Evening star., 1932-01-31
SUCCESS OF Y. w. C.. A. LAID
TO ROOSEVELTS EFFORTS
Mrs. Bayly Traces Growth of Organiza-
ton Since White House Conference,
Held i'm 1907.

excitement of the war days were re-
lieved. 1t is a matter of local and
national history that the Young
Women'S Christian Association han
died this situation for the Government
until the hotels were built near the
Capitol
The local press gave definite help in
the matter of publicity, and The Eve
ming Star sent one of its young jour
naliStS to cover the activities of the
Y. w. c. A. The story in The Evening
Star brought fresh interest and en-
thusiaSm in the work, and unsolicited
gifts began to come in to the local
board. which was having heavy
struggle to make both ends meet.
Aided by Helen Hughes.
About that time Miss Helen Hughes,
young daughter of our present Chief
Justice, Charles Evans Hughes, had
just been graduated from Vassar She
asked to become a volunteer worker
in the Washington association. 1t so
happened also that at that time the
National Board of the Young Women S
Christian Association wanted the asso-
citation here to initiate the formation
of clubs among the ''teen-age" school
girls. Miss Hughes became chairman
of the new department and the new
work. She gave undying inspiration
for the marvellous success of the Girl
Reserves and left the association a
splendid heritage in the Girl Reserves
present director, Mabel R. Cook, who
has carried on" since that time. al
though when the work was started
Mabel was one of the youngest grade
school girls in the group receiving its
initial enthusiasm from Helen Hughes.
Many gifts of money and property,
always unsolicited, have been received
from time to time, toward the work
of the Y. w. c. A. in Washington.
The first was an acre of land given by
a prominent Washingtonian, DR.. Joseph
Taber Johnson, at Cherrydale, Va,
upon which Vacation Lodge was
erected in 1910, through the efforts of
the Indoor Outdoor Club Later, also
through the interest of the Indoor
Outdoor Club and further gifts of land
from DR.. johnson, the property was
increased and the house greatly en-
larged, SO that last year hundreds of
business and professional women found
refuge there from the torrid heat of
the city during the Summer.
$4,000 Raised in Drive.
In 1913 the Y. w. C. A., launched
the first 'whirlwind campaign" ever
put on in Washington, realizing $4,000
to purchase the site for a permanent
building. The initial gift was a check
for $4,000 from John S. Scully, then
chairman of our trustees, followed by
like amounts from E. B. Grandin, S. w.
Woodward and Miss Grace Dodge.
A lot at Thirteenth and Eye streets
was first obtained, but before plans
could be completed the war clouds
arose in Europe and we had to postpone
building operations. One of the most
important contributions to the progress
of the s'Y. W." was the purchase of the
old Mount Vernon Seminary, at
Eleventh and M streets, to be used as a
boarding home for girls, made possible
by the generosity of Mrs. Elizabeth
Somers in accepting a minimum price
for this valuable property.
Opening the doors of the Elizabeth
Somers, in August, of that year, it
soon became necessary to turn away
many of the young women who sought
rooms there, and Mrs. Somers made the
association splendid offer by which
it took over the school property across
the street. including furnishings and
Continued on Sixth Page.)