New-York tribune., 1908-01-20
NEW ERA FOR 7. W. c. A.
Opportunities for Work To Bt
Greater This Year than EUer.

with the consolidation OF Its TWO natloilaA VI
ganizations into new era has opened IN the
Young Womens Christian Association which indi-
Gates tremendous development in the near
future in a work which is already one OF the
largest enterprises conducted by women that mas
ever existed. There two hundred thousand
members of the Young Women's Christian Asso-
citation in the United States, including sixty thou-
sand college students. Few women's oTgaLizauohs
in the world had so many.
The present year viii see large and novel devel-
opments in the work. In the first place, the ma
tional headquarters will be moved in May from
No. 5f1 Lexington avenue TO the new building pro-
vided for them at 9th street and Madison avenue.
This is fine building especially fitted for national
work, given by two women-Mrs. William T. Dodse'
who gave the ground and Mrs. Russell sage VINO
gave the building. 1t is a gift to the Young
Women's Christian Association, the Young Men .
Christian Association and the Student Volunteers
for the national offices of the three organizations
In the next place. a national training school for
Young Womens Christian Association secretaries
will opened in New York next fall all necessary
funds having been pledged. This school Will De the
first of it's kind in the world: There has been for
several years a training school for beginners In
Chicago and London has another But this VIII De
a postgraduate course for the training or ad-
vanced workers to I'LL the most important POSITIONS
No student will be accepted who has not college
diploma its equivalent in practical work either
in the Young Women's Christian Association itself
or in other organization considered equlVa-
lent by the board. The work will be both theoreu-
cal and practical There will be lecture courses
by distinguished socioIogists. with study OF all
movements for social bettermeut- The practica
work will be found in associations accessible 70
New York, something after the normal scnooi
method where pupils teach under supervision be-
fore they receive their diplomas
SOCIOLOGICAL INVESTIGATION.
This plan shows how the Young Womens Chris
tan Association has broadened its scope in recent
years few years ago such course would have
included only Bible study and conventional educa-
tionaI features To-day it will seek in addition 10
put its members in touch with the most advanced
and scientific theories of social service
This change is typical of the new era in the or
ganization which may be called the industrial era
The association feels that it has been called into
the big arena in which capital and labor are fight
ing out their problems 1t feels this because on
one side the girl employees seeking what 1t has
to offer while the other side employers are
asking it to come into their mills and factories
at is a question" said of the New York
workers "of whether go in bindly or intelli-
gently
The determination of the association to go in in
teIigentIy is evidenced by the remarkable lnvesti-
gation which it has been carrying on during the
year 1907. DR.. Anna Mclean, professor Of So
GEOLOGY ir Adelphi College. Brooklyn, is just com
piling the reports from unique investigation car
ried on under her direction during the last year
This investigation was meant TO secure general
view of the condition and needs of all classes OF
girls ernploved in the country. The investigation
was classified unde the following heads; New
York City typical New Jersey towns, typical New
England mill towns. typical Michigan towns. the
middle West with its developing industries. Chicago
and the Pacific Coast. Twenty-eght women. all
of them holding bachelor degrees and eight OF
them higher degrees. numbe' of them experienced
investigators other lines, were assigned to this
work on July / Their reports were turned in to
DR. Mclean late in the year, and she is now busy
conlniling and throwing them into shape available
not ONLY for the work of the Young Women 5
Christian Association, but Of any other organlza-
ton which can make of them The investiga-
ton has been systematic and scientific, and will
throw new light the conditions that surround
Golf fs,nnortfna, women OF course, the whole
gior has not been covered but in every the
norton investigated will be typical of the whole
region