CORRECTION

Attention is called to a misprint on page 210 of the July number of the MONTHLY. In the last paragraph of the second column the statement of increase in city Association membership should be 130 per cent instead of 230 per cent, and the increase in Bible class enrollment should be 150 instead of 250 per cent.

CITY NEWS ITEMS

A four-leaf announcement of domestic science in the Association of Worcester, Mass., is entirely paid for by the advertisements of tea and ranges on its last two pages.

The missionary department of the Presbyterian Church in Bisbee, Ariz., held a lawn-party on the grounds of the Association, the proceeds of which were turned over to the Association.

The new gymnasium of the Passaic, N. J., Association in addition to its popular swimming pool and regular equipment contains a kitchenette and serving room. This facilitates such affairs as the membership banquet held here in May, attended by over two hundred girls.

An Association Council, composed of representatives from each department and club, has been organized in the Detroit Association, thus offering a forum for the discussion of common interests and the blending of departmental points of view. Detroit's class work this year has registered 1,254 individuals and 2,180 enrolments. The largest number of classes taken by an individual was seven.

A three-days' celebration was held by the Scranton, Pa., Association in celebration of its twenty-fifth anniversary in May. On Sunday Miss Elizabeth Wilson, who had known this Association for most of this time, addressed three hundred girls. On Monday, exhibition day, the girls' department and the domestic science and art departments made displays in active and still life. Sets of stereoscopic views were shown four times during the day to large assemblies. The religious work department presented exquisite tableaux vivants of Old and New Testament heroines, accompanied by reading of the descriptive Bible passages. At the members' supper on the following evening the Association's history was covered by three toasts: Good: 1888-1907; Better: 1907-1913; Best: 1913 plus.

A salesmanship class has been held for six weeks by the Baltimore Association. The eighteen pupils were sent from three of Baltimore's best firms, which themselves paid the tuition fee of $50 for six pupils. Miss Elsie Virgin, a graduate of the Woman's Industrial Union of Boston, taught this class. The course covered talks on store systems; correct and incorrect approach to customers; personality; color combinations and designs; study of merchandise; commercial geography; business arithmetic; use of advertisements; personal appearance and manners; hygiene; demonstration sales and talks from buyers or superintendents from each store, once a week if possible; lecture on proper use of telephone; and three talks by three wellknown women-"From the customer's point of view." The pupils were most enthusiastic and the firms very much pleased with the course. Two of the girls already have had their wages increased, showing that even this short course had been of some help in making them more efficient salespeople.

Generous space is given the Association of Jacksonville, Florida, in the local press doubtless because the secretary supplies real "copy." "Enjoy the Y. M. C. A. roof-garden this summer, and the Y. W. C. A. will return the courtesy when the indoor evenings come"-this indicates happy relations between the two Associations; and "real parties," to which the girls are urged to bring men, are frequently spoken of. The Outdoor Club is attractively described under such subdivisions as The Early Morning Tennis Squad, the Evening Tennis Squad, the Butterfly Squad, the Star Gazers, or the Thursday Swimmers. The Association calls the special attention of business men to its employment bureau at this "changing time" of the year. The formation of a Twenty-four-hour-a-Day Club for the support of Association work in India is also enthusiastically described.

West, expressed my situation very aptly when she said that it would surely be very trying if when she returned to America and landed at San Francisco, she would have to wait until she reached her own home before she could speak in her native tongue. It was very lovely, indeed, to have the Young Women's Christian Association ladies in Shanghai meet our steamer. The Association spirit is here, too, as well as in America.

My impressions on reaching home can be summed up in the thought that China is in process of adjustment. The leaders have, indeed, taken a great step forward and the people enthusiastically receive the new order of things, but it is going to require a great deal of love, patience and foresight on the part of every loyal Christian Chinese person to help the people at large to adapt themselves wisely to the new situation.

Possibly my idea of this adjustment may be illustrated by a brief consideration of the change in costume which is not welcomed by the true lover of the best in the Chinese dress. It was a surprise to me to find so few cues. I had not dreamed that they would be so universally discarded. Here in the country and in a conservative province, I have seen fewer cues than I did in Shanghai. I highly approve of this new fashion, but I cannot say I admire the haircuts. Some wear their hair bobbed, some shaved as formerly, but cutting the cue off at the shoulder. If the Manchu government should be re-established, they can easily braid in a cue and yet they have fulfilled the present requirement. Some men's hair stands on end, so you can see we have no end of variety. Those, however, who take pains to train their hair are much improved in looks. I was surprised to find that most of our Foochow girls had discarded bangs. When I was little, a woman asked me how long my husband had been dead because in those days only widows wore their hair combed straight back. As to dress, I am conservative enough to wish to adhere to the long, loose, graceful lines of the past, rather than the tight, skimpy costumes one sees to-day. Anything western is admired. Many of the combinations are ridiculous. One of the girls in school has letters embroidered on her shoes. The letters spell "goat." She is proud of this western touch, since she does not know what the letters spell. In fact, anything western, regardless of its qualities, is eagerly accepted, as cigars, cigarettes and wines.

The fight against opium is certainly a remarkable one. When I left home the fields at this season were gay with poppies, but now they are green with growing wheat. Anti-opium societies are popular, creating a sentiment against it. To-day two women came into the hospital to be cured of this habit. One is a young woman, twenty-one years old, who has taken opium for six

years and is here by her own wish; the other is an older woman whose husband is anxious for her to become rid of the habit.

There is an odd mixture of the old and new in Chinese life to-day. For instance, some observed very keenly the western New Year, others kept the Chinese New Year, but a larger number celebrated both occasions. Election day is observed by many schools, but the people at large do not know when the day comes. People are satisfied with an eight-course dinner instead of the former fifteen, twenty or thirty-course dinner. Place cards are coming into style as well as white calling cards in place of the bright red ones. Marriage customs are being modified.

has

The attitude toward education changed, not only among men, but also among women and girls. Married women are seeking to learn, and girls are crowding into the schools to such an extent that many have to be turned away. Formerly education was mechanical, but now it is more individual and objective.

This time of transition is an anxious one for us, for we wish earnestly to keep to our own individuality as a country and as a people, only supplementing western ideas, customs and methods where ours are lacking. We desire most of all that we may become a Christian country. Many have discarded their idols as false, but have not accepted any other religion in their place. They are ready to try anything. What shall that "anything" be? The answer lies with

us.

Will you not help China with your interest, your friendship, your prayers?

COUNTY NEWS ITEMS

Goodhue County had a Finance Campaign in May. It lasted for about a week and $1,200 in subscriptions was given. It was a real privilege to be in this campaign and to see the gladness with which people gave to the County Young Women's Christian Association, which in the two years it had been there had proven its worth. The work has developed to such an extent that an assistant is needed and the added amount in subscriptions will make this possible.

There are a hundred and eighteen girls enroled in the Grand Island High School Branch of the Hall County Association. These girls are organized according to the regular secondary school plan. They have an earnest cabinet that has done much to help the work in the county. The High School Association has just purchased a roll-top office desk for the county secretary. It was largely due to this successful work that the work in Hall County was organized.

SECRETARIAL CHANGES

GENERAL

Marian I. Bennett, to be acting general secretary at North Yakima, Wash. Ruby Gracier, formerly general secretary at Milwaukee, Wis., to hold the same position at Fresno, Cal.

Alice M. Jones, National Training School, 1913, to be general secretary at Batavia, N. Y.

Hester McGaughey, formerly general secretary at Houston, Texas, to hold the same position at Saginaw, Mich.

Jessie Marriner, formerly extension secretary at Washington, D. C., to be ⚫ general secretary at Danville, Ill.

Etta Pickering, formerly general sec,,retary at Providence, R. I., to hold the same position at San Antonio, Texas.

Bertha Rowles, National Training School 1913, to be general secretary at Duluth, Minn.

Celia Scoby, to be general secretary at Tonawanda, N. Y.

Anna Swartout, formerly general secretary at Bloomington, Ill., to hold the same position at Lansing, Mich.

Eleanor Taft, National Training School 1913, to be general secretary at Winston-Salem, N. C.

DEPARTMENTAL

Edith Aykroyd, formerly extension secretary at Trenton, N. J., to hold the same position at Denver, Colo.

Cora Barnard to be physical director at the West Side Branch, Cleveland, O. Mrs. Emily F. Battles to be lunch room director at Worcester, Mass.

Esther Bergstrom to be domestic science director at Worcester, Mass.

Dorothy Blake to be office secretary at Bridgeport, Conn.

Marion Eaton to be physical director at Lynchburg, Va.

Elizabeth Gaither to be physical director at Augusta, Ga.

Miss Graves to be house secretary at Providence, R. I.

Landry Hill to be domestic art di rector at Detroit, Mich.

Elizabeth Howard to be lunch room director at Paterson, N. J.

Mary Hulsizer, formerly physical director at Cedar Rapids, Ia., to hold the same position at St. Paul, Minn.

Cleo Jennings to be lunch room director at Springfield, Ill.

Vesta Little, formerly physical director at South Bend, Ind., to hold the same position in Detroit, Mich.

Anna Murphy to be employment secretary at Cincinnati, O.

Amy Norma Pierson to be physical director at Binghamton, N. Y.

Lelia M. Riley to be physical director at Peoria, Ill.

Bertha Safford, formerly economic secretary at Cleveland, Ohio, to be house secretary at Brooklyn, N. Y.

Mrs. Mary A. Severance to be house secretary at Worcester, Mass.

Mabel Stegner to be domestic science and art director at Portland, Ore.

Grace Vose to be physical director at Portland, Me.

Elizabeth Wright, National Training School 1913, to be junior secretary at Erie, Pa.

TRAINING SCHOOL NOTES

On the evening of July 1st there assembled an international body of students for the summer courses at the Training School. Not only had fifteen delegates from Great Britain, Germany, Finland, Russia, Norway, Denmark and Hungary remained for the whole or part of the session, but Miss Lamb, who returns to her native India as educational director at Lahore, and Miss Chun, physical director elect in her native China, were enrolled for the physical director course, and Miss Bentley, fresh from India, came into the student lectures. Miss Rouse gave a telling address on "What May be Learned from Other Nations" before embarking that very evening on the "Mauretania," which sailed at A. M. on the 2nd of July. Another high point was Mr. Fletcher S. Brockman's address on "The Spiritual Life of the Secretary" on July 10th. He spoke to us of Abraham, as we sat on the upper roof of the building, under the uncounted stars of the heavens, and with the myriad lights of the city around and below.

In between these two addresses have come much steady class work. Miss Ford and Dr. Brown have started the physical directors into study of their fields and organization of their forces. Narragansett Machine Company had installed a set of Anthropometrical apparatus for Miss March's use in Normal Diagnosis. Dr. Parry has given the first part of her lectures on Personal and Social Hygiene.

Miss Cutler and Miss Condé have led off in the student work, Miss Cutler with her daily course on Paul and with student lectures and seminar; Miss Condé also with her own course on Personal Evangelism, certain student lectures and a seminar on "Foreign Student Movements."

The depleted but hospitable office force have entertained the students at tea in the cafeteria. Miss Dodge made them happy one beautiful summer day at Riverdale, and on the Fourth of July Mr. W. B. Millar of the Layman's Missionary Movement delivered an Independence Day address.

The Spirit of the Student Conferences

In order to express the spirit of the Silver Bay Student Conference, which may be treated as representative of all our student conferences, shall one speak of people and things, of hours and speakers, or shall one speak of the invisible spirit which strongly welded one to one, in freedom of speech, in an unaffected searching for truth and in a loving confidence about those things of the heart which it is our impulse as a rule to guard by silence?

More important than the number of delegates, the list of speakers, and the state of the weather, was that sympathy which grew and blossomed from the first hour, until at the end its unity was like a splendid flower, every separate petal perfect, but all joined on one life-sustaining stem.

When in the late hours of the last day six college girls can sit in the room of a conference leader who was, ten days before, a stranger to them, and all can talk eagerly and hungrily of the future which is to test all that had been heard-is it not a miracle? This breaking down of all barriers of reserve? These girls were not invited in, it was not plotted that they should come, it was a wistful seeking on their part to "talk things over." And similar experiences could be cited of all who acted in any capacity of leadership.

In trying to see the invisible things rather than those visible, it is to be noted with stronger reiteration to ourselves-readers and writer-that the unconscious influence of a personality is so powerful a thing that one trembles for fear she may not possess the right kind. When it came to discussing speeches, or asking for a summing up of a morning Bible class, or of an auditorium talk, this was what was brought away from the class or talk: They said always, "He is so fine." "What a good person she is." "I liked her face-I know she would do

the right thing." And there is nothing finer in this world than this hero worship which sees others at their best in

a

complete forgetfulness of self. "Knowing ourselves we one and all determine to know a better." And the "contagion of personality" is the finest expression of Christian ideals we have. Those whom the circumstances of life have forced into the position of leaders. must toil unremittingly for the best for the sake of the students. the students must be made to feel strongly the truism that it isn't the act, it isn't the speech even-it's the self when we are giving it no thought which counts for good or evil to others.

And

"Any virtue is acquired by the same methods that Christianity is acquired, namely by long practice and the contagion of great personalities." This seemed to be the spirit of the confer

ence.

To the Students at the Conferences

There were numbers of students at the summer conferences who subscribed to THE ASSOCIATION MONTHLY while they were there. It seems fitting and pleasant, therefore, not only to recognize these new readers, but to talk things over together a bit. We are now many miles separate from one another.

It would seem that the most important thing to be remembered is this: First, if we may for the sake of clearness make this application of the wellknown law of crowd psychology, we were a gathering of peculiarly congenial people. We all had the same general ideals-the one fine Ideal. We were drawn together and made one by the eloquence of speakers and by the things of God we learned in our classes. We were for ten days submitting ourselves to the highest of influences, with nothing to drag us down, and with everything to build us up into a "knowledge of Him."

We

mounted, like individuals in one boat which is out on the ocean, to the crest of a mighty wave of spiritual aspiration. But we must remember that no boat stays on the crest of the wave; it sinks down in the trough and rises. again to sink, but always with progress, slow or fast, toward a destination. Up and down we go, but always ahead, provided the rudder is in hand and someone is steering somewhere definitely.

We must not expect life to be like a conference. We must not expect so much of ourselves that we shall grow discouraged. The going ahead is the steady thing, the rising and falling on and between the waves is the fluctuating thing, and is not for us to mourn over, nor are we to waste our tears upon this fact. It is the law of the ocean, and we cannot row from Port

land to Bar Harbor without obeying this law that raises our boat only to sink it down again.

This is purely a figurative way of saying we are not to pay any attention to our feelings. Feelings and moods happen to us in life with the same unerringness that the waves divide the waters of the sea. And, just as the waves are a part of the complete whole, our feelings are a part of our lives, dividing it possibly into crises or moods, but nevertheless a part of life as a whole. They are life, more in some of us, less in others; more tempestuous in some, less in in others. We will pay no attention to them, but choose our port once for all, keep the rudder in our hand and all that we can expect of ourself is progress

and progress is bound to come! The smoother the sea the faster the progress, of course.

We shall probably feel very shortly like the same old person we were before we came to conferences. Of course we will! We ought to! The only thing we have changed is the port. we were headed for; but the port isn't ourselves. Our important work is that we do not neglect the rudder and that we make some effort to get ahead, to land in the Harbor as soon as we can!

Silver Bay City Conference

In an endeavor to give as truthful an account of the city conference at Silver Bay as possible there seems to be only the same emphasis to make as phasis on personality. upon the student conference-the em

It was a small conference, therefore quieter; the current of feeling ran in consequence less swiftly, and for the same reason it took one longer to gauge its strength-to know its depth. But both depth and strength were there.

One of the delegates said, "I have never been in a place before where so many people give you the best of themselves, whether they knew you before or not." And another thing noticeable was that the delegations were most delightfully mixed up during the last meetings, and members from one Association became so a part of another that one who truly thought she knew all people began to believe she must be mistaken, and that Miss Smith was not from New York after all, but from Lowell.

There is one other thing worth mention, showing that no matter how new we are to each other as to hours since introduction, we are old in friendship in Christ, and a responsibility is felt for one another after a week's acquaintance. One of the leaders had been talking with a young girl on the hotel piazza when she was interrupted by a friend who hailed her from the lawn below. She leaned over the railing to converse with her and somehow the talk took a turn and she found herself listening to an experience of her friend's about the power of prayer. The friend said of a certain circumstance, "I knew they were praying; I felt they were praying."

The girl on the porch was completely forgotten as reply was made:

"How much that means; to have friends you know pray for you in a crisis. I have felt that friends who were strong in prayer were not a necessity-and a consideration of whether they remembered me in that