on silk, linen and flannel, anC
for s'drawn-work. There is a regu
larly fixed price for this work and it i:
done by women who have proved them
selves proficient. The salesroom con
tairs numerous beautiful specimens O
fne needlework on children
frocks, etc. This department, be
ing strictly for the use o.
self-supporting women only, differs
from many exchanges IN benetitinI