The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-04-23
NEWS OF TAE DAY IN SOCIETY WORLD The Y. w. C. A. Purchases Pol. lock-StephenS Building BULL DING TO BE REMODELED Meeting of Board of Managers-cify eautifuI-Announce
 Davis Entertains-Notes
 and Personals.
BUILDING TO BE REM0DELED
By MYRTLE MILES.
telephones: Bell, 11eo; Peoples, 2ee.) )


 Telephones: Bell, 116o; Peoples, 2eo.) An enthusiastic body of men and women met yesterday morning in the rooms of the Young Womens Christian association to discuss the purchase of a handsome building for the use of the large body of the city's young women.
 The building, a fac simile of which ap- pears on page of The Age-Herald to- day, has been used as Madame Catherine Deschamps ElfGrds School for Young Women, and the opportunity to pur- chase 1t comes from her A movement has been instituted to collect sufficient funds to buy the buildings and conse- crate 1t to the use of the young women of Birmingham, who are self-dependent and have become members of the splen- did organization. Thirty thousand dol lars will be required to purchase and re- pair the building and the major part of that sum must be obtained by the body of women who are so earnest in their interest in the Young Women's Christian association work. The organization has on hand s11 GOO as assets, part of this sum to be realized from the sale of piece of property. With the amount of
 
 and s2OOO of that amount is already prom ised whirlwind campaign has been launched for the purpose of obtaining the amount within ten days. The board of directors have agreed to call upon number of public-spirited men and wom- en, to interest them in the plan. list was read yesterday morning at the meet ing and as a name was called some mem Der of the board agreed to approach him upon the subject. The members of the board have gone to work with the en- thusiasm which so great a cause 1usuhes. There is no doubt that the required sum will be forthcoming in a few days.
 THE CAUSE.
 The Young Womens Christian associa- tion has been boon to hundreds of work ing women since its establishment few years ago. Few organizations in this city have accomplished as much in so brief a space. Mrs. Maybelle Sloss Ce- c took the initial steps toward it's or ganization during November, 1902, but it was not perfected until March IT, 1903 when officers were elected The late Mrs. E. T. Taliaferro was made presi- dent and the secretary was Mrs. Cecil, while Mrs. W. P. Pinckard was the first treasurer. Miss A. L. Williams was the chairman of the finance commit tee and in that capacity did most noble
 
 never yet, even through the struggling years of it's infancy, been in debt. h. ded it's history compares most favorably with that of like organizations in larger cities.
 A beginning was made with a few sim pie rooms in the Watts building. There are still the lunch rooms and the rest rooms pleasant and attractive, in which the noon hour Is spent by bevy of young women. who seek refreshment here Af -fr1 and c1af Some time ago, in addition to these rooms a boarding department was insti- tuted. A house was secured which Is near the center of business activities to be convenient for the working girls away from home. Another branch, which has done untold good, was the travellers aid department at the Terminal station, for thus each newcomer in the city Is met day or night and given any assistance that may be deemed necessary.
 Thus has the work gone forward. Every thing has been done quietly, but with the help of some of the great-souled women of Birmingham. one of the most beautiful charities in our city has been fostered until it has grown to be a great power for good and promises to accomplish much more. One of its most loyal supporters is Mrs. Maybele Soss Cecil who has worked faithfully in it's behalf for years, giving her time and labor unselfishly and unostentatiously. She may be seen in the central rooms of the institution at almost any hour doing the work which is near her heart Her advice and encouragement have been given bounteously in answer to the many calls upon them. She is one of the most practical workers connected with the institution is familiar with every detail of the work and even lends her musical talent to the development of the artistic side of the membership, teach ing classes in piano several days during the week.
 To enlarge the home of the Young Womens Christian association will en- large the sphere of it's usefulness, and one may say that Birmingham owes this much as a debt to its young woman hood In almost every big city in this country there is boarding home main tained by local associations, where a working girl of limited means may live comfortably. It shelters her, 1t gives her an opportunity for industrial advancement by offering courses in business or domes- tic science, it keeps her physically healthy through courses in the gymnasium, and morally healthy through proper religious influences.
 Nashville recently raised $10O,0OO for a new Young Women's Christian associa-