YWCA of O’ahu History

YWCA OF O’AHU HISTORY
http://www.ywca.org/site/pp.asp?c=9fLGJSOyHpE&b=2776169

From a place to make tea, eat safely and quietly in the city, and take naps, to a place to make the teapot, close a deal over lunch and run laps, the YWCA of O’ahu has been the place for women in Hawaii to find support and encouragement for over 100 years.

Founded in 1900 on the steps of a small cottage on the corner of Arcadia and Punahou, the YWCA of O’ahu is the oldest continuous service organization devoted to women and children in Hawaii.

From the beginning, the YWCA was organized to provide the working women of Honolulu a safe place to build friendships, develop or maintain solid values and learn skills to become more productive members of the community; but over the years, the vehicles for accomplishing those goals have changed in response to the times.

Earliest classes included English, Bible and lace-making. By 1906, when it joined the YWCA of the U.S.A., recreational and athletic programs including tennis and swimming classes had been added. The first YWCA residence for young working women, The Homestead, was opened and addressed community concerns over the lack of safe and affordable housing accommodations in Hawaii. In 1914, the first Business Women’s Club was established. By 1917, even the Queen was a member of the YWCA. The Red Cross had moved into the YWCA and a worker had been hired to help Japanese picture brides.

World War I saw the institution of a Patriotic League, which offered wholesome entertainment for soldiers, provided travelers aid, and gave instruction in food conservation. After the war, the International Institute was formed to expand work with all immigrant women and to provide instruction to families transplanted from the plantations into city life. They were taught to read signs, make clothes, and given instructions in how to obtain services from lawyers, banks, doctors, and hospitals. A mobile classroom called the “Little House on Wheels” was started to enable the YWCA to reach all of the O’ahu communities with information on both physical and spiritual health.

In 1921, the Fernhurst Building was donated by the Atherton family, a gift in memory of their daughter Kate and in tribute to her deep interest in the welfare of girls, and eighty-six years of transitional housing for women was begun. Three years later, in 1924, Julia Morgan was retained to design the Richards Street building, and “Laniākea” as it was aptly named was dedicated in 1927. Classes in typing and home nursing were offered, summer camps were developed, and services were expanded into schools. In 1935, ten acres of waterfront property were purchased and Camp Halekipa was established. It was later merged with Theodore Richards’ combined conference, camp, and vacation home area for all Christians, and called Kokokahi. The new camp offered conferences and camp outings for such diverse organizations as church groups, the University of Hawaii sororities, the Salvation Army and Home Demonstration Clubs.

The Federation, an organization that grew out of the consolidation of ethnic girls clubs, was born in 1947. It remained committed to the elimination of racism and segregation in our community and celebrated its 50th anniversary in 1997 .

In 1968, renovations were begun at Kokokahi to include a physical education building for indoor classes, an arts and crafts facility, a large multipurpose building and a marina.

One year later, the YWCA developed a child care program targeting working families at Lanikea and sought to meet the changing needs of teenage girls. The ’70’s saw a wide variety of physical and general education programs, rehabilitative and supportive services to special needs groups, and involvement in legislative issues on equal rights, the treatment of juveniles, environmental protection and programs for immigrants. In 1978, the YWCA of O’ahu adopted the YWCA of the U.S.A.’s “One Imperative,” which is to eliminate racism wherever it exists.

The decade of the ’80’s brought centralized control of operations, concerns for the maintenance of aging facilities, greater emphasis on fitness and the needs of working women and single parents, and men as Associates. In 1986, everyone who had learned to swim at the YWCA collected returnable cans and filled the pool with them before cashing in the collection to raise money for badly needed pool repairs. (According to Rohma Bowers, a member of the YWCA for almost 40 years, “If you ask any government official, three-fourths of them learned to swim here. Nearly every family had someone who’d learned to swim at the YWCA. It’s been the only heated pool anywhere downtown or midtown”).

In 1992, a five year strategic plan was adopted. Three years into that plan, the Board has committed itself and the organization to action on huge deferred maintenance. All three facilities automated from a manual system to a fully integrated computer system in 1999 and acquired email capabilities. The restaurant was reopened at Lanikea under new ownership and operation and the Women’s Resource Center was established. The YWCA partnered with Kama’aina Kids, Inc. to establish a premier childcare program for working parents. The seedling, The Clothes Closet, was launched and grew to become our highly successful economic advancement program, Dress for Success ® Honolulu.

In 2000, Kokokahi hosted its first community celebration “Day on the Bay.” CAF‰ Y (Culinary Arts for Enterprising Youth) launched with grant assistance from Workforce Investment Act. In 2002, Kokokahi renovations included Midkiff Gymnasium and the Pool Office. Lanikea opened its new Health and Wellness Center. In 2003, Fernhurst was closed for renovation and opened her doors again in 2004 with new and improved facilities. Youth Advisory Board and Camp $tart Up were started in 2003 and in 2004 the commitment to serve girls continued with Girls’ Gym. Ways to Work launched in 2004 as three annual community events: Inaugural Young LeaderLuncheon, Downtown Decadence 2004 and our First Annual Golf Tournament.

Today, the YWCA of O’ahu is still guided by the core concepts of the YWCA’s mission. Those concepts are to create opportunities for growth, leadership and power for women and girls, and to work for peace, justice, dignity, respect and the elimination of racism for all people.

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