Historic YWCA Time Capsule Opened at George Williams College

WILLIAMS BAY, Wis., Oct. 29, 2007 —A historic YWCA time capsule was opened as part of a ceremony on the George Williams College of Aurora University on Monday, Oct. 15. A bronze seal above the fireplace mantel in the Great Hall of Mabel Cratty Hall concealed the time capsule that contained historical documents.

The documents included an invitation to the dedication of Mabel Cratty Hall in 1926, a copy of the dedication and commemoration program and a list of donors and committees for the building. Mabel Cratty Hall was built by the National Board of the YWCA and dedicated on Aug. 15, 1926. It was named in honor of Mabel Cratty, who was the first general secretary of the YWCA from 1906 until 1928. The YWCA had its beginnings on the George Williams College campus in the late 1800s.

Other documents included in the time capsule were a report of the National Board of the YWCA from 1926, a copy of proceedings of the first convention from 1886, and a number of books on YWCA history, directories and lists of officers and member associations from the 1800s, and a copy of the YMCA conferences offered at College Camp in 1926, among other documents.

Nearly 100 members of the National Association of YWCA Executives met at George Williams College on Oct. 15 as part of the organization’s Annual Professional Development Conference to learn more about the historical connections between the YWCA and George Williams College.

Displaying the contents of the time capsule are, from left to right: Dianna Woss, GWC campus archivist and resource center assistant; Eileen Mershart, CEO, YWCA Madison and member of the National Coordinating Board; Lois Cook Steele, executive director, YWCA Lower Cape Fear North Carolina and president of the NAYE board; and Suzanne Durham, executive director, YWCA Birmingham, Alabama and president of the National Coordinating Board; and Dr. Rebecca L. Sherrick, president of Aurora University.

– END –