The bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1918-11-15

Y. W. G. I. MISSION OF KEoKUK
IOWA.
Mrs, Edna X. Albert, Keokuk, Iowa
tho Now District Most Noble Gov
ernor Of the Household Of Ruth No
21, Of Iowa, Graduate Of tho Keokuk
High School, u Also Secretary OF
tho Executive Board Of the Young
Women's Christian Industrial Mis-
sion Of Keokuk and Gives . Sketch
Of It's Work. ~
This useful agency for the moral pro-
lection, guidance and training Of lone
colored women and girls and the enter
tainment Of Christian workers coming
10 Iowa as strangers is becoming well
Known and permanent factor as one of
! the long felt needs in the community
and over the state Of Iowa. While but
six months in active operation since its
formal opening, it's presence for good in
Keokuk has been in a quiet way forci-
bly, visible and received favorable COM
ment on the part Of the leading city
officials, many of the pastors and mem
bers Of the white churches and the
daily press in our town. The reporter
of the Daily Gate City has called on us
at the Mission and from time to time
given our work excellent write ups.
As our eolored reporters seem very
slow about visiting or making any
mention Of this good work going on in
cur midst, I thought as Secretary I
would take it upon myself to acquaint
the reading public Of our race with the
splendid service accomplished in the
community by the Young Women g
Christian Industrial Mission during its
short existence.
It Affords me pleasure to record the
success Of this work because Of the
appreciation and affection I bear
toward the ideal Christian woman and
God sent leader who is the founder and
superintendent of the plan. =.
Miss Sidney J. Davis, when but
girl in short dresses was the writer g
first Sunday school teacher, here in the
cid Seventh Street Baptist Church.
Her life at horne and in the great fields
Of Christian service of the broader
work in which she has labored has al
ways been an inspiration to several OF
ps at home here who are left, from the
large number of her students, as we
have learned of her brilliant career in
the lecture field over the United States.
We welcome her return home, and ap-
preciate her efforts to put Keokuk on
the map with useful Christian lnst1-
tuition among Negroes. -
The Young Women IS Christian In
dustrial Mission is the first Mission OF
it's kind ever conducted by colored man
agement in Keokuk, it is pioneer work,
and, as with all pioneer work, some
may be slow to get the idea Of its need
Just as some people Of our race think
there is no virtue in colored doctor or
lawyer, regardless Of their qualification
because they are colored. Race PRIDE
can never be instilled without an OBJ
iect lesson by successful institution
of some kind managed by the race as
an example in our midst. This is what
our courageous Superintendent, with
her faithful group Of workers, is bring
ing to pass In Keokuk.
The Young Women g Christian In
dustrial Mission is located at 2l-23
North 4th street, in twelve room
house, the historic 'sDiver" property,
an old frame building dear to the heart
of the owner as relic from the pioneer
days Of his ancestry in the town. Our
dedicatorial service Of the Mission was
held the second Sunday afternoon in
June, in thesrooms Of the lower apart
ment Of one side Of this building. The
address and prayer Of the occasion were
delivered by Rev. John Matthias, pastor
Of the white Baptist Church, IN an IN
teresting and very timely manner. MISS
Hepler, white teacher from one OF our
Mission Schools in Tennessee, made re-
marks and there were short addresses
by Mrs. S. B. Moore, wife Of the e1-
pastor Of the Bethel A. M. E. Church
Of this citv Mrs. Rosa Pyles and Rev.
W. w. Ewing. The entire service was
impressive and all present expressed
themselves pleased with the undertak-
ing under such progressive conditions.
Truly, compliment is due>the manage
nent for the up-to-dateness OF the
equipment for the opening. Moody IN
stitute and many similar world felt IN
stitutions have not had such supplies: at
the outset as we had at, our very hrst
meeting in this Mission. There were
new folding chairs, new singing books
q plenty, and good piano music to ac-
company the singing. The Mission
rooms were neatly furnished, the walls
sf tho newly papered front room were
adorned with suitable pictures, notices
and placards. Among our visitors the
Aission Register shows the following