THE Y.W.C.A.

Evening Star, Issue 19918, 14 July 1928, Page 5

THE Y.W.C.A.

GREAT RECORD OF SERVICE HISTORICAL PAGEAHT TO BE HELD The Dunedin branch of the Y.W.C.A. has the honour of being the first institution of its kind to be formed in the Southern Hemisphere, and it requires but a brief study of its history to show that the career of this worthy association _ has been marked by the manner in which its members have worked on true Christian principles. During the last fifty years its officers and members have, by their unswerving diligence and loyalty, helped it to attain a record of service of which all connected with it may well be proud. It is interesting to recall that the inaugural meeting, which took the form of a tea meeting, was- held the Temperance Hall on July 24, 1878. As a result of this the association was placed on a firm basis. At a meeting held in the Y.M.C.A. rooms on August 2 a constitution was adopted and a board of management was elected, the officers being as follows: — President, Mrs Bathgate; vice-presi-dent, Mrs N. Davis; secretary, Mrs R. Inglis; treasurer, Miss Jarrctt; committee —Mcsdames Coombs, Purdy, Boot, Moody, Howorth, Misses Lambton, Ramsay, Little, Kilgour, M ! Don gall, and Thompson. Mrs Lindsay Mackie and _ Mrs Lorenzo Moore, as ministers’ wives, became ex office members. From that time onward the good influence of the association spread so quickly that before its first year had expired the Dunedin association became affiliated with the London _ Association, and the matter of instituting a homo for young women was receiving earnest consideration. The venr ended with a membership of 230. In 1880, when Mrs Skiddy was matron, a sewing meeting was formed, which did much good by making garments for needy children. . . It was "in 1883 that, at the invitation of tho Y.M.C.A., the association took over that body’s building and a debt or £6OO, promptly setting to work to collect and borrow in order to put the building in a state ot repair, f i ho first board meeting was held in the new building on December 19, 1886. Hie members were:—President, Mrs Paul; vice-president, Mrs Bannerman; treasurer, Mrs M'Leod; secretary. Mrs Downie Stewart; committee—Mesdames Blackladder, A. C. Bcgg T. Dick, leevan, Dunlop, J. E. Denniston, R. Gillies, J. Rutherford, Menzies, H, Livingstone, North, Misses Marsden, Smith, and Lambton. Miss MTvean and Miss Burton were added after the resignation of Mrs Denniston and the death of Mies Lambton. A “ Time and Talents ” branch of the association was formed in 1896, and this body did a great deal of good work among the factories of the city. Events moved rapidly in . 1901, a largo room in Club House, Moray place, being secured. Finally, it was decided to ivui chase the section on which the present rooms stand. Tho building was opened on April 16j 1903, by the Governor-General, Lord Ranfurly, who was accompanied by Lord Northland. All departments of the associations work progressed rapidly until 1922, when the method of girls’ work was changed from Hearth Fire to Girl Citizen movement, in which the same ideals of home-making, happiness, and service were retained together with a greater opportunity for self-government in preparation for tho wider citizenship now open to women. Since that timo until the present tho rate of progress has been correspondingly good. _ Beginning to-morrow evening with a thanksgiving service at First Church, the association will celebrate its jubilee. On Mondav afternoon an “At Homo" will ho held at the Y.W.C.A. moms, and in tho evening a party will ho hold a(, the Te Taumata Clubhouse. On Thursday afternoon members will he entertained at afternoon tea at the invitation of the mayoress (Mrs W. B. Taverner), and in the evening a special service will be held at St. I’uul s Cathedral. Wednesday’s function will ho an “ At Homo ” to past and present hoard members, given by tho president (Mrs J. Sutherland Ross), and on Thursday evening a pageant of tho history of tho association will ho hold at ills .Majesty’s Theatre. The celebrations will conclude on Friday with an “ At Homo ” to bo given by members to other women’s societies, and tho second performance of the pageant. _ In connection with the pageant, high hopes are entertained that something out of tho common will bo staged. Under able control, preparations arc being made for special scenes that will represent tho growth of the association through all its stages right from the time when Dunedin was under scrub to the present. Tho services hard been enlisted of persons who actually lived through these periods.