The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1898-05-23
Y. w. C. A. ANNIVERSARY.
Miss Sims Reports Regarding the Work
Accomplished.

The public anniversary services of the
Young ,Women's Christian Association
was held last evening at the Free Bap-
fist church and was attended BY a large
audience
Mrs. s. S. Hussey. president of the as
ISOLATION presided; first on the programme
was an organ prelude by G. F. Jones, or
ganist of the church, which was fol-
lowed by prayer, scriptural reading and
two solos by Miss Lucy Anthoine, ''In
Heavenly Love Abiding" and "My
God and Father While I Stray were
her selections. and they were delightful
ly rendered
Then came the address and report of the
general secretary, Miss Florence Sims.
ohe referred to the many enterprises
which were engaged in to better the con-
dltion OF humanity and dwelt upon the
special work which came to the Young
Women's Christian Association. She
pointed out that care and protection
were needed to the many young women
who We're obliged to face the temptations
OF life, and took statistics from the city
OF Boston showing that out of 1000
women who were dependent upon their
individual work for selfsupport, only 6S
per cent lived at home.
..sThe object OF the association is to up
lift women. The speaker thought 1t was
about time for half the women of the
world to know how the other half lived
aud the need of the times was earnest.
consecrated women
She spoke of the different departments
of the association and detailed their re-
spective work. The physical department.
was first mentioned and she then passed
on to describe the workings along the
line of education, the social work, the
system adopted at the railroad stations,
and dwelt particularly on the efforts
which had been made to furnish attrac-
tive and pleasant homes for young ladies
who go to the cities and are in need OF
sympathetic friends. To her mind the
social work was the most important
branch. Still there was business part,
and the matter of securing employment
for worthy women was not overlooked by
the officers OF the association.
: Miss Sims closed her very interesting
address, which abounded with incidents
which had come to her in the West while
engaged in the work of the society, by
reference to the religious work which
was done by meetings, etc., and then
submitted her report, of which the fol-
lowing Is an abstract:
| The educational work WAS opened in
the fall by the educational rally, an in
teresting meeting at which Miss Mary
S. Snow, superintendent of public schools
of Bangor gave an inspiring address on
education.
Glasses in millinery, dressmaking, ste.
biography, bookkeeping, literature, and
later in pennanship were formed.
The physical work has been under the
efficient direction OF Miss Helen L. Coe.
The business department. has through
it's various committees and their super
visor, done a very practical and useful
work, trying to place young women who
were out of employment, caring for the
finances of the work and making the
rooms attractive. This department has
been especially emphasized in its impor-
lance and usefulness by the railroad
work, under the direction of the matron,
Miss Eunice 6. Hussey.
The social department. has been par
ticularly strong with its two efficient
committees, Invitation and entertain
ment, the former trying to gather young
women to the rooms where they might
find and enjoy the pleasure which the
entertainment committee had planned for
them. Ordinarially each Monday night
has been devoted to some social affair
which has afforded pleasure to the young
women who from time to time have come
to the place.
The statistical record is as follows:
Attendance at educational classes, 1871:
attendance at socials, 2507; attendance
at noon rest, 806; attendance at Bible
classes, 1856; attendance at Gospel services,
1906; visits to the rooms, 1880; applied
for employment, 772; applied for help, 500;
directed to boarding houses, 1l3; arten-
dance at girls branch, 9l4. Total atten
dance at the rooms including educational
classes and Gospel services, noon rest.
etc., 25, 5O4.
The girls branch, cared for by the
girls branch committee, is radically edu-
cational in that it begins with the chill
dren. 1t has been made interesting TO
them by the games, the work which has
been given them in cooking; their sew
ing circle, known as the Order of Thread
and Needle; their Bible class and deyot-
ional meeting. Since all of this has con-
stituted the work of only one afternoon
in the week, they must have gained also
an incidental lesson in the study of the
system. This branch is hopeful and
helpful part of the society, since it holds
forth to the children for its purpose the
attainment of the highest womanhood.
Brief remarks were made by Rev. Lewis
Malvern in which he commended the
work of the association and compliments
ed the secretary on her very able address.
He considered the association as a neces-
sity of the 10Th century life, and especial
ly urged the older ladies to lend their