The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-05-16

proportion had to be turned away for ! lack of room and teachers. The two | hundred which were enrolled have ] been in attendance since October and The cutting, basting and teaching | have been large undertaking and l only through the splendid corps of volunteer helpers has this work been l possible. The crafts class for chill dren also proved popular, and the | little people have shown great apti- 1 tude and originality in the way they | have worked out their designs and l stencil patterns.
 Knowledge is power, and young | women are awaking to the fact that practical knowledge is an essential best. This association exists to supply this very need. "One man
 worketh and another entereth into the reward No one can see the results in the spiritual work of the association. Three Bible classes.
 one at the boarding house, one for the girls of the Ramona club, and short term Lenten class for the pub lie were conducted with a total at tendance of 671. Twilight services were maintained throughout the win ter with a total attendance of 444.. Good speakers, good music and a spirit of worship characterize these services. There should be hundreds | of women in this community studying the word of God, but it is an age of materialism and few think they have time to secure the most important thing in life, knowledge of God the Father and Jesus Christ whom He sent.
 The young women of this city are seeking most naturally recreation and entertainment, and we have allowed men whose sole object is money get ting to furnish them with amusement. What would it not mean to this city if the Y. w. c. A. was so equipped as to become an attractive social center. These are precarious days for our young women, they are alone and unprotected and still we do nothing to give them the proper amusement under suitable conditions. The as- sociation, has however, put forth an honest endeavor to furnish pleasant social affairs and those who have been present on these occasions cer- tainly have had good time. The attendance has been 1,377, but we have as yet only touched the great problem. We lack room, we lack help, We lack the confidence of the young women themselves, because having always done things in corner they do not know us we'll enough to trust us.
 The Ramona club has been full of activity. The weekly program has been helpful, instructive and enjoya- ble. Practical talks, social affairs, business meetings :and Bible class work have all had their place. Supper has been served each Monday before that meeting. These young women earned enough money last year to make 1t possible for several of their number to go to Silver Bay Confer ence for rest and inspiration.
 Board For Young Women. The Boarding house has made a record this year. The capacity of the house was increased last spring by turning the class rooms on the first floor into sleeping apartments, and hardly single bed has been un- occupied during the entire year. Miss Harmon, the present housekeeper came to us in January, and has dis charged with entire satisfaction all her duties. She is splendid finan. cier, good discipliniarian, a true homemaker and a wholesome adviser. The Young Women's Christian asso- citation may well be proud of its board ing home, for it is attractive, clean orderly home conducted upon a sound business basis.
 Two young women, prospective as- sociation workers were sent to us from the Territorial Training Center last fall to secure the practical ex- perience necessary before taking a secretarial position. Their assistance was helpful and at the close of the three months, Miss Wright was kept, through the generosity of several friends, to assist in the general work Of the organization. Her help has been invaluable and has made possi- ole larger amount of activity.
 Industrial Secretary Secured.
 The city of Bridgeport is preem- inently manufacturing city and the thousands of girls in our industrial esta abllshment need to know the as- sociation and the association needs to know them. That such an ac- quaintance might be established Miss Mary Lee was engaged in September work has been among the young wo- men of industry of which there are many thousands in our city.
 Advancement always means money and it has been only through the faith and hard work of some of our work partmental secretaries became a reality. The financial end of any undertaking is difficult to manage and it's strength determines absolutely the standard and efficiency of the move ment whatever it may be. Through the instrumentality of Mrs. Blodget and of Mrs. Ludlum a strong finance committee has been built up and large part of the deficit in last years budget has already been raised. The association is not in debt, it pays 'as it goes and makes every dollar reach as far as possible. It is at the present time 76 per cent self-sup- porting.
 Mrs. Geo. E. Hill Interested.
 The mem mbership has reached the eight hundred mark, a goodly num- Der, but not what 1t ought to be. Our ambition for next year is a member ship of 1,200 and we are in a fair way to realize this ambition since Mrs. George E. Hill is to be member ship chairman. At best report is only a skeleton upon which to hang the parts of our work in which the public is most interested. If you would know the actual work of this organization visit its various branches, observe the work of it's departme ents at close range, follow it's workers, and see for yourself that the Y. w. c. A. is a, place bustling with activity and thoroughly alive to it's opportun- ities and its ability or it's failure to meet them.
 Weather Indications
 Especial from United Press.)