Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-07-04
OuR LETTER BOX.
Young women,s Christian Association

Young WOnsen's Christian AssOciRtiOn
OMAHA, July 3.-To the Editor OF
The Bee: Permit me, through the
columns of your valuable paper, to call at
tention to some features Of our local
Young Women's Christian association In
comparison with the work in other cities.
The annual statistical report of the asso-
Citations of the United States has just been
received and we are pleased to note that in
point Of membership our association Is
fourth. Los Angeles is first, then Detroit
Harlem and Omaha. The attendance in
the lunch room is also fourth. Los An
geles leads, then Detroit, Minneapolis and
Omaha. Nineteen associations have larger
educational departments and fully one-haf
of the associations of the country have
larger gymnasium enrolment Our relig-
tous department is fair, Bible study enroll
ment is eighth and attendance at religious
meetings tenth. Our classes in dressmak-
ing and millinery are small. We have no
room in our present quarters to &C )mrho-
date such classes. We have no school Of
domestic science, very inadequate toilet and
rest accommoda tions; not sufficient office
room to make possible good employment
bureau and boarding house directory no
public baths. The public may be interested
to know that the Minneapolis association
gave 5000 baths last year at 5 cents each
We believe that public baths for women
! are one of the great needs of orr city.
Socially the Omaha association ranks
among the first The number Of social &C.
casions and attendance is large and the In
terest on the part of our members is very
unusual We are proud of the record made
by our girls in raising $4,000 toward our
new building.
It will be seen by these comparisons that
the Omaha Young Women's Christian as
ISOLATION is really one of the largest In the
country but that it is not a symmetrical
| work. 1t has some very decided weak
nesses One of the greatest needs OF our
city is a school. of domestic science, where
our young women may study all the essen
tails of good OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES, buying,
sewing. laundry work and household econ
omy in all of its phases. The Young
! Women's Christian association has planned
to have one entire floor of the new build
/ ing given to this department. also model
| laundry in the basement, where proper
method Of washing and ironing may be
taught Considerable space will be given to
public baths and lavatories. large and airy
! rest rooms, with plenty of couches, will be
provided; also room where tired mothers
may take their babies to rest a while, a
good gymnasium with proper showers. lock-
ers. etc. The association hopes to meet all
the needs of women that are so apparent in
city where there are 10000 wage-earning
| women.
The need of a hve-story building for our
! work has been questioned by some Of our
citizens who are not informed Of the scope
! OF the work. Statistics show our weak
nesses are on account of not having room
| and equipment for all departments. One of
| our national secretaries said she had never
seen space so well utilized. and yet we
! have not a fourth of the room needed in
order TO have the well-rounded organiza-
| ton for women, such as they have in De-
| troit and Harlem and Minneapolis and
other cities where they have their own
buildings and everything suited to the
needs of so great a work. We are justly
| proud of the results OF our finance cam
paign last April and believe that If the
| San Francisco disaster had not happened,
when we felt obliged to retire from the
field. we would now be in possession of the
q, necessary $4,000 for our building and
equipment. AS it is we are happy in the
possession OF pledges amounting 10 1900
and believe that the $4,000 still to be
raised will be forthcoming In the very near
future. Perhaps some good friend, or
friends, will send in gifts especially for our
school Of domestic science or other depart
ments.
The association is grateful to the gem
erous public for the munifcent gifts that
have made the building possible and we
hope TO dedicate the building free OF debt
some great day not very far distant.
EMMA F. BYERs. General Secretary.