The Hall County Young Women's Association organized January, 1913, but there had previously been a Ladies auxiliary to V. W. C. A. Its first meeting place in I- 0. O. F. Hall, but thereafter its head quarters were moved to the Windolph building. It was chartered on April 2, 1919, with the following charter members of its board of directors : Mrs. W. A. Prince, Mrs. Fanny Dahls.trom, Mrs. Agnes Sorenson, Mrs John Schwynn, Mrs. B. H. Paine, Mrs. C. B. Helling, Mre W. R. McAllister, Miss Emma Milisen, Mrs Hettie Boyden, Mrs. R. H. McAllister, Mrs. Louise Hedde, Mrs. Grace Henderson, Mrs. H. C. Miller, Miss Dorothea Kills, Miss Elula Gilbert, Mrs. Sarah C. Kelley, Mrs. H. D. Starkey, Wood River, Mrs. Ida Eaton, Alda, Dr. Nelle Deffenbaugh, Miss Emma E. Sheeley, ex-officio. The first officers were, Mrs. W. A. Prince, president, Mrs. C. B. Helling, vice-president, Miss Sarah Kelley, secretary, Mrs. John Schwynn treas urer, and Miss Emma E. Sheeley general secretary.
During the six years this organization has been growing and carrying on its increased burdens, Mrs. Prince has faithfully discharged the duties of president, and Miss Sheeley remained at the post of general secretary until her resignation in the summer of 1919, to take up similar work at Huron, South Dakota. Her successor has not been selected at the time this review is written.
The association has carried its own finances since its organization. It was the first county association of the Y. W. C. A. work organ ized in Nebraska. The membership has grown to approximately 600 in 1919. With its cen tral location, at Second and Pine streets, it has been the haven of rest and cheer for the working girls of the city at their noon rest hour, and a welcome home corner at any other hours in the day it has its doors open. Christ mas cheer work has been carried on each year, and between fifty-five and eighty-five families have been provided with food, clothing, fuel
The Business Girls' Club pledged $1,500 war saving stamps, and assisted in the victory girls' campaign. During the war period three night classes a week were maintained for Red Cross work.
The present officers are : Mrs. W. A. Prince, president, Mrs. W. H. Sharp, vice-president, Mrs. R. S. Odum, first vice-president, Mrs. L. A. Arthur, second vice-president, Mrs. Franklin C. Tully, secretary, Mrs. Hettie Boyden, treasurer, and the present Board of directors are: Miss Emma Milisen, Mrs. Het tie Boyden, Mrs. C. B. Helling, Mrs. W. A. Prince, Mrs. W. H. Sharp, Mrs. R. S. Odum, Mrs. A. F. Buechler, Mrs. L. A. Arthur, Mrs. Joseph Woostenholm, Mrs. Franklin Tully. Mrs. A. Rasmussen, Mrs. Rufus Geer, Mrs. Lucy Switzer, Mrs. Ernest Frank, Mrs. R. B. Ray, Mrs. C. E. Masten, Mrs. Oscar Holmes, Mrs. Theodore Moehm, Miss Jane Pinder and Mrs. Belle Stehlin.
A. F. Buechler and R. J. Barr, editors. "Fraternals and Social Organziations of Hall Cuonty: Young Women's Christain Assocition," History of Hall County Nebraska (Lincoln, NE: Western Publishing and Engraving Company, 1920): 389-390. Provided by the Prairie Pioneer Genealogical Society, Grand Island, Nebraska.
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