Young Women's Christian Association Research Articles

The Old Country Service School: Gender, Class, and Identity and the YWCA's Training of Immigrant Women in International Social Welfare Philosophy, 1919

In April 1919, the Young Women's Christian Association (YWCA) created the Old Country Service School (OCSS) to train foreign‐born women in American social welfare philosophy. The YWCA expected OCSS students to help rebuild war‐torn Europe. A study of the school's curriculum and students provides an interesting examination of gender, class, and identity as they related to international peace efforts during the interwar years.

From Moral to Professional Authority: Secularism, Social Work, and Middle-Class Women's Self-Construction in World War I Britain

World War I is an episode that illuminates the long-term change in definitions of women's authority from the nineteenth-century hegemonic concept of female moral authority to a latter-twentieth-century at least partial acceptance of women's professional and official authority on the basis of competence and rights. Historians of women have not examined often how gender has operated in the construction of authority in specific historical contexts, how gendered definitions of authority have changed, or how women have understood authority they have exercised. This article examines particular definitions of authority women adopted in three career fields during World War I: Young Women's Christian Association (YWCA) social workers, women police officers and patrols, and women industrial welfare supervisors. The central narrative focuses on the dramatic war's-end upheaval within the YWCA, which reveals a telling shift toward secularism in social workers' understanding of the mandate for their work. Calls for "modern," young YWCA workers were linked directly to notions that YWCA social work had become a paid career for trained women. Furthermore, for middle-class women seeking to prove their abilities and further their career possibilities, their relationships with working-class women formed an important basis for their self-justification. Studied together, these three expanding careers demonstrate women's blending of older and newer bases for their authority. While YWCA social workers increasingly introduced qualifications and methods of secular professionalism into an evangelical enterprise, women police and welfare supervisors drew upon older, religiously-based definitions of women's special nature to stake their claims in masculinist organizations.

Young Women's Christian Association

Young Women's Christian Association

"Building Today for the Womanhood of Tomorrow": Businessmen, Boosters, and the YWCA, 1890-1930

Au début du 20e siècle, les organisations féminines jouent un rôle actif au sein du mouvement nord-américain de réforme urbaine. Les femmes réformistes ont une vision spécifique de la ville et élaborent leur propre définition de la réforme urbaine. Cependant, elles doivent composer et collaborer avec leurs confrères masculins. Dénuées de capitaux et de pouvoir politique réel, les femmes dépendent du soutien des réformistes masculins et doivent par le fait même endosser les intérêts de ces derniers. Cet article examine les relations établies entre la Young Women's Christian Association et les hommes d'affaires canadiens dans le cadre de plusieurs campagnes de collecte de fonds fructueuses au profit des édifices du YWCA, menées entre 1850 et 1930. Les femmes du YWCA présentent leur projet aux hommes d'affaires comme un solide investissement et le fait d'y contribuer comme un excellent moyen de rehausser leur réputation de chef de file au sein d'une société moderne et progressiste.

Timid Girls, Venerable Widows and Dignified Matrons: Life Cycle Patterns Among Organized Women in New York and Boston, 1797-1840

with fruitful ground for research. Not only do organizations offer visible evidence of women's historical activity, their existence challenges the notion that nineteenth-century society successfully excluded women from the public realm. In mining the records of national groups like the General Federation of Women's Clubs, the Young Women's Christian Association and the Woman's Christian Temperance Union, historians have shown how their organizations enabled women to have considerable impact on American public life in the post-Civil War decades. Although the pre-Civil War years have attracted somewhat less historical attention, researchers have begun to investigate the myriad local groups founded in the early nineteenth century, uncovering layers of local organizational activity existing before the formation of better-known national groups. Through town and city studies, historians have shown how antebellum groups-including women's missionary societies, Sunday schools, orphanages, daycare centers and old-age homes-provided social welfare services along with spiritual uplift to needy urban residents.' Close investigation of these societies' rhetoric and programs, as well as of their membership, has clarified our understanding both of the organizations and of the women who ran them. Recent research has, for example, identified at least three separate women's organizational traditions in the early nineteenth century: benevolence, reform, and feminism. Benevolence, the earliest tradition, began at the turn of the century with missionary and orphan asylum societies and grew throughout the antebellum years as women formed groups designed both to meliorate social ills and to diffuse religion among poor city-dwellers. Thus the New York and Boston Female Missionary Societies not only raised money to

Women's responses to abortion: implications for post-abortion support groups.

Family planning and abortion clinics are starting to recognize the importance of providing postabortion counseling as part of the overall follow-up procedure. The literature on the psychosocial consequences of abortion reveals that abortion is a positive, growth-producing experience for the majority of women. However, abortion can be a stressful and emotionally difficult experience for other women as a result of ambivalence over the pregnancy or abortion, lack of positive support from significant others, feelings of guilt and loss, and inadequate coping skills. This paper reports a model for postabortion support groups aimed at clarifying feelings, reducing alienation and isolation, facilitating appropriate mourning, increasing self-esteem, and bringing appropriate closure to the abortion experience. Since 1984, such groups have been offered by the University of Washington Young Women's Christian Association (YWCA) Abortion Birth Control Referral Service in Seattle, Washington. The groups, which meet weekly for 6 sessions and include 2-8 women, use discussions, role play, art therapy techniques, and psychodrama to alleviate abortion-related stress and effect changes in problematic ideas and feelings. Plans for the group developed out of the leaders' observation that women who returned to the Service for a second abortion often had not dealt with feelings or issues from the first procedure. Nonjudgmental acceptance of abortion as an individual choice has empowered many group participants to raise their consciousness about women's social status and take a more active role in decision making about their reproductive life.

A Study of the Young Women's Christian Association of China: 1890-1930

A Study of the Young Women's Christian Association of China: 1890-1930

A Study of the Young Women's Christian Association of China: 1890-1930

In its early days the National Committee of the YWCA of China accepted as its basis that of the World's Committee -- "Faith in God the Father as Creator, in Jesus Christ as only Lord and Saviour, and in the Holy Spirit as Revealer of truth and Source of power for life and service, according to the teaching of Holy Scripture." Active members were those who were members of evangelical churches, "evangelical" being interpreted as those which subscribe to the above basis. The word "Protestant" was deliberately omitted. Active members had the privilege of voting and holding office; no other distinction held between them and associate or non-church members.

A Study of the Young Women's Christian Association of China: 1890-1930

Despite the remarkable growth in the study of modern China in recent decades, the history of the Young Women's Christian Association of China has not received sufficient academic attention. An offshoot of the world-renowned American organization, the YWCA played a significant role in the transformation of modern China through its extensive activities in many areas — evangelism, education, health, recreation, organization of students, women, and industrial workers, and others. And, of course, its story constitutes part of not only Chinese history but also the history of Sino-American relations.

Edma Bayouth

Edma Bayouth's name is not only I inked to that of the Young Women's Christian Association (YWCA) in Lebanon. It also recalls Lebanese social work at the stage when it tried to evolve into an organized or systematic activity based on study, inquiry, cooperation and dedication, four characteristics adopted by this militant woman who gave to extensive social work more than fifty years of her I ife and has become so identified with it that now, after two years of retirement, she maintains contact with her work, moved by the same enthusiasm that characterized her when she started it at the age of twenty.

Elmer R. Smith 1909-1960

American AnthropologistVolume 62, Issue 6 p. 1047-1049 Free Access ELMER R. SMITH 1909–1960 Charles E. Dibble, Charles E. Dibble University of UtahSearch for more papers by this author Charles E. Dibble, Charles E. Dibble University of UtahSearch for more papers by this author First published: December 1960 https://doi.org/10.1525/aa.1960.62.6.02a00100AboutPDF ToolsExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditWechat No abstract is available for this article. BIBLIOGRAPHY 1939 The educational value of anthropology. School and Society 50: 294. 1940 Areas of prehistoric and historic settlements in Utah. Proceedings of the Utah Academy of Sciences. Arts and Letters 17: 18 (Abstract). 1940 Archaeology notes and news; Utah archaeology. American Antiquity 5: 344– 345. 1940 The archaeology of the Deep Creek region. (With Carling Malouf and Charles E. Dibble). Archaeology and Ethnology Papers, Museum of Anthropology, University of Utah, 5. 1941 The archaeology of Deadman Cave, Utah. Bulletin of the University of Utah 32 (4). 1942 An Indian burial, a barbed bone “projectile point,” and accompanying artifacts from Bear Lake, Idaho. Archaeology and Ethnology Papers, Museum of Anthropology, Univeristy of Utah, 6. 1942 Prehistoric anthropology—a handbook for beginning students. Sociology and Anthropology Series, University of Utah Press. 1944 Japanese relocation study of Utah (Preliminary Report). Sociology and Anthropology Series, University of Utah Press. 1944 Race and democracy. Girard, Kansas, Haldeman-Julius Co. 1944 We have our minorities. Proceedings of the Utah Academy of Sciences, Arts and Letters 22: 30. 1946 Survey of Nisei in Seattle. (With Helen Amerman). Young Men's-Young Women's Christian Association, Seattle, Wash. 1946 A survey of basic facts concerning persons of Japanese ancestry in Seattle. (With Frank Miyamoto and Robert O'Brien). Seattle Coun. Soc. Agen., Seattle, Wash. 1946 Japanese-Canadians: British Columbia's political scapegoats. Pacific Citizen 23: 5. 1946 Restricted housing—restricted democracy. Common Ground 7: 89. 1946 Nisei resettlement in Utah. Pacific Citizen 28: 11. 1947 Racism and Alien land laws. Proceedings of the Utah Academy of Sciences, Arts and Letters 24: 63. 1947 Japanese Americans in Utah. Utah Humanities Review 1: 299– 300. 1947 Race prejudice in naturalization. Japanese-American Citizens League, Anti-Discrimination Series, Salt Lake City. 1947 Some Gosiute mythological characters and concepts. (With Carling Malouf). Utah Humanities Review 1: 369. 1948 The “Japanese” in Utah. Utah Humanities Review 2: 129. 1948 The effects of war on special groups of children, Japanese war relocation center. Hunt. Idaho. In Impact of the war on family and children in metropolitan Salt Lake City, Utah. University of Utah Institute of World Affairs. 1949 Resettlement of Japanese Americans. Far Eastern Survey 18: 117. 1949 A discussion of the degree of assimilation among persons of Japanese ancestry in the United States. Hearing before Sub-Committee, Senate Judicial Committee on Judd and Related Bills on Naturalization, U. S. Senate. 1950 Utah anthropology: an outline of its history. Southwestern Lore 16 (2): 22– 33. 195051 The J.A.C.L. story, a short history of the Japanese American Citizens League in the United States. Pacific Citizen 32 (14) through 34 (16). 195152 Box-score on race relations. Pacific Citizen 34 (16) through 35 (10). 1952 The archaeology of Deadman Cave, Utah—a revision. University of Utah Anthropological Papers 10. 1955 Readings in anthropology. (With E. Adamson Hoebel and Jesse D. Jennings). New York, McGraw-Hill. 1956 Anthropology. In Selected bibliography for curriculum workers, Part 6. Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, Washington, D.C. National Education Association. 1956 Did you know. Pacific Citizen 46 (Sec. C): 1– 128. 1956 The status of the Negro in Utah. National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, Salt Lake City. 1959 Utah Indians—past and present. (With Jesse D. Jennings and Charles E. Dibble). Extension Division, University of Utah, Salt Lake City. 1960 Areas of prehistoric and historic settlements in Montana. Proceedings of the Montana Academy of Science (in press). Volume62, Issue6December 1960Pages 1047-1049 ReferencesRelatedInformation

Affiliated Organizations: XII. The Young Women's Christian Association

Affiliated Organizations: XII. The Young Women's Christian Association

The Adult Education Program of the YWCA Among Negroes

The early leaders of the Young Women's Christian Association believed deeply that the organization should embrace women and girls in all types of communities.' Therefore, they made special efforts reach different groups of girls and women including members of racial minority groups. They were sincere in their efforts make the Association a true cross-section of women and girls of different economic, social, racial and religious backgrounds achieve a better life for all. The National Board seeks implement the inclusive purpose of the YWCA and has pledged itself to continue pioneer in an interracial experience that shall be increasingly democratic and Christian.2 Those who have not kept in touch with the development of the YWCA often know best its institutional services, such as residences and food services, and are inclined think of them as the most characteristic form of activity. Little do they realize that since its beginning and increasingly through the years the organization it has been a social force for the education of adults and youth for participation as Christian citizens in the modern world. Any analysis of the adult education program as it affects Negroes in the YWCA must be viewed against this

Review: The Adaptability of the Young Women's Christian Association's Program to Mentally Retarded Children

Review: The Adaptability of the Young Women's Christian Association's Program to Mentally Retarded Children

Ministers and Marriage Instruction

LET us suppose that it is the duty of theminister to provide instruction in marriage. While some few fortunate students can avail themselves of the opportunity to receive instruction for marriage in some college or university course it must be remembered that there are countless couples who have never had this opportunity In most cases those couples who do not go to college do go to their clergymen to arrange the wedding ceremony. It is here that the wise minister, the one who has well prepared himself, can give some worthwhile counsel and helpful advise. This is a golden opportunity. It seldom comes a second time-at least not for the same two persons. Nash, in his book, Education for Christian Marriage, is of the opinion that the minister with proper training is best suited to give instruction. He says that, unlike the doctor, the pastor knows how, or should know how, to teach the significance of sex in such a way that it can be related to the whole of life. And, secondly, Nash feels that the doctor is linked up with disease to a greater extent than the parson is associated with sin. So, let us assume that the clergyman is the proper person to give premarital instruction. Most young couples come to him. He should have an integrated outlook on all of life. Yet, there are few clergymen who do give instruction. Why? In an effort to answer this question a study was made in the summer of 1940 to show the practice of the pastors of the Lutheran Church with regard to marriage instruction. Nine hundred preliminary postcards were sent to as many pastors in 30 different states and also Washington, D. C., asking whether they give premarital instruction and whether they would cooperate with the study. I received replies from 242 pastors. Of these, 28 indicated no desire to cooperate with the study; 135 pastors revealed that they had no courses of instruction but, realizing the need for such instruction, indicated their willingness to cooperate; while 79 pastors-ten of whom were not Lutheran-indicated that they had courses of instruction and that they would be willing to cooperate with the study. It was not my original intention to send two sets of questionnaires, but, because so many who did not have courses of instruction were willing to cooperate, I thought it might be well to draw up a second questionnaire to ascertain why, if they were interested in this work, they did not carry out some kind of marriage instruction. Therefore, two sets of questionnaires were sent. We had 38 replies from those men who did have instruction. Of the men who did not have courses of instruction but who wanted to help in the study, 57 returned their questionnaires. Now let us look at the story of the returns. Among the men who did not have formal instruction but who cooperated with the study it was evident that most of them, with the exception of the rural pastors, felt that public opinion did not prevent such a program. Some few pastors felt that agencies other than the church might be in a better position to give such instruction. Only a fraction of the pastors felt that there would be any parental objection. They said that the parents admit their inability to provide premarital instruction and have expressed the desire that the church provide it. Several pastors indicated that the parents realize that their children do not come to them for advice and that they, the parents, would rather have the church impart such instruction than some unreliable organization or some undesirable source. Some few pastors felt that this was a matter for Christian parents, while others said that most parents seldom think about it. In most cases, the reason marriage instruction is not given is no reflection upon the opposition of parents. Rather it seems that the parents would be glad for the assistance of the church. Perhaps the church is not providing marriage instruction because other organizations such as the Young Men's or Young Women's Christian Associations or the public schools provide it. But in the survey only three pastors indicated a knowledge of any such work being done by secular organizations. But even if it were given by these other organizations, many pastors felt that the church should be actively engaged in preparing young people for marriage. Naturally, the matter of leadership is a difficult

Negro Youth and the Educational Program of the Y.W.C.A.

The purpose of most Young Women's Christian Associations as stated in the national constitution is: To build a of women and girls devoted to the task of realizing in our common life those ideals of personal and social living to which we are committed by our faith as Christians. In this endeavor we seek to understand Jesus, to share His love for all people, and to grow in the knowledge and love of God. A major fulfilling of this purpose comes in the developing of a program' based upon the needs and interests of girls and young women and diverse groups within its constituency; the developing of such selfconscious groups as the needs of the time require; the helping to interpret the various groups of the constituency to each other and the working toward the goal of integration of diverse elements into one fellowship or association. Negro girls and young women are an accepted part2 of this constituency. From the beginning of the century when the Y.W.C.A. was pioneering in interracial work to the present time there has been the idea of 'together-

Analyzing the Growth of an Organization for GirlsThe Girl Reserve Movement of the Young Women's Christian Association: An Analysis of the Educational Principles and Procedure Used throughout Its History. Catherine S. Vance

Analyzing the Growth of an Organization for Girls<i>The Girl Reserve Movement of the Young Women's Christian Association: An Analysis of the Educational Principles and Procedure Used throughout Its History</i>. Catherine S. Vance

The Girl Reserve Movement of the Young Women's Christian Association

The Girl Reserve Movement of the Young Women's Christian Association

Luncheon Conference and round‐table presentation of experiences and problems in snow‐surveying

Appreciation and resolutions—After the luncheon, June 26, 1937, L. K. Sherman expressed the thanks and appreciation of all members present for the very splendid programs which had been arranged by the Committee. Appreciation was also expressed to the Young Women's Christian Association for the comfortable room which was furnished for the use of the meetings, as well as the splendid food which was served in the dining room. Appreciation was also expressed to the City of Denver for the ease with which the whole conference of the American Association for the Advancement of Science had been arranged and managed. A resolution of thanks was taken.

The Religious and Educational Philosophy of the Young Women's Christian Association.Grace H. Wilson

Previous articleNext article No AccessBook ReviewsThe Religious and Educational Philosophy of the Young Women's Christian Association. Grace H. Wilson Everett C. HughesEverett C. Hughes Search for more articles by this author PDFPDF PLUS Add to favoritesDownload CitationTrack CitationsPermissionsReprints Share onFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail SectionsMoreDetailsFiguresReferencesCited by American Journal of Sociology Volume 40, Number 3Nov., 1934 Article DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1086/216767 PDF download Crossref reports no articles citing this article.