Y.W.C.A

Manawatu Times, Volume 63, Issue 174, 26 July 1938, Page 2

Y.W.C.A

ANNUAL REPORT The 20th annual report of the Palmer ston North Y.W.C.A. to be presented at the annual meeting on the evening of Thursday, July 28, is as follows:—The president's foreword: — Dear fellow members, The board of directors are very pleased to record another year of progress in the work of our association. During the early part of 1038 we were extremely sorry to part with Miss P. Hindle, who after nearly three years of excellent service as general secretary, was appointed to a similar position at the Christchurch association. We have been fortunate in securing as her successor, Miss H. M. Saunders, late of Hamilton Y.M.C.A.Y.W.C.A. who has been indefatigable in every phase of her work. The various objects of our association have had her constant attention and her services have been fully appreciated by the board of directors and the community generally. The need of a hostel is increasingly evident from the number of enquiries received and I hope that this matter will receive full consideration in the near future. The board has decided that the increasing work to be done by the secretary warrants the appointment of a trainee. It is felt that by this addition to the staff, the Y.W.C.A. will be able to still further increase its activities for the benefit of the community. I desire to express my personal thanks to the board of directors and Miss Saunders for their co-operation. K. E. Priest, President.

Board of Directors: President, Mrs G. G. Priest, vice-presidents, Mesdames R. Jamieson, K. Dean; committee:— Mesdames E. C. Barnett, W. J. Phillips, C. A. Small, D. Evans, R. D. Kniglit, W. H. Rainforth, P. E. Flood, F. G. Major, W. E. Winks, F. G. Jolly, Misses M. Forrest, J. P. Grigor, B. Kelly and C. E. Warburton.

Leave of absence was granted to Mrs F. G. Major who is at present abroad. The resignation of Mrs R. D. Knight owing to ill-health, was received with deep regret and we record onr thanks to Mrs Knight for her years of loyal help and service. Tho appointment of Miss C. E. Warburton, who had already a knowledge of the association, has proved a happy one. Advisory Board: Messrs. A. A. Langley, W. E. Winks, G. G. Priest, J. O. Boniface, W. G. Black, A. Grigor and H Christmas.

Membership: Tho membership of the association at June 30, 1938 stands at junior citizens 36, girl French Club 37, live Y'ers 30, business girls lyceum 30, sport (not partaking in other activities) 10, business and professional women 22, women members 70, firms and subscribers 48. Total 341. The educational and recreational groups have included:— Junior Citizens: This group meets on Friday from 4to 7 p.m. As a branch of the junior department this club was formed in March of 1938 for the older primary school girl and is now carrying its full capacity of members. The programme compiled to accentuate the joy of living has fulfilled its purpose by supplying dancing and rhythmic exercises under the tuition of Miss Pat Over, gay tea hours, handcrafts, games, singing and vespers. As these girls pass into secondary schools, they will graduate into tho girl citizens department.

Girl citizen department which meets on Tuesday evenings from 7 to 9. The success of this activity is largely due to the help and enthusiasm of the girl citizen counsellors, Misses P. Hastings, P. Fuller, R. Lees, B. Gibbs, N. Jordon, M. Matthews and D. Eggers. It was with deep regret that the association bid farewell to Miss Hastings, who during the last two years has held the office of chief counsellor. The girl citizen council with Miss Betty Cutten as chief citizen, 1937 and Miss Joyce Gilberd 1938 has greatly assisted in the organisation of the following activities:— Mother and daughter banquet, drama festival, visit to Glaxo factory, Dominion community gathering, world's week of prayer tableaux and service, hallowe'en party, Guy Fawkes celebrations, Christmas service, Valentine party, coster fair, bike hikes, Easter camp and service, and a social with the Hi Y division of the Y.M.C.A. Though space does not permit a full report of these activities, all of which are import 3 ant because of the character building opportunities they present, the following detailed accounts give an insight of the possibilities presented by such projects.

1. Drama festival in whiehi each of the five sections presented a one-act play, this combined effort made a delightful programme which was enjoyed by parents and friends. Mr. S. T. Bristow who again acted as judieator, was generous in her praise of the improved standard and thus encouraged the players to increase their efforts for the next annual festival.

2. Easter camp held at Foxton in the Women’s Institute holiday house was attended by 23 girls, three leaders and the secretary. Our thanks are due to members of the Rotary Club who so generously arranged the transport. Though the camp had to contend with inclement weather, highlights were reached through the main citizen characteristics, the power to enjoy and the effortless cooperation of its members. 3. Coster Fair: A programme which involved a very enjoyable five weeks’ work, the theme being “ Hampstead Heath on a Bank Holiday." The activities included King Coster competition, stunts, handwork, singing and talks. The girls as usual carried the programme through with enthusiasm and wound the project up with a most realistic fair, clearing the sum or £2O. 4. Social with the Hi Y division of the Y.M.C.A. which owing to its unprecedented success has opened up great possibilities of combined work for the future. Sports: Basketball, 1937, saw four teams comprising of girl citizens and lyceum members playing in the Manawatu basketball competitions, the “ A " team gaining tho cup for the highest aggregate score. Owing to a number of players being absorbed by school and firms three teams have entered in the 1938 competitions, and to date the “ A" team has again been very successful. Tennis Club: Another new venture which met with good response. -Coach-

ing, practices, friendly games and tournaments were all included in the schedule. Our thanks are due to the city fire brigade for tho loan of their court.

French Club: This club, under the expert leadership of Miss K. Birnie, commenced towards the end of 1937, and has now divided into two sections, senior and junior, each of which meets regularly on Fridays during the tea hour for singing, dancing, games, plays and business meeting, French being spoken during the entire evening. Not only does this club encourage and develop the art of French conversation and prepares tho would-be globe-trotters, but it interprets one of the ideals of the Y.W.C.A. —that of knowing and understanding the peoples and conditions of so called “foreign” countries.

Business Girls' Lyceum: This club which meets on a Thursday evening, draws its members from the younger business girl of the town. Miss Betty Baillie resigned from the position of president at the commencement of 1938, and Miss Phyllis Holdaway was appointed in her place. The programme arranged by a committee drawn from the club members, has included talks on Maori Lore, various types of handcrafts, travel talks, ballroom dancing and games. The drama circle has worked consistently throughout the year, not only producing fitting plays for association functions, but, also reading and discussing plays and their authors. The development of this group is duo to the leadership of Mrs Silson who has given very generously of her time and talents. Miss Law during her last visit to Palmston North, spent an evening with this club, discussing the different types of programmes and their possibilities.

Live Y'ers Social Club: This club with a combined membership of b6ys and girls, has held monthly dances throughout the season. The success of these are due to the careful planning of the combined committee who have developed a fine sense of responsibility and desire to carry out the purpose of the association through the medium of a social club. Business and Professional Women's Round Table Club: The aim of this club is to enable its members to make an impartial study of world affairs. The members owe a debt of gratitude to Mr R. H. Billens, editor of the 11 Manawatu Daily Times” and Mr M. Walker who attend alternate meetings to give a resume of world affairs and so enlarge our vision of current topics. Our thanks, too, go out to the various speakers who have given so willingly of their time and knowledge. During tho year the speakers have included Miss F. Ross, “Early History of the Manawatu;” Mr Telty, “Moths and Butterflies; " Miss Jenkins, “Work of the Child Welfare Department;" Miss Dean, “Pianoforte Recital;” Mr B. Low, “ Development and Unity of Modern China;” Mrs G. Gibbs, “Travel in America”; Miss McGrath, “A Trip to Fiji and Tonga"; Rev. J. S. Holland, 1 'The Church and the Community." The programme for one evening was filled by an interesting discussion on “The Place of Women in tho Business World."

We were very fortunate in the fact that our president, Miss C. Warburton, was able to attend tho Y.W.C.A. convention held in Dunedin last May. The members on Miss Warburton's return spent a very interesting evening when an outline of the Convention was given. A suggestion from it that the business and professional women’s club throughout New Zealand should consider affiliation as a primary measure to the linking up with the international federation of business and professional women met with tbe approval of the members.

Miss J. Stevenson in her farewell visit to Palmerston North as national secretary placed an inspiring challenge of service before us when she spoke on the scope of business and professional women's round table clubs and the place women could and should take in the community. The members' council with Miss F. Ross as chairman, has met from time to time during the year, keeping in close touch with the workings of each department. The council has also been responsible for the organisation and execution of functions combining all departments of the association.

The world's week of prayer, kept for the purpose of developing a truer understanding between peoples of all nations, was celebrated by an early morning service on the Sunday and conducted by the girls. At the all-association service held during the week, the sum of £lO was handed to the National Y.W.C.A. to be forwarded to the association in China for the relief of distress.

In December a party visited the old peoples' home and presented a programme of plays, songs and folk dances, all of which were much appreciated. Contributions for a Christmas hamper were collected and presented to a family in poor circumstances.

Organised by the Y.W.C.A. and promoted by a committee of girls representing the various business houses, a series of four lectures on “Sex and Life" covering the social, spiritual, psycho logical and Christian aspects, were held in the Y.W.C.A. rooms and greatly valued by the large number of girls who attended.

In June, 1938, Miss Ethel Law, national secretary, paid a second visit to Palmerston North when an all nations’ banquet was held in her honour. This proved to be a great success, the theme being one of world fellowship. Members of the various clubs representing the different nations and the colourful costumes of each assisted towards making the scene an attractive one. Characteristic items added to the international setting of the evening. Finance: The satisfactory state of the balance-sheet is mainly duo to the untiring efforts of the board of directors, who, under the leadership of Mrs G. G. Priest have worked consistently and harmoniously throughout the year. Special efforts including street day and show stalls amounted to £173, and general receipts which include members and club efforts totalled £l5B, subscriptions and donations £IOB. Gcu* erous grants including the McCarthy Trust, £7O. City Council, £25 and Lord Nuffield, £25 have helped very considerably in enabling us to show a credit balance of £124.

The association as yet has no cluh facilities for the woman in the home though we here record our thanks to the mothers of the girl citizens who enter so whole-heartedly into their

daughters’ projects and assist in many practical ways However the Y.W.C.A. has the privii ego of offering its rooms at a reasonable rent to women's organisations such as:—National Council of Women, Women’s Institute, Townswomen’s Guild, Psychology Club, Educational and social groups also find the rooms suitable for their activities, these include Palmerston North Literary and Debating Society, Imperial Ex-Service Men, Manawatu Tramping Club, Esperanto Club, High School Old Girls’ Association, Manawatu Basketball Association and the social clubs of various firms and organisations. Religious organisations using tho room include Seventh Day Adventists and the Sunday school of the First Church of Christ, Scientist.

In the offering of service to the community, the Y.W.C.A. provides comfortable rooms to which girls may bring their lunch, make tea or heat soup, and the giving of advice to young folk when faced with problems or some new adjustments they must make in their lives. The housing problem is still a very acute one and during the year over ..»0 applications for board were received, many of the applicants literally arriving on the doorstep of tho association, with bags and baggage expecting a bed. On occasions it has been extremely difficult to procure suitable places at reasonable rates, whereas the finding of permanent board for the small salaried business girl is still an unsolved problem. The board of directors in their eagerness to fulfill this very desperate need are fully exploring the possibilities of restarting a hostel and feel that the time is not far distant when the Y.W.C.A. hostel will again be ready to fill this want and offer to the women and girls facilities for permanent and transient board. In September of 1937 a farewell visit was paid to the association by Miss Jean Stevenson, retiring national secretary. We would like to record hero tho gratitude of all members, committee and board of directors to Miss Stevenson for her years of unfailing devotion to the Y.W.C.A. and the inspirational guidance so generously given on many occasions. In March this association was privileged in having as its guest Miss Kathleen Courtney, recognised as one of the world's ablest women speakers on world affairs, who at the invitation of tho national Y.W.C.A. visited New Zealand in the interests of peace. Representatives of women's organisations cooperated in arranging the progre~>me which gave the opportunity for all branches of the community to hear this outstanding speaker. National Office of the Y.W.C.A.: During the year much assistance has been given by the national office, and three visits, one from Miss Stevenson and two from Miss Law, national secretaries have been paid to the association. The Palmerston North association records its grateful thanks to the National Y.W’.C.A. for these visits and the manner in which it has kept this association in touch with the affairs of the world's office through literature and correspondence.

Girl Citizens* Biennia! Conference; During the Christmas and New Year holidays, Miss P. Hastings and six girls attended the girl citizens conference held a.t New Plymouth, where ten glorious days were spent amidst the beautiful surroundings and facilities offered by ”Scotland.*?," the girls' high school. The hobbies, interests and activities experienced at the conference have found a very welcome place in the girl citizen programme this year.

Sixth National Convention of the Y.W.C.A.: Palmerston North association was fortunate in being represented at this national gathering by Mesdames R. Jamieson and K. Dean, national board members, Miss C. Warburton, board member and president of the business and professional women and the general secretary. This sixth triennial conference which was held at Dunedin the last week in May proved to be of outstanding value to the delegates and the knowledge gained by them has been of benefit to the whole association.

Thanks: Tho grateful thanks of Palmerston North Y.W.C.A. are extended to the many friends who have given service in numerous ways to the president, and to the board of directors, the advisory board, the treasurer, minute secretary and to the auditor. To the Press for generous space on all occasions, to the voluntary helpers for assistance with clubs, office and typing, and to those who have made gifts of passage runners, cutlery, furnishing and flowers.

For 20 years the Y.W.C.A. has offered to the women and girls of Palmerston North the best that it has to give—in the words of the blue triangle—comradeship, development and service. Despite our shortcomings, it is felt that progress has been made along lines that build for self-reliant citizenship, and ever before us is the challenge of the purpose of the Y.W.C.A.:— “To unite women and girls in a world-wide fellowship, to help them to find a definite purpose in life, to be honest and fearless in their thinking, to attain tho fullest appreciation of the joys of friendship, of service, and of beauty and to interpret by radiant living the love of God as revealed in Jesu' Christ. ’'