WORKING FOR COMMUNITY

Taranaki Daily News, 23 September 1931, Page 14

WORKING FOR COMMUNITY

THE Y.W.C.A. ACTIVITIES LAST YEAR’S WORK. AN INTERESTING REVIEW. The annual report of the Y.W.C.A. to | be presented to the annual meeting tomorrow evening is as follows :d The Y.W.C.A. has now completed its first decade of service in the town of New Plymouth. This tenth year has been in some ways a difficult and testing time, but the membership has on the whole responded with the most encouraging good will to calls upon its time, talent and material and spiritual resources. Our membership of women and girls totals about 200, and within it we feel there is a really close fellowship of those who are sharing in the accepted Christian purpose of our Association. Administration. —It was very sad that so soon after the new year of office began we should have lost the help of Mrs. McCormick, in whose long and serious illness all our members sympathise. Mrs. Blundell’s interest has been ours, but she has been out of New Plymouth almost all the year. l Mrs. Alexander has again acted as president, Miss Harrison as vice-president, Mrs. Ayckbourn as honorary secretary, Mrs. A. G. Johnson as treasurer, while Mesdames D. Menzies, D. Blackley, Nisbet Smith, Insull, A. S. Clark, H. Chapman, Bottrill, J. A. R. MacGregor and Miss Drew have acted with them on the board of directors. Later in the year Misses P. Bennett and Jean Girling took office. The membership committee began the year well by a determined effort to stabilise and increase the adult membership by personal contact and interest. A half-yearly letter full of association news was sent out last Christmas, and several events planned with a view to increasing sympathy. Unfortunately, owing to the ill-health of several members the activities of this committee have lapsed during the last part of the year, but there is good work ahead for it. The house committee has met to discuss any necessary repairs or renovations in connection with the hostel. A very pleasant innovation in connection with this committee has been the holding of meetings in members’ homes instead of always in the central building. Club leaders have met monthly for tea, programme planning and intercession. The harmony of all association activities depends to a very large extent on the intelligent sympathy and purposefulness of this group, and we know that growth and increased stability have come through their willing cooperation. The girls’ council, which is chaired by our Chief Citizen, Miss Jean Girling, has met regularly. It consists of representatives from our different girls’ clubs and has discussed and suggested programmes and undertaken responsibilities in connection with the various association functions. Although an onlooker at a girls’ council meeting might feel that the chairman was having a hard time extracting opinions from the various members, it is amazing how much a girl learns from the meetings and how capably she acts on a committee a few years later as p result of this training. Staff.—On Aliss Gillies’ resignation at the end of September, 19.30, the work of hostel matron was undertaken by Miss Jackett, who has given much satisfaction in her first year of office. Miss Pym has again acted as general secretary. Hostel.—Our hostel has been of useful service during the year in providing a home for any girls oi - women working in the town permanently or temporarily, a pleasant boarding-house where women visiting the town may slay at a reasonable rate, and under special circumstances a place where girls out of work or in difficulty may be sure of a welcome whether or not they can pay the usual fees. We have reduced the rates for our permanent boarders in order to make it a little easier for them to adapt their new scale of earnings. The personnel of our boarders is continually changing. During the year 10 have gone baching, four have been married, and five have moved from the town to seek other employment. The I average number of residents has been 17. A farewell party to Miss Gillies, and an evening’s entertainment for the girl refugees from Hawke’s Bay drew all the boarders together in united hospitality. They have also contributed to the Christmas Tree for poor children, and to the old clothes’ drive, and quite a good selection of articles were made for the annual bazaar. About 10 members joined other business girls in the town in a winter course of lectures and discussions, and four joined the gym. class. Fourteen have during the year become members of the associa-

j tion, and of these several have gladly ■ helped with the girls’ clubs as occasion [ has arisen. All visitors and boarders are asked to attend prayers on Sunday mornings. Physical Work.—A new venture this year has been a classical dancing class for our most junior members between 7 and 14. Airs. Stonnell has very generously given her services to this group, and even this first season shows a real advance in musical appreciation in restraint and in grace among the children. The pianist, Miss Gwen Stafford, has given complete satisfaction. Mr. Egglcton has again most kindly undertaken his class for business girls this season. A great many girls have taken advantage of it, and although as the season advanced there has been a certain amount of irregularity, a far better attendance has been maintained than last year, and the increased control and skill of the girls are very noticeable. In spite of our good resolutions last year, a few tramps and picnics on Saturday afternoons have been our only achievement in outdoor activity, and we must still look forward to a much higher standard in this direction. Club Work. —The mothers’ club plays a very important part in our association life. It supports all of the activities, encourages girl members in loyal effort, end links the board of directors and the secretary with the home life of the younger generation. There has been a membership of 21 this year, and attendance at club meetings has been notably good. Programmes for monthly meetings consist of a short devotional period followed by talks on travel, current events, musical appreciation, etc. Members were glad to be able to assist in earthquake relief work. Mrs. Barnden was obliged to resign from the presidency owing to ill-health, and Airs. Chivers kindly stepped into the breach. At the annual meeting of this group, officers for the coming year were elected as follows: President, Airs. H. Chapman; vice-president, Airs. Bennett; secretary, Airs. Chivers. A side-line in connection with the mothers’ club has been the organisation of fortnightly bridge afternoons, which have been greatly enjoyed. During the last months of 1930 several interesting discussions took place on the present day problems of the adolescent girl in her work, her recreation, her home and her church. Alany thanks are due to those who led the discussions, and the group of interested women who attended would like to work out further ideas on the same lines. The older girls’ programme has been good this year, but attendance has been somewhat irregular. From April to September weekly meeting have been held taking + he form of lectures, discussions and social evenings. All thanks are due to the president (Alisa Doris Hogg), and to the vice-president (Aliss Joyce), for their enthusiasm, which has made the meetings a success. We owe also a great debt of gratitude to all the different speakers who so willingly gave their time and talent. The strength and harmony of our Girl Citizen groups depends on faithful, punctual and regular leaders. We have been more than fortunate this year in our leadership. Since before Christmas, Alisses Clark and Bennett have led groups, and in the beginning of the new year Aliss List, on her return from England, resumed the leadership of a group of old-1 er Citizens, and Aliss Gardner was enrolled as a leader. The Saturday night groups have been given valuable help in community singing by Aliss Gillies. A more satisfactory arrangement with High School girls has been made possible by the generous use of Aliss Clark’s time on Friday evenings for a group of the older girls. The meetings of the younger ones are so irregular owing to the constant omission or curtailment of their time together, necessitated by their school activities, that we are thinking it will be advisable next year to discontinue the meetings in the school buildings, and attempt only the Friday night programme. A very great improvement in regular attendance, quality of programme, and cooperation is to be seen in the four groups meeting in the hail each week. The Girl Citizens in training were led oy the Alisses Beal and Barnard until Christinas, when Aliss Barnard left to bo married, and Aliss Beal undertook to captain a small group interested -in dramatics. This year such meetings as have been held apart from the classical dancing class have been led by the secretary. A small play was produced in the Alay holidays as the children's contribution to the general funds. , The dramatics group have met regularly, but they are few in number, and it its very hard for them to come to the point of actually producing anything. They have taken an interested part in every association activity, and w admire their plucky determination not to be daunted by their difficulties. National Visitors.—We were fortunate to have Aliss Law with us at our last annual meeting in O< o'ber. As our national general secretary, she had always taken interest in the development of the work here, and we were sorry to lose her on her appointment to National work in Canada's Y.W.C.A. We look forward t® a visit next year from Alias Jean Stevenson, who is to be New

Zealand's national secretary from Christmas, 1931. Religious and World Fellowship Work.—There has been a consistent endeavour this year to emphasise the Christian basis of our work. Miss Drew has been an unfailing support in this effort by her advice and sympathy, by leading a devotional meeting each month, and by conducting a special service for us during our World's Week of Prayer. The devotional meetings have been attended by the clut leaders, some of the mothers’ club and occasionally by representatives of other groups. We know that they have helped to co-ord-inate all our activities. The whole membership has been invited to services at Christmas, and at Easter and three community services have been held among the Girl Citizens and their friends. Two of the leaders have done a course in Bible study this winter, and club meetings as a rule conclude with a brief vesper service. Groups of girls have gone together to the Anglican, Presbyterian and Afethodist Churches, and they have been responsible for the children’s services at 2Y’B on two occasions. We have all been interested in raising our quota in support of our missionary in China (Aliss Nessie Aloncrieff), who has just finished her language school, and is settling down to her first real work at the new girls’ hostel in Pei-Ping. There is much thankfulness to be felt for the way the girls have unselfishly and generously responded to the calls | made upon their co-operation in enterprises beyond their immediate interests. Where we meet that, we know that there is development and that our movement is doing its small part in the training for Christian citizenship. Conference.—As the Girl Citizens’ Dominion Conference was held in New Plymouth last Christmas, more of our girls than usual were able to attend as delegates, and considerable stimulus was given to them by mixing with girls from other and larger centres. No convention was held this year, owing to the general depression, but a national board meeting was held in Wellington instead, at which one delegate was present from New Plymouth. Representation on kindred societies. — The local branch of the Y.W.C.A. has been represented on the National Council of Women, and has given its secretary’s time for any necessary business connected with it. It has taken a special interest in the Interdenominational Youth Workers’ Council, and has lent its hall for its meetings. It was represented on the League of Nations’ Union until that ceased to function locally, and it has recently become affiliated to the Women’s Pan-Pacific Union. Thanks. —So many individuals have

helped us in one way or another- during the past year that it is impossible to thank them all, yet we would here record our debt to each and every one. Some few must be specially mentioned: those board members who have attended meeting month after month and insured the smooth running of our association; Mrs. Blackley, who presented the hostel with a cabinet gramophone; those who have helped us by organising or performing at concerts and entertainments; Mr. and Mrs. MacGregor, for their kind opening of their grounds and home at the garden party last November; those who have supported our many necessary financial efforts by their presence, their gifts and their money; all who have helped in any way with our girls’ and women’s clubs; Misses Nicholson, Horner and Armstrong, who have accompanied for us on more than one occasion; and to all those whose friendship and kindly comments have given a happy atmosphere to our work in this town; and especially to the Press for its consistent willingness to give publicity to all our proceedings. HAWERA WOMEN’S CLUB. MEETING OF MUSIC CIRCLE. One of the most attractive programmes yet arranged by the musical circle of the Hawera Women’s Club was given on Monday night. There was a record attendance of members and friends and great enthusiasm was shown. The programme was in two sections, the first part being of a national character and the second consisting of selections from “Our Miss Gibbs.” Mr. W. G. Simpson and Mr. Joe Crawford were the quests of the Music Circle and contributed Scottish, English and Irish songs. The programme opened with the Scottish items, the club orchestra playing a medley of Scottish aira, followed by “The Hundred Pipers” (Lady Nairne) by Mr. Simpson. Duets were given by Miss B. Young and Mr. Simpson “Huntingtowers” and “The Crooked Bawbee.” A pianoforte solo, “Coronach” (Barrett) was played by Mrs. F. Bone, and Miss Young added “Skye Boat Song” (Highland air) and “The Land and° the Leal” (Lady Nairne). Mr. Simpson’s other numbers were Bonnie Lass and Ballochmyle” (Buine) an “Bonnie Briar Bush.” The English section was opened with an elocutionary item by Miss M. Quin. “Queen Margaret’s Mockery, ho Henrv VI., and Mr. Crawford gave If the Heart of a Man,” from the Beggar• s opera. The orchestra played an Irish medley, and the Misses Redly and Miss R Mills eang “Dear Little Shaiassck, arranged as a trto. Barret’s twEsnge-

ment of “The Londonderry Air” was given by Miss B. Ryan, and Mrs. Crawford sang “Alaire My Girl.” New Zealand numbers included the Maori Slumber Song (Princess te Rangipai) by Alias Mills, and Waiata Pol (Alfred Hill) by Miss C. Reilly, and a recitation by Alias Quin, “The Death of Von Tempsi.y” (Thos. Bracken). The selections from “Our Afiss Gibbs” included soloo, duets and choruses, and proved so popular that there is a possibility of it being repeated at som® future function. “Alary” was sung by Aliss E. Alurdock and chorus, “Arms and the Alan” by Miss C. Reilly and chorus, “Moonstruck” bv Miss' G. Lees and chorus, and “Our'Farm” by Alissas Mills and Ryan. “The Bridesmaid’s Chorus and “Shopping” were also given by the chorus. The accompaniments were played bv hlisses Reilly and Airs. A. Corrigan and the orchestra played all the accompaniments to “Our Miss Gibbs. At the close of the programme the president (Mrs. W. O’Callaghan) expressed the appreciation of the audience of the very enjoyable evening’s entertainment, and thanked the artists for their fine performances. NORFOLK WOMEN’S INSTITUTE. The first monthly meeting of the Norfolk Road Women’s Institute was held last Wednesday evening, when there was a good attendance. Airs. W. Brown presided and introduced All - . Lester, of Ngaere Gardens, who gave a very instructive lecture on the care oi flower gardens and the correct way to grow and tend different plants. The uses of various sprays to eradicate plant pests were mentioned and with the frequent use of these he stated the gardens generally would bo in a much healthier condition. A competition for the best decorated vase was won by Mrs. D. O’Sullivan with Airs. C. Adnams second. A hearty vote of thanks was accorded the Norfolk basketball girls and the local young men for their excellent rendering of “Cinderella,” and the parody “Rindercella, portion of the funds of the entertainment being donated to the M omen s Institute.