Y.W.C.A. ACTIVITIES

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 143, 13 March 1939, Page 4

Y.W.C.A. ACTIVITIES

Spare time, carefully invested, can bring in returns of pleasure and happiness which money cannot buy. The Y.W.C.A. offers a wide diversity of activities, social, cultural and physical, and has clubs aud classes for women and girls of all ages. The social activities take as their aim “fun and friendship.” There are clubg for younger and older business girls, and-others, which meet in the daytime, for married women aud those who do not go to work. The activities include crafts, playreading, glees, discussions, outings, badminton, ping-pong and physical culture. There is also a bridge club where beginners nmv learn the game and advanced players meet each other. For girls and young men there is a dance club, which organizes dances regularly throughout the winter in the Blue Triangle Hall. A travel club meets each month alternately at the Y.M.C.A. and Y.W.C.A., and combines a social evening with a study of other lands. The French and German classes, drama club, glee club aud badminton club are also ojien to both men and girls. The languages classes are held each week and are divided into groups for beginners and more advanced pupils. Madame R. Finlayson takes the French students and Dr. Greta Short teaches German. These classes make a strong appeal to those interested in other lands and other peoples, for they are an intelligent prelude to travel, and bring a deeper understanding of other nations.

Another popular cultural group is that teaching handicrafts. Fascinating things are made with needlework, pewter, brass, leather, parchment, marquetry and cane. Tn this group many girls have discovered the real and tasting satisfaction of making tilings with their own hands. Dressmaking is another popular class and this has a practical value which must be obvious to everyone.

The physical activities include classes In the most up-to-date methods, led by Miss Helen Macdonald, Canada, and classes in the Margaret Morris movement, led by .Miss Marjorie Bell, who is the only exponent in New Zealand of this lovely form of physical exercise expressed through rhythmic movement. Her first classes for this year are being held on Monday.