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

Ter. magazine writer. author and con
tributlng editor 10 Pictorial Review.
held a delighted audience In smiles
and wrapi attention at the evening
session OF the Southwestern field con-
ference OF the Y w. c. A. at Dallas
while she related her experiences and
observations during a six months trip
in South America. Her subject was
"The Challenge OF South America to
the Y. w. c. A."
True 10 her newspaper training and
the characteristic temperament OF the
newspaper writer-ready for any emer-
gency. from a FIRE TO a sudden trip to
South America-Mrs Clarke picked
up her hat and handbags on short
notice and went 10 South America last
January with a commission OF three
other women sent by the national
board OF the Y. w. c. A. to study tho
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
srst making an investigation as to the
practicability OF the enterprise, Mrs.
Clarke. because OF her experience as
a traveller. was asked to be a 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 o, country
may he. 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 characteris-
tic Latin courtesy. In every country
she was struck with the immense
wealth and culture OF the higher class.
es a universal eaeerness for the pro-
gressive methods OF North America. a
universal desire for social and welfare
work among women. and with il all
she marveled at the vast resources OF
the country-forests OF mahogany I'M
touched by the ak and territory visited
by no commercial enterprise except
packers.
Social work among girls and women
Is as undeyeloPed as many OF the
natural resources OF the country, she
said. 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.. 10 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. G.
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 were 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
Cubber or Rotarian. he went back to
his home city, interested all the other
progressiv young business men and
they built a 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 were announced for
graduate wifehood and motherhood"
The school, plenty OF money to con.
duct It. pupils-everything but teach
ers were found Again they turned to-
the United States and got faculty Of
young women about q years OF age to
teach wifehood and motherhood. The
school is now closed and the faculty"
have sought more suitable vacations.
At Rio Janiero, a city OF 1.000,oee
population, she said, were 10000 en-
ployed women and not building
where such a woman might have lunch,
.
house for men When eating in your
scientific cafeterias and in the lunch
rooms provided by factories and de-
partment stores for women employees.
think OF the girls of Rio Janiero. eat
ing a sandwich and a banana where
ever they can and a spot to stand or
sit.
The one thing the matter with the
woman movement In South America,
Mrs. Clarke said. lis that II has no
selfstarter.
III we're free 70 do so. I should
70 70 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 were rep
resentative women from Texas. Okla
y homa ard New Mexico. Much interest
was manifested in the conditions as
described BY Mrs. Clarke and the ap
8 PEAL made to extend the work OF the
" I Ebrfcff-r AucoQfa ffor