The Union daily times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1918-current, 1922-04-22
All About the Modern Girl

Hot Springs, Ark, April 2l.-The
horizon of an intelligent girl of Is
today is wider than that of the savant
Of 1900, Mrs. Robert c. Speer of New
\ ork City, president of the national
board of the Young Mems Christian
Association, said in presenting the re.
port of the board TO the national con.
vention of the association here today.
Motions of girls derived from
Louisa M. Alcott are out of date" she
said.
Girls are besct with complex in
terests; Pandoras box of new emo
tons and experiences fills the air with
thrills and stings for them. The sense
Ct adventure, of something lost be-
yond the ranges, something calling 70,
Us, summons them out of the old
highroad of custom. Unless they are
led Alright there may be weary years
CT wanderings in the wilderness.
There could he no greater chai-
lcnge. We are Interpreters of life
for young women. The negative of
Sinai no longer has power with d
world where curiosity has displaced
fear. Our place is not with the ta
bles of stone, but with the followers
Ct the Master who sat on hillock
in Galilee and told the listening crowd
where the satisfactions of life are to
Re found.
'lt was voted to adopt the social
ideals eof the churches, to use our
resources in preparing women for re-
sponsible citizenship, and after study
ing social and economic conditions af.
tectlng women to see how these condi-
tions could be helped by legislation,
pledging ourselves to work for such
legislation as might promote the well
fare of young women.
Our much criticized stand for So
cial ideals has borne widespread fruit
and has brought the Endorsement of
practical men and women as no other
action we ever took. Contrary to
widespread impression, it did not
bring us financial loss. 1t has influ-
enced popular opinion, and one finds
in newspapers today, as common
places, statements that would have
been regarded as dangerous three
years ago. Ideas that had their germ
in the social creed are now integral
parts of the reports of merchants
associations and state chamber of
commerce.
Science now reinforces what com
mon sense has always said that where
the girls lead, the boys will follow,
and the race in turn will grow. 1t
was this commonplace Of present day
thinking that made the governmental
authorities turn in 1917 to the Young
Women's Christian Association as a
woman's organization that could be
entrusted with special responsibilities.
The nation put millions into our
hands, not primarily to help the girls.
but that the girls might not hinder
the boys in their task. With 1919, the
welfare Of young women died out of
the average American, but abated zeal
did not mean decreased need. Girls
did not go back to the accustomed life
at home.
"In addition to the fact that it has
grown up since 1914, in years when
older men and women were preoccu-
pied with attempt to salvage civiliza-
tom this generation is the first to
feel The impact of many new forces in
the worlds life. The camera and the
illustrated paper have brought the
world to the girls door. The morning
paper brings her the worlds politics
and scandal. The movie, with it's
crude lights and lines, tends to de-
stroy the fine edge of imagination, or
would if God had not made residence
one of the attributes of youth. Mod
crn science pours into the lap of
young people great stores of treas
ure, along with the alloy; why should
thew not want to trv evervthinU ay