Los Angeles herald., 1909-04-22
YOUNG WOMENS CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATIONS
By Frederic u Haskin

when the first club girls council was
held there. Secretaries for this work
are scarce. The movement will be re-
tarded until more are enlisted, though
the ones already in the field are or
ganized among themselves and ex-
change helpful plans and encouraging
ideas. A club in the mining town of
Bisbee, Ariz., has proved the need of
hundreds of others, and clubs in the
hop fields of Washington and Arizona
have opened new field.
1t is when the country girl has been
reached that the general extension
committee will feel that 1t has achieved
a very great deal. 1t is urged that
in her isolated life this girl needs the
advantages Of club rooms, classes,
Bible study and social life that the
association offers just as much as
does the city girl. She will probably
be reached through the student body
of the associations, for the girls at
the normal schools and the colleges are
largely from rural communities and
could carry back the spirit of helpful
ness that they have found of so much
use to themselves.
The united associations point with
pride to the student department, a
body militant some $4,000 strong. The
number of girl students exclusive of
universities. private high schools, do
nominational colleges. seminaries, mu-
sic, high and nurses training schools
and normal colleges is $4,000. so there
is still much opportunity left for as
ISOLATION workers, and this opportu-
nifty will not be neglected. In the stu
dent body there are about 1900 who
are members of the Bible classes, and
as the methods of adjusting the text
l. -
the varying grades of student life con-
tinue to improve the study will MAIN
tain a reasonable rate of increase.
To many minds the biggest thing in
the way of modern neighborliness and
altruism is the practical help given
working women and working girls by
the associations. In almost every big
city In this country there is a boarding
home maintained by local associations
where a working girl of limited means
can live comfortably. 1t shelters her.
it gives her an opportunity for indus
trial advancement by offering courses
in business or domestic science, it keeps
her physically healthy through courses
in the gymnasiums, and keeps her
morally healthy through proper rei-
gious influences. The club life for
girls who live with their people or
outside the home is centered in some
convenient building, often in conjunc-
ton with the home, and they may
study, or enjoy the recreations to their
hearts content. The pity of it Is
that with such fine work being DONE
there are not more homes and club
centerS, for ten or more could be used
where one is now used, and still be
full. When the country has awak-
ened to this big work, it may set every
city following the example recently
l. ,I,r -.
for raising 100000 for a new Y. w.
c. A. building was successfully inaugu-
rated. One hundred such efforts would
be telling strokes in the good work.
The strange girl entering a big city,
with wonder and bewilderment writ
ten large in her eyes, Is often apt to
fall into disastrous and irretrievable
mistakes. For her benefit the Travel
ers' Aid, a branch of each large asso-
citation, is maintained. For her needs
it sprang into existence, and thousands
of lonely girls and women find at the
depot waiting rooms in large cities
quiet-voiced, capble matrons who are
keeping watchful eyes open for the
stranger, and helpful hands extended
for the distressed. When a new girl
has been directed to the nearest Y.
w. c. A. home and work found for
her, she finds also a certain social life
Illness and inconsistencies.
Philanthropy and Christianity have
found, the country over, that in sys-
tematic work and thorough organiza-
ton lie the paths to success. At first,
as in all good work, the various pion-
GERS of the Y. w. G. A. got together
to compare ways and means. AS the
organizations grew the idea grew. Now
conferences and conventions are inte-
rte nf he aof md
international movement. Last year
nine summer conferences were held in
various parts of the country-in Capt.
tola, CAL; Asheville, N. c.; Seaside
Ore: Cascade, Colo; Silver Bay, N.
Y; Geneva, Wis. and Mountain Lake
Park, Md. To these conferences came
3416 delegates, representing SIS asso-
Citations, to take part in the religious
work and the social relaxations.
In this day of specialists, to work
intelligently as a secretary for any of
the various departments in domestic
or foreign field, requires special train
ing, and for this the National Training
school has come into existence in New
York. There are six systematic courses
offered, based on the work to be done.
In these courses are included the study
of Bible history, the life of Christ, the
fundamental principles of Christian
faith. public speaking and parliament
tary law, current events, the prepara-
ton of addresses, business methods, the
problems of domestic and community
life, economics, and the history, policy
and administration of the Young
Women's Christian associations.
1t is only eighteen years since the
first conference of the Young Women's
Christian associations, composed of
delegates from a few student centers
in the middle west was held at Bay
View, Mich. From that first meeting
have grown the nine summer confer
ences and the biennial of today. OF
bigger import is that further growth
that which has brought the movement
to bear on the home life, the civic life,
and the church life of the land.
Copyright. 1909. by Frederic ]. Haskin.)
TomOrrow--The Curing Of Cretns.