YOUNG WOMEN’S CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION

Evening Star, Issue 16194, 16 August 1916, Page 1

YOUNG WOMEN’S CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION

Tho thirty-eight,h annual meeting of tho Dunedin Young Women’s Christian Association. hold last night, was attended by about 70 members and friends. Mr G. M. Thomson persided, supported by Mrs Herbert Wilson (president) and Miss" Jean M. Andrews (secretary).

. The report, an outline of which appeared ni last nights Star,’ showed a total membership of 690._ made up of 241 regular members, 106 in the girls’ department, and 345 women and sustaining members. The Chairman, in moving the adoption of the report, said that it was instructive and inspiring. Speaking of the girls’ denartmont and the Jollity Club, he wished to'sound a warning note. The tendency nr- the presenttime was to give girls an enormous amount of latitude—an amount of latitude wiiich, ho thought, was to some extent a danger to the community. In the churches and in associations of this sort care should be taken to guard against the tendency to t'tike girls out of their homes more than they coidd help. (Applause.) In the last- 20 years a complete change had come over the homes of nearly all sections of the community, and in a vast number of homes there was a constant, tendency to find pleasure and occupation and the engrossing things of life outside tho home rather than in u.. It was an essential thing in the working of an association such as the Y.W.C.A. to take care that- 100 much drawing out of girls trom the home was not attempted. It was essential that girls should go out a good deal, especially those seeking to educate themselves and who were working during the day, but the tendency among some was to be out six nights in the week. It would be unwise to attempt to stem popular movements like this, but what au association , like the Y.W.C.A. add like tho Christian Church must do was to give guidance. (Applause.) He had learned with pleasure that a litcrhluro class was held in connection with the association. It was well that young people should be directed into approved literature, and Mrs Grinling deserved thanks for her work. He was pleased to see that Hign School girls patronised the hostel. It was a. good thing for the hostel that the- girls should patronise it, but- it was a bad thing for the- High School that it did not have a hostel of its own. Ho hoped that somo day the Technical School would possess a hostel for its girls. In such a hostel as that of the Y.W.C.A. the girls got the benefits of a Christian homo along with brightness and light, and such conditions must be very encouraging to them. Mr Thomson concluded by referring to the employment problem. His remarks thereon are reported in another column. Mrs S. M. Park seconded the motion. Speaking of the a-ssocialioiv's efforts to train and direct the mentality of our young womanhood, she said that at ono time there was a fairly marked line between girlhood and womanhood, but nowadays girts hastened to cross that, lino. It would bo for the good of tho Dominion if we returned to the' old ideas about the simple home life, and in that connection site thought Mr Thomson had spoken wisely in drawing attention to the dangers that, attended the withdrawing of girls too much out of their homes, even to their own evening meetings. Mrs Park went on to specie of the advantage to the girls of being -able to obtain good food at, the association’s rooms at moderate rates, and in a. general way she commended the Work of the association. The motion was carried. Miss Little read the statement of receipts and expenditure. It. showed a. total of £1,674 18s Id received, the chief items beiim £1,230 18s fid from the hostel, £I7Q 16s members’ fees, and £126 7s cafeteria; and on .the otlrer side, the leading sums were, £503 0a 11a housekeeping in the hostel and £486 19s 8d salaries and wages; tho balance to credit being, £BB 12s 9d, but it was explained that ag-iin.it this balance; there were outstanding accounts amounting to £B4 Eft sd. Tile morion for the adoption of the lialan<sß» Sheet was moved by M;ss Callender, seconded by Miss Dunlop, and carried. The following members of the board were, re-eleclcd;—Mrs Herbert Wilson tpreeideni) Mrs R. N. Vanes, Mrs T. Low, Mrs J. Barf] Mis-s Hooper, and Miss Little. The girls’ reports were then read. Miss Margaret Edmond read the membership report, Miss Olivo Hercus (he report as -to religious work, Miss Frances Simpson tho report as lo the indoor oinbs. Miss Vera M-d----burn the outdoor clubs, and Miss Mollie Thomson iho standing committee. A comprehensive vote of thanks was moved by Mrs Wilson, seconded by Miss Isdt, and earned. It con~'?yo<i acknowledgments i.o Mr G. M. Thomson’ for acting as chairman, to Miss Little for her work as treasurer, to Miss Haig for taking notes of the board meetings, lo Mr Vanes for his advice, to Mis-s Beni ham for her fine work as secretary, and to Miss Andrews (tho present secretary).

Supper was then eerved, and the meetiuu took ou a social character.