YWCA opens, refills 80-year-old cornerstone
By ANNA TELATOVICH - atelatovich@sungazette.com "It's not dust."
So were the first words YWCA Executive Director Diane Glenwright said Tuesday upon opening the building's 1928 cornerstone. The lid was removed from the copper box 80 years to the day after the cornerstone was laid at 815 W. Fourth St.
Among the contents were an American flag with 48 stars, a photograph of the 1928 directors, metal plate negatives, an annual report, YWCA brochures bearing the campaign slogan "Do for our girls what we've done for our boys," two local newspapers from July 22, 1928, and a family Bible donated by Martha E. Clark, who gave the last $50,000 toward the building's construction.
"I was so scared it was just ashes," Glenwright later said of the box's contents.
Historic photographs lined the walls and rooms of the majestic building: men in suits and women in furs, women performing a synchronized swimming routine, girls performing plays and playing outdoors.
Bearing witness to Tuesday's events were descendants of the original board of directors and the 1927-1928 building committee.
"By opening the cornerstone today, we will gain some insight into the challenges faced by the organization at that time," said Kay Ertel, trustee and director emeritus. "The ladies who championed the cause and the gentlemen assisting them are respected and admired for the strong foundation for our building, our programs and our 115-year-old organization."
The YWCA here formed in 1893 before building its own facility "to help women entering the work force have a place to go to relax and recreate."
Ertel, the event's main speaker, used the anniversary event to talk about YWCA's rich history of providing for women.
In 1912, the Girl Scouts formally organized, sponsored by the YWCA. In 1913, the association opened a nursery for working mothers, Williamsport's first cafeteria and coordinated home visiting nurse efforts.
The Industrial Girls and Business & Professional Women clubs were initiated by the YWCA and, in 1926, it opened the first employment bureau for women here.
Clubs and classes such as stenography and sewing are a rich part of the YWCA past. "And I can't forget to mention the popular Friday night dances," Ertel said.
A wise and "strong leadership" terminated programs when they were no longer needed or useful, Ertel added, allowing the YWCA to evolve with the times.
Wise Options, the county's domestic violence center, opened in 1977. While it struggled for acceptance in the community in the early years, "today it is a strong, respected asset to our area and a godsend to all the men, women and children who suffer from abuse and violence," Ertel said.
The warm water therapeutic pool began providing classes for the disabled in the 1980s. Court Appointed Special Advocates and Liberty House, a homeless shelter for women and children, "have been embraced by the community with faith and support" in the new millennium.
In 115 years, some things have changed for the YWCA and others have remained the same, Glenwright said.
"We're still meeting the community needs and living up to our mission," she said.
The YWCA mission has always been the elimination of racism and the empowerment of women.
"We have kept pace with the changing needs," Glenwright said.
In it's early years, the four-story center was used by visitors from across America and from other countries during their stay in the area. Now, Glenwright said, the association is "dealing with a lot of social issues."
The YWCA is filling another cornerstone for future generations to discover. In it will be an American Flag, a Lycoming County United Way flag, 2008 stamps and coins, a Heavenly Handbag made by Liberty House, the rotunda poem, the 2009 Capital Campaign Case Study, a list of the 2008 Board of Directors and the committee members, YWCA video, a corner stone bookmark, a newsletter, Tuesday's newspaper, this month's Mountain Home edition and annual reports.
Glenwright said those interested in touring the facility may contact Janel Gordner at 322-4637, Ext. 159.
