The following speech was presented by Thelma Caldwell at the YWCA Annual Meeting on April 14, 1981, in celebration of the organization’s 75^th anniversary. Mrs. Caldwell is the retired Executive Director of the YWCA of Asheville. The text is copied exactly from Mrs. Caldwell’s notes.

            Tonight we have come together to celebrate the 75^th anniversary of the YWCA of Asheville, NC. This birthday calls for a special celebration - a time of ingathering of the family, its members, participants, staff and friends. The birthday of an organization like the YWCA is a time at which we measure not only our growth and progress, but it is a time of thanksgiving for our loyal friends and supporters who stood tall and kept the faith for the past 75 years. It is impossible to tell the accomplishments or even begin to give highlights for 75 years, but I will try! Just existing for 75 years is a record in itself.

            Seventy-five years ago - the year was 1905 - the same year that Theodore Roosevelt was in the White House and had devised a peace treaty to end the Russo-Japanese Way, and messages of congratulations were pouring in from all over the world. The same year that Yellow Fever was rapidly spreading through New Orleans and into part of Mississippi. The same year that many newspapers carried headlines like this: “Mob burns negro accused of attempted criminal assault on young white girl; Mob stands by and watches victim saturated with oil and roasted to death.” That same year Asheville was being described as “Land of the Sky” a city set on hill in the midst of the most beautiful mountainous country on the continent, a modern city with a population of 20,000, cosmopolitan in its makeup, progressive, liberal and given to hospitality. That same year, the special tourist rates given by leading railroads of this country brought Pullman cars in from all parts of the U.S. Thirty-five trains ran in and out of Asheville daily! That same year Asheville boasted of having 21 churches, 2 YWCAs, 15 private schools, 4 banks, 15 hotels, telephones with long distance connections, 2 daily newspapers and other enterprising businesses.

            That same year Miss Florence Stephenson and a small group of women saw the need for an organization that would begin to help women and girls. Through her interest and efforts and the advice and encouragement from the Rt. Rev. Junius M. Horner, first Bishop of the Episcopal diocese of Western North Carolina along with the help of Miss Adeline Orr, Mrs. Thomas Patton, Capt. T. W. Patton, Mrs. M. E. Hilliard, Miss Charity Craig, Miss Fannie Patton, Mrs. Haywood Parker and Miss Annie Barnard, sufficient funds were raised to purchase the old Patton House in 1906. This beautiful old colonial house had belonged to the Patton family and was named Henrietta House to honor Mrs. James Patton, who was Henrietta Kerr. This, then became the FIRST YWCA in Asheville.

            After a Board of Managers was formed, application was made to the National YWCA for affiliation. This was granted, and the Articles of Incorporation gave the purpose as: “The object for this corporation is formed to establish and maintain in Asheville, N.C., a boarding home or boarding houses for the exclusive use and benefit of local and transient self-supporting women of good character, to promote the spiritual, mental, moral and physical well-being of such women and girls and of women in general.”

            I like to think of these two women who saw need and did something about it. History has recorded that NONE WERE OMITTED in the prayers of Mrs. Roberts, who prayed for “our princesses and all who glitter in fashionable life, daughters at homes of the middle classes, young women and mothers, governesses in families and teachers in day and Sunday Schools, shop women, dressmakers, milliners, and seamstresses, domestic servants, factory girls, young women in Unions, hospitals, and reformatories, the criminal and the fallen.”

            Both organizations spread rapidly to other parts of England and in the late 1870s joined together to become the Young Women’s Christian Association. Almost the same pattern was followed in the U.S. when a group of church women began to pray for “young women of all estates” and others saw the need and provided housing for young women coming to the cities to work in factories following the Civil War. And these two groups joined to become the YWCA of the USA. The prayer of the English women became a way of life for the YWCA - to serve ALL women regardless of their status in life.

            And the movement spread like wild-fire, for the time was ripe - Boston, New York, Hartford, Providence, Pittsburgh, Cleveland, St. Louis, and Asheville, North Carolina. And that brings us back to our story here tonight.

            The YWCA is many things: It is buildings. Remember we spoke of the Henrietta House being the first building in 1905. Some years later, it was found that a larger home was needed and the Cherokee Inn on Woodfin and Oak Streets was purchased. This was found too expensive to operate and was sold. The home was then moved to the residence of Mrs. Charles M. Platt of Merrimon Avenue until the YWCA was built as 13 Grove Street in 1924. The Phyllis Wheatley Branch of the YWCA for Negro Women had its beginnings with a group of women who met for programs on Sunday afternoons in 1913 and 1914. In my research, I found the name of Mrs. Maggie Jones as one of the leaders and Miss Adelle Ruffin’s name stood out as one of the early Executive Secretaries.

            A building on Market Street was bought and later turned over to the government during World War I. The building was later returned and then sold. The meetings were then held in a building on the site of the Phyllis Wheatley Center on College Street. In 1938 a new building was erected on that site which included the old YWCA house, which was used as residence for 9 girls, and for classes and club meetings. The new gymnasium that was added was the only fully equipped Negro gymnasium in the South! This filled a real need for the Negro community - it was a community within itself - all the functions were held at the Phyllis Wheatley.

            In 1934, the Central YW on Grove Street was given $100,000 through the Will of Samuel E. Moorhead, a New York businessman who made his fortune in tobacco. He became interested in the YWCA effort here through his only child, Mrs. Charles S. Bryant, a Grove Street YW Board Member. Later in the year, the big house was built at 23 Grove Street - an elegant boarding hose termed “the finest of its kind in the South” when completed. For the next 36 years it was home for wave after wave of working girls and students. Women needed more than a safe place to live, so very shortly, classes and other activities were added to meet the needs and as a way of developing leadership.

            When the Phyllis Wheatley building near the tunnel had to be sold to make way for progress, plans were made to build a facility at 185 South French Broad. In the meantime an old green building on Ashland Avenue was used for programs. Many of you will remember it.

            Incidentally, the National YWCA is celebrating 100 years of work with teens this year. Teen program began as “Little Ladies” clubs. These were soon replaced by Girl Reserves, which was the introduction many of you had to the YW, I am certain.

            The program of the Girl Reserves was an international organization, built on community and world service, and the program included discussion of personal problems, development of a better understanding of religion, creative activities, and wholesome recreation. The special code Girl Reserves were expected to live by follows: (I should tell you that I had help from Eleanor Carpenter, Ruth Cannon, and Elizabeth McCubbin, who even has a Girl Reserve ring, in getting this straight) G-racious in manner, I-mpartial in judgment, R-eady for service, L-oyal to friends, R-eaching toward to best, E-arnest in purpose, S-eeing the beautiful, E-ager for knowledge, R-everent to God, V-victorious over self, E-ver dependable, S-incere at all times. Their motto was: “To seek and give the best.”

            As the YW branched out and became more inclusive in its membership, Girl Reserves, with its strong religious aspect, gave way to Y-Teens, who did many of the same things, but in a less structured manner. As Y-Teens became interest in and challenged by the social issues of our times and expressed the desire to become politically active, NTO (National Teen Organization) was born. Both of these bodies still exist and are more or less active and involved, depending on the nature and needs of their communities and the kind of leadership present to help.

            Another important example of the YW changing to meet present needs in the re-wording of the Purpose. You are an old timer if you remember when any woman or girl, 17 years of age or older, who desired to take active leadership (serve on staff, board, or committees or vote) was required to sign a pledge that said, “Together with other members of the Association, I desire to belong to the fellowship and to share in the responsibility for the realization of the Purpose.”

            One earned her position on the Board. The concept of “earned leadership” was a vital part of YW policy. AND, the Purpose at that time read: “To build a fellowship of women and girls devoted to the task of realizing in our 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.” Growing into our new Purpose was painful, but nearly unanimously accepted at the 1967 National Convention. Three years of study at local and regional levels and the work of a special committee brought the new wording which was necessary because of our change in membership policy - opening to women and girls of ALL religions and NO religions. So, once again the YW moved to meet the needs of the times.

            This leads us to the sixties and to my time here - the time I naturally know best. Let me quickly run through some things that have happened in the last 20 years to bring us to where we find ourselves today.

was asked to First examine itself - to recognize the racism within our own structure - two wage scales, tracking of minority women into traditional “domestic or clerical roles,” timing our meetings, etc. Asheville had already made a few motions. They had actually had an interracial dinner in 1946! A BLACK WOMAN WAS ELECTED TO THE BOARD  OF DIRECTORS IN 1954. One committee - Public Affairs - was a joint Central-Branch Committee. And then - I was hired as Executive Director.

            We were under a National Convention Mandate to move with all deliberate speed to rid our local association of the wasteful method of operation forced on us by segregated programming and to help our community prepare for the changes that were to come. So our YWCA began to work INTENTIONALLY to bring black and white women together on a more equal basis.

            And these were the times when we began to move toward one association - with one membership list. When a decision was made to merge the Board with the Committee on Administration and begin to meet at night in order to make it possible for working women (many of them black) to attend. These were the times when there became one program of classes - some held here, some at Central. It was even the time of budget - a true milestone. These were the times when our Board and Trustees decided to sell the Grove Street Building and move all programs here. And we all stood firm when the outcry from the community said, “Keep our white Y.”

            Changes piled one upon another - our Association always seemed to be ahead of the times with programs like these, many of which grew out of our Challenge to Integration Workshops where needs were identified. Briefly, let me list a few:

1.         The YWCA started the first Adult Basic GED classes in Asheville. We were told by the school board that if we found 12 adults, they would provide a teacher. We found 250! THE RESULT IS A-B TECH.

2.         The YWCA began keeping the first cross files for volunteer services in Asheville. This was eventually turned over to the JUNIOR LEAGUE and has now become the VOLUNTEER SERVICES BUREAU.

3.         We held the first classes from pregnant teens during the period when they were automatically expelled from school using at first volunteer teachers, next finding funding, and finally turning the program over the school system for what is now the ASHEVILLE OPTIONAL SCHOOL and influencing the Board of Education to change its policy.

4.         We provided infant and toddler child care for young women in the above program first in our building on a volunteer basis and then two years with a Title II grant at the Allen Center location.

5.         We provided Asheville’s first Teen Age Crisis HOTLINE securing a grant from LEAA.

6.         The RAPE CRISIS CENTER was born and nurtured at the YWCA.

7.         PROJECT AWARE, a program designed to help ease racial tensions in the community and schools and funded by EEOC was organized and operated by us.

8.         Moorhead House, a youth activities center, provided shelter and activities for troubled youth under an HEW grant.

9.         We started and operated the first family day care homes in Asheville.

10.       We provided the city’s first and largest licensed school age child care program for 4 years. It is now operated by the city schools.

11.       We provided office space and bookkeeping for the ERA Coordinating Committee of North Carolina.

12.       The YWCA was written up in the National Organic Garden Magazine for its project -   gardens for the Elderly. Article was written by Treska Lindberg.

13.       The Asheville YWCA Story was published in the National YWCA Magazine. The article written by Emily Lloyd and Florence Stradley.

            As a result of our work toward change - toward the elimination of racism - toward inclusiveness in our programming, the National YWCA looked to Asheville more and more for leadership. Kat Rorison was on the National Board; Marilyn White was on the National Nominating Committee; Sheri Parks was Vice-President of the national NTO Assembly, Elspie Clarke wrote “Joy of Service” which was published by the National Board. Jo Dunton and I were both requested to serve the World YWCA; other Asheville volunteers served as panel members and as group leaders at conventions. We were often asked to share out experiences with other associations.

            The complete the physical side and round out the YWCA Programs, a beautiful swimming pool and gym were built.

            As a rule, we bring presents to a birthday party. But we were not asked to do that tonight. I know of no more appreciated gift than a commitment to send to the YWCA Building Fund a gift to help pay off the indebtedness on this building.

            Well, my time is nearly up, and I have only hit the high spots. AND, I have barely mentioned the very most important part of the YW. It’s great to think about buildings that have come and gone; but, without people - mostly women - very special women, there would never have been a YWCA - there could not be one today. So - to finish up tonight let me even at the risk of not naming some names, mention some who come to mind who have not already been mentioned: Edna Allison, Eunice Adams, Ann Boyce, Jinx Bailey, Sally Bridenstine, Lucille Burton, Rupert Blanchard, Crystal Byrd, Vivian Cooper, Wellington Corey, Helen Gunpert, Peggy Goldsmith, Reba Harrison, Harriet Haith, Annie Lee Hill, Frances Hull, Arney Johnson, Helen James, Zenobia Jones, Eugenia Jarrett, Emily Lloyd, Claire Lennon, Una Mae Lindberg, Josephine Litchfield, Marjorie Lockwood, Mildred Morgan, Willie Moore, Lila Michael, Mary Parker, Mildred Parker, Lew Perry, Ollie Reynolds, Lucille Rogers, Julia Ray, Julia Spaulding, Florence Stradley, Phyllis Sherrill, JoAnn Swilling, Mrs. Charles Timson, Betty Williams. It could go on and on - and other here in this room will be added in the future. They are special people for the Asheville YWCA. Let us cheer for them. Let us thank God for them and all the others who remain nameless tonight.

            HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO US!