Established Here in April, 1906, It. Has Been Successful in a Marked Degree.
WHAT THE ASSOCIATION MEANS TO YOUNG WOMEN
Following is the sixth in a series of articles on the history of Altoona societies:
One of the best societies in the city of Altoona is the Young Women's Christian association, which has been established here for over five years and which has met with great success. Having started with 190 members, the association now has 650. It conducts a large boarding home on Twelfth avenue for women, and offers many religious, social, athletic and educational advantages. It is the only Altoona club carrying on its particular line of work for girls and is deservedly popular.
The local branch was organized on April 5, 1906, in Christ Reformed church. It had quarters in the Christy building for four months, and then moved to the Mateer building where it stayed for one year and five months. The association's home there was destroyed by fire, and the society then occupied two rooms in the Central Trust building for eight months. Moving back to the Mateer building, the association stayed there two years, and at the end of this time moved into a house owned by the Ramey estate at 1121 Twelfth avenue, where an excellent boarding house and association home has been conducted for over a year. Few people realize how fine a home the association really has. Visitors can see comfort in every line from the moment they enter the door.
The ladies mainly responsible for the establishment of the local branch were Mrs. Heaton Baker, Mrs. Edwin Amies, Mrs. M. W. Thompson, and Misses Mary Davis, Agnes and Susan Taylor, Cora Bowers, Matilda Delo and other members of the Altoona Sunshine society.
The first officers of the association were: General secretary, Miss Leona MacGeorge; president, Mrs. M. W. Thompson; first vice president, Mrs. Heaton Baker; second vice president, Miss Cora Bowers; third vice president, Miss Margaret Ross; fourth vice president, Miss Anna McCauley; treasurer, Miss Elizabeth Bunker; secretary, Miss Henrietta Leisenring.
The Young Women's Christian association is a voluntary organization of young women who desire to obtain for all young women in the community an increased spiritual life, an opportunity for Christian service, and educational, social, physical and economical development. It is hard to point to a date as the beginning of the Y.W.C.A. movement in general. It has been distinctly a growth and is very different now from the idea in the minds of the women who opened the first boarding home. In 1854, during the Crimean war, a great need was felt for a home where nurses would be received on their return from the east. This was started at 51 Upper Charlotte street, Fitzroy square, London, and was known as the Nurses' home. In 1855-56, the Honorable Lady Kinnaird formed an organization that took over this home. A temporary home was offered to women of several classes. This was the beginning.
In 1877, fifteen institutes and homes and forty-eight prayer-houses in London united under the presidency of the seventh earl of Shaftesbury. In 1858, a Ladies. Christian association was formed in New York. To this association came a clergyman speaking of a young woman recently come to New York, who was unable to find a safe, comfortable boarding place at a price she was able to pay. He added: "Now ladies, here is your work. Open a boarding home for such women."
In 1866, the Young Women's association of Boston was formed, and paid special attention to young women who from their position and sex were unprotected and helpless. In 1894, the World's Young Women's Christian association was formed.
In 1906, the Young Women's Christian association of the United States of America was organized, and employment and boarding directories, religious and social work have been conspicuous from the start. Travelers' aid, work in factories and summer rest homes are early developments. It is interesting to note how the spirit of co- operation has grown from these early beginnings, so that the work now is not so much a work for as with young women.
The Young Women's Christian association of Altoona took a firm grasp on the public in the very beginning, and still holds that high place in the public's regard. The society needs more financial help than it has received in the past from the public, but the officers are hopeful that this will be forthcoming. Nowhere is Y.W.C.A. work self- sustaining. It is of such a nature and covers such a wide field of activity that it cannot support itself unaided. All the world is a gainer by the movement.
For the past five years the local Young Women's Christian association has reached out from the central building or rooms to the young women employed in mills or factories. Meetings are carried on twice a week in the silk mills, being at intervals of religious character, and at other times taking the form of entertainments or practical talks. Preachers, evangelists, Christian women and readers and vocalists of talent willingly lend their aid to make the extension work a success. At the central building, successful classes are carried on in dress making, millinery and children's sewing, it having been found necessary to organize a second class in dressmaking because of the great demand for this branch. Capable teachers are in charge of the classes and unusual advantages are offered to the young women of the city at a merely nominal fee. In the physical department, two classes of unusually large numbers have been organized, one for beginners and one for advanced pupils. These classes meet each Monday evening. A large class of children meets each Saturday morning at 9 o'clock. The association has been fortunate enough to secure as the instructor of its gymnasium classes, Miss Mary H. Whitmore, physical director of Miss Cowles' school for girls, Highland Hall, Hollidaysburg, a graduate of the Boston normal school of gymnastics.
A Bible class, which will be taught by Miss Grace Hamilton, of the Moody Bible institute, is now being formed and will begin its' course in the last week of October. Vesper services are conducted each evening at the home from 6.45 until 7 o'clock, and all young women are welcome to come and join in them. During the winter a vesper service will be conducted for girls on the second Sunday of each month at the same hour. All strangers in the city are cordially invited.
The boarding home is a great advantage to young women coming into the city as strangers and has since its inauguration, opened up to the association a large field for labor. Here young women can secure all the comforts and advantages of a home at reasonable rates. The library parlor, rest room, and dining room are at the disposal of all and an earnest effort is made to make every girl feel at home.
The religious department, with Mrs. J. W. Kemmerling as president, plans for the Bible classes, extension work and vesper services, and the business department, with Mrs. Hahman as president, raises the budget, oversees the boarding home and secures subscriptions. The educational department, with Miss Ross as president, plans all educational and physical classes and secures teachers, also arranging for entertainments and lecture courses. The social department, with Miss Elizabeth Bunker as president, plans and carries out all social affairs, and furnishes a reception committee of young ladies who offer their voluntary services to the general secretary.
The present officers' of the association are as follows: General secretary, Miss Elizabeth Metzger; president, Mrs. W. W. Blake; first vice president, Mrs. J. W. Kemmerling; second vice president, Mrs. William Hahman; third vice president, Miss Margaret Ross; fourth vice president, Miss Elizabeth Bunker; treasurer, Mrs. S. P. Smith; board secretary, Mrs. J. Banks Kurtz.
The Y.W.C.A. has done much in its short history, but expects to do much more in the years to come. It is only to be hoped that the race will be as fruitful as the start.
Altoona Tribune, Altoona, Pa., Wednesday, October 18, 1911, page 5