At tine Sign of tine Bine Triangle

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 300, 10 March 1928, Page 17

At tine Sign of tine Bine Triangle

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The Gir l To /ace life squarely, Nor be afraid To treat all fairly, To give swift aid. To toil, nor falter, A taper bright. Before life’s altar Alight.

SGIRL said recently: “I cannot imagine now what Auckland would be like without a Y.W.C.A. Yet I think few people reali s e what it means to us.” For there is wisdom in women. Rupert Brooke himself said so. There is a whole sermon in this girl's remark. The other evening I watched several hundred healthy young people at play. They were members of the junior department. The gathering was termed a “drop in” evening. They shouted, they yelled, they bellowed themselves hoarse. It was more like an exceedingly rowdy gathering of boys. Yet they were superbly and supremely happy. They skipped, they ran, they danced for the very joy of living. And then they sat together, Joined in choruses. Something idiotic about working on Monday and then being too tired for the rest of the week to do anything—or a Chinese folk song, P»— Lanterns lit a year ago Made the streets like day; Willows held the moon; Lovers promised love ... > The thought struck me, as 'it must many a time have just as forcibly I

struck that splendid band of v’omen who control this organisation: What would these sleek-headed, shingled, young New Zealanders be doing; but for the Y.W.C.A.? Here they can sing and snout to their heart's delight, though, mind you, every evening is not a “drop in” night. What is the alternative? To many it is the pavement, and the hump-backed, cigarette-lipped loungers preying there. Not that roms.nce should not have its fling. Wave of Life But many of these little girls are engaged in gome occupation, in shops, in factories, seldom in homes. Freed from any serious control it is so easy for them, armed with a lipstick and a box of powder, to be carried along, pell-mell, in that rapacious old wave we call life, blindly, ruthlessly, senselessly. After all, these are our girls. New Zealand ;s their heritage. They are the future mothers of our people. The protecting arm of the Y.W.C.A.

is always there for them to lean upon i and it is good to know that this is so. j After all, we know so little of the rest of the world about us. What ■ care we for the little tragedies of every-day life—every city is full of them—so long as they do not come directly under our notice It is good to know, without moralising unduly—for there is nothing that the youth of to-day detests quite so much as an old-fashioned sermon—that our young girls can get together

at a "drop in” evening, and yell, and about;, and bellow, like the healthy young animals they should be; that it is not always essential for the “boyfriend” to be present in order to make a gathering “go.”

At a cost of £25,000 the Auckland Y.W.C.A. has just completed and equipped a magnificent new hostel. Lady Alice Fergusscn, the association’s Dominion patroness, will officially declare it open on Wednesday. The hostel stands at the back of the administrative building. *The outlook, with Myers’ Park at its very door, is one of the finest in Auckland. From the roof, where the girls in residence have a tennis court, old Rangitoto can be seen on the skyline. Nearby the windmill, another equally familiar Auckland landmark, merrily waves its arms heavenward. The hostel, strictly speaking cost £23 000 to erect. An additional £ 2,000 was necessary, however, to furnish it. Here more than 100 girls will he accommodated. It will be their home ; they will set out from it in the morning, and, after the day’s toil, will gladly return. They will take a natural pride in it, for is it not theirs? Ever, its government, to a large extent, will be in their hands. The girls' council is entirely self-govern-ing so far as the interior of the hostel

Auckland Y. W.CA. Members are Proud of their New Hostel Home which will be opened on Wednesday by Lady Alice Fergusson. Over 100 Girls will be accommodated in this £23,000 Building with its unique outlook over Myers Park. (Written for THE SUN by ERIC RAMSDEN.)

is concerned. Joan Aicken is the house captain.

Mr. Basil B. Cooper, A.R.1.8.A., was the architect. The successful tenderer was Mr. G. G. Pollard. In November of 1926, as soon as the tender was accepted, the work of clearing the property was commenced, and the foundations laid. As the workmen had to excavate a depth of 24ft. 6in. for the foundations this has been no easy matter. The Hon. George Fowlds "well and truly” laid the stone in June of last year, and the Revs. Canon Grant Cowen, S. Morrison, C. H. Laws and J. Thompson took part in the ceremony.

The three-storeyed building is erected on land which has been in the possession of the association for some time. A special hostel furnishing committee was appointed to fulfil this important duty. Citizens have responded generously to this call, though there is yet much to be done.

Among the many donors was Mr. G. H. Wilson, of Remuera, who has presented the hostel with many reproductions of famous works of art. The Mona Lisa, for instance, smiles her impenetrable smile in the dining room, while several beautiful Dutch interiors in the large living room add a touch which is so often absent in many homes. In addition to the 63 permanent residents at the new hostel, many of whom are already in residence, there

will be accommodation for 32 transients. The extent to which the Y.W.C.A. is used by women travelling, like other aspects of this work, is not always sufficiently realised. Great care has been exercised in planning the building. Immediately is this evident, for instance, in the kitchen, where every possible labour-saving electrical de J vice has been installed. The servery. too. Is a model of what a servery should be. No detail has been forgotten. There is even a small room fitted with a gas ring, where girls who require to supplement their ordinary meals can by day or night make themselves a cup of coffee. Each girl has her locker here, and can keep what, provisions she likes in it. The aim of the association is to place the hostel, and for that matter all its services, within the range of every girl. The charges are not excessive: each inmate pays in proportion to her earnings. This is not an inappropriate time, as a matter of fact, to review some of the activities of the organisation. Last year’s report stated that there were no fewer than 1,330 arrivals. The Cafeteria In the cafeteria 75,298 meals were served, and during the year there were visiting delegates from the Methodist Conference and the Women’s Christian Temperance Union, who used the building and cafeteria. There are 240 regular members of the senior clubs at the Auckland branch, 312 Girl Citizens, 2,727 girls who seek health and recreation, and a total association membership of over 1900.

The Auckland Association’s president is Mrs. C. W. Garrard, who has been an active supporter of this movement for 14 years. In 1913 her sympathy was first enlisted when she accepted the captaincy of a team in the finance campaign for the erection of the present administrative building. The same year she was appointed a member of the board of directors, and, subsequently, a vice-president. For many years Mrs. Garrard was the capable chairman of the house and

cafeteria committee, which position, together with that of treasurer, she held until last year. She then assumed the presidency. During the last 12 months she has been chairman of the executive committee, and, latterly, of the recently appointed new hostel furnishing committee. The girls are particularly fortunate in possessing Miss Jean Begg as their general secretary. To her responsible

post Miss Begg has brought a wealth of experience (by no means entirely obtained within the confines of her own country), as well as a vigorous and enthusiastic personality. Typical of the energetic New Zealander who has made good abroad, Miss Begg is a born organiser and an efficient administrator; yet one who never loses the really important faculty in her important work —the sense of personal touch. Every girl, to her, is. an individual case. At all times she is accessible. Though one of the busiest women in Auckland, her services and advice are always at the disposal of the youngest an,d humblest member of the association. Dunedin born, Miss Begg soon exchanged the teaching routine of New Zealand for the tropical sphere of Samoa. After a successful stay there .she went to the United States and made herself thoroughly proficient in modern welfare methods as applied to girls. On her return to New Zealand the Government availed itself of this knowledge, and placed Miss Begg in an important post, on behalf of her sex, at the Dunedin Exhibition. Miss E. Craig Cowan is the matron of the new hostel. Since she took charge of the old hostel in 1922, Miss Cowan has successfully “mothered” several hundred girls during their stay in Auckland. Many engagements have been announced during her reige and weddings have been the order of the day. Many a shy swain has been encouraged to declare himself by this “crafty” foster mother, and better still, undesirable aspirants have been given short shrift. A new appointment is that of Miss Olive Luxton to the position of social secretary, with which she will corn-

bine the duties of office secretary at the hostel. A skilled musician. Miss Luxton is giving the girls the benefit of her English experience. If “singing Is the thing to make you cheery,” then the hostel should indeed be a happy spot. Folk songs, part songs, music of every description, will play a part in the lives of these girls; there

is a-cropriate music, too, for their short religious services. All the young residents are Miss Luxton's special charge. When needed her advice will be given, especially in the wisest use of leisure hours.

THE HIKING ROOM. —A peep into one new bu Miss Mary Wager, who came to the Auckland association from Leeds, and holds the diploma of the Bedford ; Physical Training College, brought [expert knowledge in gymnastics. She [will see to it that every girl going on the floor receives the best instruction that England can produce. Hockey is Miss Wager’s favourite game, but she is a coach and a good all round sportswoman. Miss Muriel Faraday, assistantinstructress in the physical work, was

trained at Liverpool Physical Training College, where she secured the firstclass diploma for physical culture. She has taught gymnastics successfully at the Liverpool Y.W.C.A. and other girls’ clubs and has come to New Zealand, via Capetown, where she was for four years in a girls’ school. Mi3s Faraday is a good sportswoman, and a fine coach in games. The Auckland association has a splendid body of workers behind it. The board of directors includes: Mrs. G. H. Wilson, Mrs. J. Muir Barr, Mrs. E. G. Whitley, Mrs. M. Rudd, Mrs. W. Todd Smith, Mrs. C. F. Snowdon, Mrs. J. M. Murdoch, Mrs. H. B. Webster, Mrs. J. C. Dickinson, Mrs. C. W. Garrard, Mrs. Charles Smith, Mrs. J. W. WisematL, Mrs. F. M. Hay, Mrs. F. C. Webster, Miss Irene W’atts, Miss A. Cossey, Miss M. Emerson, Miss E. Goodfellow. Mrs. Kenner. Mrs. D. G.

! Cole, Miss Ivy Perry, Mrs. Len Clark | Miss Daisy Dempsey, Miss A. Chilton Button, Mrs. J. A. Wamock. Members of the advisory board are: Mr. John W. Court, chairman, Mr. John , Fleming, Mr. G. H. Wilson, Mr. J. W.

o/ the most important rooms in fits

Wiseman. Mr. T. H. Macky, Mr. Joseph Stanton. Mrs. Rudd is the treasurer, and the elected members' representatives on the executive are Mrs. J. M. Murdoch and Miss Ivy Perry. Members of the staff include: Miss Joyce Potter. 8.A., girls' work secretary: Miss Audrey McCrea. as-sistant-girls’ work secretary; Miss Winifred Maskell, M.A., senior and educational secretary; Miss Vera McLean, business secretary; Miss F. F. Doughty, membership and finance secretary; Miss Olive Bishop, inquiry secretary; Miss Ruth Stevenson, immigration secretary; Miss E. Hawkins, cafeteria manageress; Miss Greta Paterson, Dip. Home Science, cafeteria assistant; Miss L. Alice Smith, resident matron (Queen Street): Miss Priest, hostel assistant; Miss Alberta Wills, holiday house matron; Mrs. M. French, Y.W.C.A. Business Girls' Club secretary. In every New Zealand town where there is a Y.W.C.A., there is a Community of Girl Citizens. The activities of each community are planned and directed by the citizens' council, a group of girls representative of every section, so that the girls themselves have, to a very great extent, the right to decide what they will do. and how they will do it. From March to November club work is in full swing. Each girl comes in one evening a week at 7 p.m. For the first three-quarters of an hour gym. takes all her at-tention-marching, exercises, apparatus work and country dancing all combine to make this part of the pro gramme most enjoyable. It is followed by an hour’s section pro gramme, which is brought to an end by vespers in which all the sections take part. Story-telling, dramatics, handwork, health-studies, first aid or Bible studies may be chosen as the basis for programmes in section. Week-end activities include parties, to which girls may invite their boy friends, rambles to various places of interest, and Sunday afternoon services and teas which are usually followed by church parades. Sections frequently plan to spend week-ends at. Holiday House, Blockhouse Bay, which has been the site of many a jolly Citizen camp. To many girls, camp is the outstanding event in the girl citizen calendar. Girl Citizens Each year, usually New Year holi days, a Dominion conference is held in some country town. To it come delegates from every community, ai d these girls have the privilege and r*» sponsibility of framing laws which will govern the affairs of all the communities of the Dominion. Norah Gallaher, elected Chief Citf zen of the Auckland Community, quickly made friends, and is one of the most popular girls in the department. Before she became a citizen, M-is Gallaher was for three years a pupil at the Auckland Girl 3’ Grammar School. The thrift club is an organisation which has celebrated its 10th birthday and is still going strong. Away back in August, 1918, when the Y.W.C.A. was situated in the old building in Wellesley Street, Mies Stillwell, who was then general secretary, decided that it was time the Auckland girls had this system or saving money started in their city It is an accepted part of the pro gramme of “Y” activities all over the world, and has proved itself helpful and successful wherever it bos been 1 ried. The clubs are mostly in clothlps establishments, but there are some in bookbinders’ establishments, in box factories, laundries, hardware houses, confectionery works, boot factories and other places. Men are allowed to join the Thrift Club as well as women. The money is collected from every firm directly by a bank official, and every girl subscriber can withdraw- money, without notice, directly from the bank herself.

It has been said that freedom is the ability to take care of one's self in many different kinds of situations. The greater number of situations one has the chance to face and meet with satisfaction, the greater becomes one's freedom. We know that the modern girl meets with more situations in one day than the old-fashioned one did in a year. Some adults do not like this freedom —it is not quite the proper thing. Workers with girls to-day need a little of that Divine alchemy which saw gardens of possibilities in what seemed a mere desert and which recognised that as no two leaves on any one tree are identical, so are no two human beings exactly alike. Each is an individual, a personality, which if it is to grow must be given the chance for creative expression, for j sharing responsibility, for ability to meet situations, for learning little by little that God is life and life is God.