New Britain herald., 1925-07-28
TELLS OF WORK AT
 w. CONFERENCE
Miss Wardrope Writes Of E1'
 perieDceS at Silver Bay

Echoes from the Eastern 'Com- munity conference, under the aus picies of the national board Of the Young Women's Christian associa- ton, which was held at Silver Bay, New York, from July fl 10 s4, are heard, in d letter to the Herald by Miss Jean Wardrope general secre- tary of the local association, Miss Wardope writes on the closing day. of the conference, as follows:
 There are 40S delegates here - all women and girls from this re- zion which comprises II states. mostly New Englanl New York and New Jersey. There are also repre- sentatives from the Y. w. C. 4. in Canada and in Australia, The group includes 105 secretaries and 56 board and committee members. There are 22 different denomina- lions represented in the 75 delega- tions, So much for Who's Here
 'What have we been doing? As you will sec by the program -- the object of the conference is to make the Young Womens Christian as- soclation spiritua! force In the life of today, Perhaps the most popu- lar of the leaders is Rev. Frank W. Bible who has been q missionary 10 China and is now secretary of the board of foreign missions, Presby- tcrian church. In four lectures he has given us a graphic picture Of { h e historical background, both political and economic, of the pres ent international situation. He has done this in a very human. and sometimes, humorous way so that the girls have crowded the meetings and listened spellbound. Dr. Walter A. Morgan of Washington, D. C., has, in his morning sermons, helped Who and I?' What sort of a Being is God?' What am l here for?' How can I be my best?' And, though he hasn't tried to settle the present controversy between the fundamentalist and the modernist he has presented his theme from the modcrnist's point of view.
 Besides these meetings to which the conference came en masse. there have been group discussions for business women industrial girls. secretaries and committee women. You can see what these are by this program. T Il 6 section on the Study of the Family in the Life of Today has been crowded by mar ried and engaged girls especially, which shows that women do take that job seriously. Professor Bow man has given us secretaries many new ideas to work on in regard to the community. His definition of the community is = the smallest space within which we can find the ma jor social institution; school, church, industry, political organization, and he has shown very clearly that our special field is the girl in that com munity.
 The committee groups have con- sidered their various responsibilities finance, business women's de- partment, industrial department. membership. education, housing. food departments, etc, on all of which the national board has de- veloped a high grade of technique. The national board furnishes secre- tares who are responsible for such conferences.
 "The afternoons are almost wholly given over to recreation in charge of trained physical directors. Basketball, tennis, dancing, swim ming, boating are the popular sports but this year devotees have been found for nature study, music and poetry which are steadily gain ing a place in our recreation pro- gram. There are some 50 Negro dele gates, too who have charmed the entire conference by the singing of negro spirituals and have taught us some of them to take back home. There have been trips also to Para disc bay, up and down Lake George and to Fort Ticonderoga which is at the foot of the lake. The Silver Bay association now owns hand some launch accommodating about SO persons which had added consid- erably to our enjoyment.
 We leave tomorrow and already delegates are arriving for the next conference which is being held by the Young Peoples society of the United Presbyterian church. They are preparing for 1000 delegates- some sleeping in improvised tents and even on mattresses spread on the floor"