The Washington herald., 1912-03-03
Main Object of Organiza-
ton Is the Rounded De-
yelopment of Young
Women of All Classes
for Their Greater Eff
cheney in Life.
by JULIA CHANDLER MANz.

Until one day last week had accepted
the Young women's Christian Associa-
tion OF Washington as a matter OF course
! had an idea that it was pretty much
like other such organizations bearing the
same name throughout the country; dos
ing about the same valuable work. Then
some one gave a hint that would find
in the work of the women who are at the
helm of affairs at the Y. W. c. A. a
story of tremendous appeal: that would
discover how great is the tenderness pos
sibls In the hearts of certain women to-
ward little sisters who earn their daily
bread,
And did.
First 1 went to see the woman vino
sits on the band wagon and makes the
thing CO." who is Miss Florence NJ.
Brown, the general secretary.
i am told that the Washington Y. w.
c. A. is but six years old" told her.
wanting to begin at the beginning OF
those five years when Miss Brown came
from Boston, where she was State secre-
tary, to take charge OF the work here.
Yes" she said, that is true The
Washington Y. W. c. a. had been in ex-
istence just a year when 1 took charge
OF IL. II was existing and that was all.
The growth in that one year had been so
meager that the task Of building II up
20 its present departments of work
seemed to me then many years distant.
But It has been only five" she ended en-
Enthusiastically, as well she might, Tor f1ve
brief years is very short time in which
10 make an organization the factor in
civic and moral life that the Young
Women's Christian Association is to-day
in Washington.
L wonder if you know for just what
We stand?' Miss Brow n asked me, and
! answered that did. in general way;
that had several connections with asSo-
Citations elsewhere in America.
No. no: not that she told me.
There is a tremendous amount of diff
ference in WOmen's Christian Associa-
tons. At first this was the general name
and the association was just big board
ing-house> FOR women. In the Young
Women's Christian Association the OBJ
iect is the rounded development Of young
women for efficiency IN life.
Thousands Away from Home.
DO you know that there are &C, 900 busi-
ness girls in Washington and of these
5000 are away from home? This was
the number IN 1910. or course there are
more now. And never in any city where
have given my life TO serving girls who
earn their daily bread, during my four
teen years in Y. W. c. A. work has there
been so great a variety of demands made
by girls as in Washington. 1t is be-
cause they are here from so many Sec
tions of the country. with far varying
needs that this is true. 1t is the in
dividual need of every girl that We aim
to meet
To this aim there is a department OF
religious work. a department OF physical
education. a department Of domestic arts,
a business department, department of
arts and crafts, department Of English
branches, department OF languages out
door equipment, such as tennis courts,
and games at the vacation lodge, OF
which shall tell you presently.
And it isn't just the working girls
who take advantage OF a chance TO I'LL
g. in gaps in their education or learn some
thing truly serviceable to them" Miss
Brown told me. You might be sur
prised. for instance, to see how many
daughters OF well-to-do parents have
Joined our millinery class so that they
may know how TO make their own hats.
of course" she went on to say, our
greatest service is to the working girl,
because she needs US most, but this does
not bar the girl OF more leisure from
benefit in classes which she cares to
take up.
Speaking of the strangers within our
gates Miss Brown told me several ap-
pealing stories.
Not very long ago." she said, "a