Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-11-24
A HOME ROOM IN THE "Y".

woman secretary welcomes the men
and boys who care to come to her.
She mends for them, plays the piano
for songs, hymns, starts games,
serves lemonade or tea and helps
them in many ways, but best of all
she is simply there as their friend,
ready to talk over their problems,
to cheer, to scold or to encourage,
| always upholding the highest ideals
of American womanhood. 1t has
been astonishing to us how quickly
| lonely men, far from their own
homes, have come to these friendly
women, telling them of their trou-
! bles and trials, talking over their
problems and relying on the COM
fort and inspiration that the woman
secretary can give. An average of
over fifty (50) West Side men a day
have sought the privilege of these
quiet talks, beside the men who stop
| in for a friendly greeting or to join
| in the singing or sit and read maga-
zines in the restfulness of the Home
Room.
The woman secretary is in uni
| form. She has been trained for her
work. Her presence in the build
ing means no change in the organi-
HdllOh VI coSOCldllOH dCIlNlIleS. OHc
| Classics as a special secretary, do
| ing special piece of work. She is
/ the soul of the Home Room and
whether she deals with visitors, one
by one, or is the center of the group
of dormitory men who gather there
| in the evening, she manifests the
| leadership which gives to the best
| American homes their attractiVeness
and power. She does in the Asso-
citation the same thing that she has
done so we'll in her work overseas
and in the camps of the Departme ent
of the East. She adds the great
new force to the secretary equip
ment of any association in it's work
flor young men. William Kings
Hey has written: 81 consider the
Home Room the most important and
successful development of the West
Side for many years.
What is the heart of the matter
so far as the Home work is con-
! cerned? What is the idea? Let's
be very clear about it. It does not
imply structural changes in the Or
gan; zation of the Association. 1t
does not imply that women shall go
on boards of directors. 1t does not
imply that an Association shall in
troduce groups of volunteer women
workers into the lobby or other
parts of the building.
This idea is that there be added
to the staff of any Association one
uniformed woman secretary, Cor
possibly two) a woman with un-
usual qualifications. selected with
the greatest care. specifically trained
for this difficult and important work
The right women rightly trained
these and these alone can do this
work successfully.
OF course, opportunities will vary
according to local conditions and ac.
cording to the secretary in charge
AS a rule the service of the woman
secretary will be strictly confined tC
the Home Room, though at the re.
quest of the secretary in charge, she
would gladly assist in other activi.
ties of the building either with mer
or boys.
Though it does not lead to Y. NJ
G. A. work for women, it may leao
in some instances and probably
ought to lead to a cooperative worl
under the joint auspices of the Y
NJ. C. A. and the Y. w. C. A. aidint
the Association in the developing o.
fuller social program for yount
men and women, living in the alb
normal conditions of city life, ant
aiding them in the development o.
, social life surrounded by whole
some, Christian influence. But i
! need not lead even this far unless
those in charge so desire. 1t ma,
! remain just q Home Room for meI
in the Y. NJ. c. A.
The question will be at ono,
asked: Is it not u departure from
Y. NJ. C. A. traditions? Possibly so
} but not from any fundamental ira
ditions. 1t is in line with Y. NJ. c
A. traditions in putting at a maxi
) mum the power of personal religious
} work in friendly counsel. in char