TALK BY MISS STEVENSON

Evening Post, Volume CXV, Issue 123, 27 May 1933, Page 8

TALK BY MISS STEVENSON

A number of women interested in social service work attended the tea party -given yesterday afternoor by Mrs. W. A. Armour for her sister, Miss Joan Stevenson, national general secretary of the Y.W.C.A. .Autumn flowers j and bright fires in the ('.rawing rooms made a welcomo contraft to the dull, wet afternoon outside. Iv response to a rcque&t, Miss Stevenson spoke interestingly of the beginnings of the Y.W.C.A. in England 7S years ago, when tho social changes brought about by the Crimean War and tbe extension of industrialism, tfrged a. body of women to meet tho needs of girls and women in their new aspect of life. A group of womeu in London, under Lady Kiunaird, s;yd Miss Stevenson, had worked with t'JM object of creating "a home away from home" for girls. They found suitable lodgings, provided lunch rooms, gymnasiums, and recreation. A similar group of workers in the North of England also realised the necessity for guidance in the rapid changes taking place, and through tho work of this group ran a deep religious motive. Twenty-two years later the two societies wero united iv the Y.W.C.A. This explains the religious background and the broad social programme of the association. Several other interesting topics were dealt with, after which a vote of thanks, moved by Mrs. E. W. Kane, was passed to Miss Stevenson. A very tempting tea was then served in the dining-room. Among those present were Mrs. T. B. Strong, Mrs. E. W. Kane, Miss Denton, Mrs. J. S. Elliott, Miss Batham, Miss Gi-eig, Mrs. W. Sauuders, Mrs. R. W. Kane, Miss A. Kane, Mrs. Kidson. Mrs. J. Mercer, Mrs. Vautier, Miss Jacobsen, Mrs. Paetz, Mrs. W. G. Reid, Mrs. Adams, Mrs. Gray, Mrs. V. T. Tohompson, Mrs. Graham Robertson, Mrs. Gear, Mrs. Gibbs, Mrs. Brown, Mrs. Vickery, Mrs. X G. Anderson, Mrs. Bcthune, Mrs. Blanchard, Mrs. Cornish, Mrs. W. W. Bird, Mrs. Mayer, Mrs. Hunt, Mrs. A. A. ■ Cramond, Miss George, Mrs. Jack, Mrs. Corkill, Miss Finemore, Mrs. L. Campbell, Mrs. J. T. Martin, Mrs. Watt, Mrs. John Fraser, and Mrs. McKellar.