YOUNG WOMEN’S CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21539, 11 January 1932, Page 10

YOUNG WOMEN’S CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION

DOMINION CONFERENCE. The Y.W.C.A. conference of Federated Clubs and Girl Citizens, held at St. Matthew’s School, Masterton, was brought to a close at mid-day on January 5. The last session was a combined council meeting of both seniors and girl citizens, and’ at this further means of co-operation for mutual benefit and the progress of the Y.W.C.A. as a whole, were discussed. In every phase of its work the conference has been an outstanding success and a great inspiration to all those who had the privilege of sharing in its work. On Monday night all the delegates took part in a special final gathering in which parts of the Federated Clubs’ Assembly service and the Girl Citizen Community Gathering were oc-ordinated. An inspiring talk was given by Miss Stevenson. : Y.W.C.A. conferences are essentially , a ■ place for sharing of ideas in all departments of life and thought. The creatiye instinct is fostered along many lines in the Y.W.C.A.. and each delegation brings to conference a display of the products of its last year’s club work. The combined display this year is a very fine one, both with regard to quality and the range of artistic work contributed. It is not possible to give details of the great variety of articles in the display, which includes numerous types of sewing and knitting, raffia work, marquetry, collections of photographs and leaves of native trees, posters, etc., as well as original efforts ..showing much ingenuity. The whole display is vivid proof that the New Zealand girl can turn her hand to anything and do it well. . , Cricket, swimming and lawn tennis occupied the recreation hours of conference, as well as visits to the town and to the Masterton Domain. A pleasant interlude was a picnic to Solway Bush, where a happy afternoon and evening were spent. Vespers were taken before the return, amongst the peaceful beauty of the bush and trees. Uniform parade is an important feature of conference for Girl Citizens. The parade was taken by Miss Leila Bridgman, national chief counsellor of tnu Girl Citizen Movement, and Mrs E. Dawson, chairwoman of the National Girls Work Committee, before the delegates attended the evening service at St. Matthew's Church on Sunday. The results were: —Christchurch and Dunedin. 14 points; Palmerston North, _ 13; and Auckland and Wellington 12 points each. The song contest between the delegations provided a very happy friendly competition in another line. Auckland won the Maori song, with Wellington second: and the original song was won by 1 al--1 merston North, with Dunedin second. At the conference banquet on Monday evening the whole scheme of decoration, worked out by the ceremonial and house committees, was illustrative of conference theme, “The New Dawn Breaking. The following toasts were given with musical .honours:—“The King,” “Conference , Hostess and Mother’’ “ Commissariat, “ Leaders,” “The Y.W.C.A.,’ and The Past and Future.” The items provided by the various living groups and secretarial staff proved extremely amusing. On Sunday afternoon the hobby groups provided a suitable programme illustrative of the work in hobby hours—the whole weaving into a very pleasant hour, These groups have proved a very interesting feature of the conference. New hobbies have been discovered and old ones developed with deepened interest. The most satisfactory element has been the real sense of satisfaction and achievement found by the girls themselves, and the thrill of anticipation of being able to share with girls of their own assoc.ations the ideas and crafts learnt, Ai the leaders of the hobby groups were specialists, and the Y.W.C.A. has been verv fortunate in that Miss Tankersley and M? R. H. D. Stidolph, both residents of Masterton, have given of their time and service to the girls through the avenues of music and birdlore, respec“Ye Crafte Shoppe was conducted by Miss C. Ashton, general secretary of the Palmerston -North Association. Miss Delight Lynn, girls _ work secretary of the Auckland Association, had charge of the book lore-group, which also produced the conference log. . ibe picture on the cover of this was pnnted in “Ye Crafte Shoppe” from a Ime-out made by one of the members of that group. The dramatic group spent varied and delightful hours with Miss Meysie Law, senior department secretary of the Auckland Association. The delegates were very .fortunate in bein')- given the opportunity, which they eagerly accepted, of examining the remarkably fine library that Mr Clemas, of Masterton, possesses. The library includes many books many hundreds of vears old and such editions as the Hug Bible, the Breeches Bible and the Treacle Bl At’the close of conference many of the girls had to return to_ work, but a large percentage remained in residence at St. Matthew’s for two days holidaj. For the secretaries, however, the nrat of these was occupied with a secretana conference. With its close, the work of the conference is only beginning. Ine value of its service will be shown in the lives of the girls and leaders, and in the communities .from which they wer sent. If the spirit shown all through the sessions, in work and in play, is any indication, an all-round development m all the associations should be apparent, thus fulfiling the fourfold purpoae of the Y.W.C.A. for the womanhood or tne world.