The Snyder signal. (Snyder, Tex.) 1887-????, 1919-12-05
WOMAN SPEAKER
TELLS OF CONDITIONS
III SOUTH AMERICA
MRS. IDA CLYDE CLARKE, TRAY
ELER OF WIDE EXPERIENCE.
FINDS EXCEPTIONAL FIELD
FOR WORK AMONG WOMEN.
BY Mary Corner Raymond

uTebuue utSOl lptiNo otyiti MIS- AZ"
Clyde Clarke. newspaper woman, trave-
Ter, magazine writer, author and con-
tributing editor to Pictorial Review.
held a delighted audience in smiles
and wrapt attention at the evening
session OF the Southwestern field con.
ference OF the Y w. G. A. at Dallas
while she related her experiences and
observations during six months trip
in South America. Her subject was
1.-The Challenge Of South America to
the Y. w. c. A."
True to her newspaper training and
the Characteristic temperament OF the
newspaper writer-ready for any emer.
gency, from fire to sudden trip TO
South Amcrica-Mrs. Clarke picked
up her hat and handbags on short
notice and went to South America last
January with a commission OF three
other women sent by the national
board OF the Y. w. c. A. to study the
conditions and needs OF women and
girls in the Southern continent Many
appeals had come to the national board
to send Y. w. c. A. workers TO South
America. As II IL the policy OF the
association neve workers any.
where for permanent work without
first making an investigation as to the
prscticablity OF the enterprise. Mrs
Clarke. because OF her experience as
a traveller. was asked TO be member
OF this survey commission.
On the principal that a newspaper
woman may go anywhere or do any
thing within the law, no matter what
the traditions or customs OF country
may be. Mrs. Clarke met presidents
and diplomats. women OF high and low
degrees; made trips into countries
where she was told women travellers
never went alone, and everywhere, she
said she was treated with Characters
tic Latin courtesy. In every country
she was struck with the immense
wealth and culture Of the higher class
es, a universal eagerness for the pro-
gressive methods OF North America
universal desire for social and welfare
work among women, and with II all
she marveled at the vast resources OF
the country-forests OF mahogany un'
touched by the ak and territory visited
by no commercial enterprise except
packers.
Social work among girls and women
is as undeveloped as many OF the
natural resources OF the country, she
safd. and the much-abused packers
are doing In some places for their girl
and women employees Y. w. c. A.
work-not In the name OF the Y. W.
c. A., to be sure, for there is no or
ganization there but the heads OF
packing industries are trying TO meet
some OF the needs the Y. w. c. A.
meets with employed girls in the Unit
ed States. The Y. w. C. A., she said,
is also doing as far as II can Y. w. C
A. work because there is so much need
OF work for women.
The efforts OF the men to provide
opportunities for girls such as they
have in North America we're humor-
ously Illustrated by an enterprise
undertaken in Brazil A young Presi-
dent OF one OF the States OF Brazil
visited the United States and was
greatly impressed with advantages az
forded girls here. Like a regular Ad
Clubber or Rotarian, he went back TO
his home city, interested all the other
progressive young business men and
they built school for girls. II was
deliberately equipped for teaching do
nestle science. thinking that first Of
all girls should be trained to be home.
makers. Courses we're announced for
graduate wifehood and motherhood.
/, The school, plenty OF money to con.
duct II. everything but teach
ers were found. Again they turned to
| the United States and got faculty OF
young women about 2l years OF age TO
| teach wifehood and motherhood. The
| school is now closed and the faculty"
have sought more suitable yocations.
At Rio Janlero, a city OF 100000
population, she said were 10000 en-
| ployed women and not a building
| where such woman might have lunch,
| while every third door Is q coffee
| house for men. when eating in your
scientific cafeterias and In the lunch
rooms provided by factories and de-
partmeRt stores for women employees,
think OF the girls Of Rio Janiero. eat
ing a sandwich and banana where
ever they can hnd a spot to stand or
sit.
The one thing the matter with the
woman movement In South America"
Mrs. Clarke said us that II has no
seif.starter.
"If | we're free to do so, should
go to South America tomorrow to help
do the social and welfare work among
girls and women that all classes of
women are asking for"
Attending the conference we're rep.
resentative women from Texas, Okla
homa and New Mexico. Much interest
was manifested in the conditions as
described by Mrs. Clarke and the an'
/ ....ao - awtau1 tho work NJ tha