Hall Counnty NEGenWeb Project Presents

Young Women Christian Association

This page is about the various fraternals, organizations and societies of Hall County, Nebraska.

Young Women Christian Association

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

and toys for the children. Thus the Christman spirit has been made felt where there might have been many heart aches. There has been a rest room maintained each year at the county fair. In 1916 when Co. M. was sta tioned for three weeks at the city hall, and the boys devoutly desired some "home cooking" the Y. W. C. A. responded with three meals a day for five weeks. General Secretary Sheeley served on the executive committee of the Red Cross County Chapter. Mrs. Prince, the president of the association during the many months that her only son, with millions of other mothers' sons was in the service, and across the waters, but found time to serve as district chairman of the Y. W. C. A. with the U. W. W. campaign. Miss Sheeley repre sented the Y. W. C. A. on the county executive committee in that campaign.

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.

Cited Source:

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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