The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1901-04-03

\ comprehensive and interesting
outline of the work being done by the
Young Womcn's Christian association
in this country and more particularly
in this city and of the needs of the
local association, was given last night
in the Second Presbyterian church by
Miss Elizabeth Wilson. of Chicago.
national city secretary. before large
audience.
She began her talk by telling OF
some of the things which the average
American young woman wants The
principal one of these, Miss Wilson
said. was an independent career either
in a business or a social sphere. She
wants an education, as "a general rule.
and she wants to be attractive enough
to win the affections of other people
She wants to earn enough or to marry
enough money to give her these things
Every American young woman"
said she, wants a good time. and
Just the kind OF a good time that
she proceeds to get for herself is gem
orally the test of her character"
The conditions under which the
young women of this country are
working in all the great industries,
she said. are a great Improvement
over the conditions under which they
laborcd ten years ago. but there are
still hundreds of thousands Of factory
girls toling amid surroundings which
she characterized as being '!positively
revolving" 'ro help brighten the livesof
these young women is one of the great
objects of the Young Womcns Chris
tian association. she said.
WORK IN THIS CITY.
She told of the large number Of
young women who take luncheon and
who rest at the association rooms. on
Washington avenue during the noon
hour and said that if the charitable
people OF Scranton could only realize
the great comfort which these girls
find there, they would not hesitate to
do everything possible to put the local
association in Il position where 1t
could broaden its field of influence and
touch the lives of hundreds of young
women who are now bcycrd its reach.
The association is doing great
work. she said. in helping to broader
and better things. the young women
who spend their time al home leading
blank uncolorcd. and unconsciously
selfish lives. 1t is teaching these
young women to enjoy themselves to
some purpose by helping others in
less fortunate walks of life than them
selves.
The greatest work which the ASSOC
citation is doing. she said, is too sacred
to be spoken of in a public meeting
or even at a committee meeting. 1t is
the work Of lending a helping hand to
the young women who are tottering on
the brink of the prccipice Of moral
destruction.
where the association now has only
touch in this city, she said. 'it
should have a firm grasp. You should
have here in Scranton. with it's l02.-
600 inhabitants and its thousands of
young women. a Young Womcn's
Christian association building, and I
feel sure that you will have one he
fore many years
'As for your present needs. you re-
quire at once n fine equipment for the
gymnasium and more especially in this
connection you need series of bath
rooms for the accommodation of the
young women who live in boarding
houses. with their inadequate bath
ing facilities.
DOMESTIC SCIENCE.
"Xou need 4 better equipment for
the teaching Of domestic science in
your branches in North Scranton,
West Scranton ana South Scranton.
You need more room in all these as
sociution branches. In South Scran-
ton, ! am told. over 400 young women
sometimes present themselves for adj
mittance to the room. which will only
accomouate 12l. | don't believe that
all the young women who need the
association are coming to /, in this
city OF will come until You have pro-
per equipments"
Continuing. Miss Wilson said: "You
need association workers here In
Scranton, and most of all you need
money. We are not standing here to-
night asking that the Y. W. c. \. be
admired and praised by the citizens
of Scranton. but we are standing here
because we feel that il is doing "a
great woill in the saving of young
womcn's souls and in the helping of
them to r"bcr and better things and
because We believe that it should be
recognized ard assisted by the Chris
tian ppOple Of this rity more than II