Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-07-05
OUR LETTER BOX.
Young wOmen's Christian Association

Young WOmen's Christian Association
OMAHA, July 3.-TO the Editor OF
The Bee: Permit me through the
columns Of your valuable paper, to cali at
tention to some features of our local
Young Womens Christian association In
comparison with the work in other cities.
The annual statistical report Of the asso-
Citations of tine 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
educa tional departments and fully one-half
Of the associations OF the country have
larger gymnasium enrolment. our relg-
ious 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 accommo-
date such classes We have no school of
domestic science very inadequate toilet and
rest accommodate 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 cents each.
We believe that public baths for women
are one Of the great needs of our city
Socially the Omaha association ranks
among the first The number of social &C.
ca sions 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
sociation is really one of the largest in the
country, but that It. is not. 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 neutrality-suspicious. buying,
sewing, laundry work and household econ
omy in all of its phases The Young
| Women's Christian association has planned
10 have one entire floor of the new build
| ing given to this department. also model
| laundry in the basement, where a 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 a room where tired mothers
| "a
good gymnasium with proper showers, lock-
ers, etc. The association hopes to meet all
the needs of women that are so apparent in
a city where there are 1000 wage-earning
! women. "f'
The need Of fve-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 az not having room
and equipment for all departments. One oil
our national secretaries said she had never
seen space so we'll 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 owr
buildings and everything suited to tbs
needs of so great a work. We are justly
proud of the results OF our finance cam
paign last April and believe that II tn,
San Francisco disaster had not happened
when we felt obliged to retire from thu
field, we would now be in possession of tn,
necessary $4,000 for our building and
equipment As it is we are happy in tn,
possession of pledges amounting to $500
and believe that the $4,000 still to b,
raised will be forthcoming in the very nea
future Perhaps some, good friend, o.
friends, will send in gifts especially for ou
school Of domestic science or other depart
ments.
The association is grateful to the gen
erous public for the munihcent gifts tina
have made the building possible. and VI
hope to dedicate the building free OF deb
some great day not very far distant.
| EMMA f. BYERS General Secretary