Evening star., 1952-07-06
Nice Girls Do Well
In Attracting Sailors
From Port Bad Girls
By Alvin J. Steinkopf
Assoeiuisd Pres. Foreign Correspondent,

MIDDIESBROUGH, England,
July 5.-ProgreSs was reported to-
day In this city'S good girl versus
bad girl competition for the favor
Of sailors.
The nice girls are going strong,
says the Rev. Cyril Kettle, 35-
year-old chaplain Of the Mission
Of Seamen.
The sailors are fiocking in
greater numbers to his mission
where. just as the Rev. Mr.. Kettle
promises on visits to arriving
ships. they can meet some of the
wholesome and pretty girls Of the
city. Middiesbrough, an indus
trial and shipping center of 15O.-
600, has become bright spot on
many a sailors list.
The clergyman's project has at
tracted a great deal Of attention.
Some reports have suggested that
he has organized the proper girls
OF the town to lure sailors away
from the girls. to be found in any
port, who aren't so nice.
Doesn't Stress Competition.
1t isn't like that, he protested.
There is no exciting competition
In the streets between his team
and the good time girls. But he
does make it possible, and easy,
for sailors who land in Middles--
brough to meet girls who can give
seamen a memorable and proper
evening.
II his project has attracted at
tention it may be. he believes, be-
cause his mission here is placing
greater emphasis on the social
aspects of the problem of keeping
a sailor happy ashore than do
other Of the 100 missions sup
ported by the Church of England
IN ports around the world.
No sailor may bring a girl to the
Middlesbrough mission, unless she
happens to be his wife. At the
mission boy meets girl, but the
mission provides the girl.
II wish the mission could sup
ply few more" the chaplain said.
Its quite job frequently to turn
up a dozen on short notice." Who
are the girls?
He Likes Them Poppy.
Friendly. church. going and, in
many cases. very pretty girls who
know sailor needs a girl to talk
to after days and weeks at sea.
I like them peppy, and it helps q |
great deal if they are tireless
dancers. Our little church sup
plies most of the girls but we man
age to borrow some from other
churches.
"The other churches sometimes
are a little unhappy when I raid
their pretty girls, because the
other churches have their own So
cial programs. But the co-opera-
tion really is splendid"
At the mission. a large building
in the heart of town with recrea-
ton rooms, library, kitchen and
church, there are evenings of 4
dancing. movies. theatrical pro-
ductionS, whist playing and table |
tennis. But the emphasis is on
dancing and talk.
Any sailor may find a girl friend |
here. Many enduring friendships 4
have been formed and, in the Rev.
Mr.. Kettles experience, the boy
meets-girl department Of the mis-
sion has produced at least one
highly successful marriage.
Girls Can Visit Ships.
Once introduced at the mission
the girls may visit the sailors on
their ships in port. Most shipping 1
lines, naturally preferring con-
tented crews, encourage such So
cial contacts if the object is tea 1
and talk. But the skipper Of a /
freighter is not always a shrewd
judge Of girls. There have been
instances. the chaplain said, when
the wrong kind of girls got aboard.
What do the mission girls think
Of their uplift-the-sailor activi-
ties?
TITS fun, and one meets such
different characters" said blond
Mary Whistler, who is the dancing
type. There is nothing wrong
with the Middlesbrough boys, but
they talk about football and their
jobs in the chemical works. which
isn't so thrilling. The sailors have
had exciting experiences out in
the world.
Are sailrs fresh? Not those
I've met. They are just boys away
from home. Maybe at the mission
we remind them Of the girls they
left at home"
Chaplain Climbs Aboard.
Right after the port authorities
the Rev. Mr.. Kettle chambers
aboard any merchantmen enter
ing the harbor. Before sailors get
started on shore leave he tells
them about Middlesbrough, its
theaters. resorts and. Of course. his
mission and the girls who drop in
there.
"Churchman have a saying that
q visiting person makes a full
church." the Rev. Mr.. Kettle said.