Boston YMHA Hecht House

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IM. Evaluation - Meaning of Activity to House and Department
Friendship Clubs in the Inter Dept. continue to bring boys and girls together
ia a group to have a good time. Main motivation on the part of boys is the basketball team and motivation on the part of girls is social contact with boys. Friend-
slips have been strengthened through the clubs, leadership is being developed although
s.veral clube^very weak, but popular, people as presidents. Of course, this affects
t ae structure of toe Inter Council since the President is automatically one of the
delegates. However, the 1955-56 program year showed quite an improvement over 195b~55
la that those who were selected officers early in ths year either stayed in office
d_ring the entire year or were reelected. Some clubs elected new officers. I feel
taat this is significant of greater stability in the department than lethargy on the
p—rt of the Inters. It had been a pattern of Inter clubs prior to 195b-55 season and
sxaewhat during the 1955-5j season for clubs to change officers several times during
tie year.
The continuance of 8 clubs from the beginning of the season to the end has been
bsneficial to the individual clubs, to the department and to the House in that they
wsre able to work quite effectively on the Purim Carnival, Operation Morocco and
Hscht House Fund Raising. Having worked as a club on club projects, it was easier
to then branch out to house-wide activities. Another factor is the status that the
later Council has developed. Due to better indigenous Isadora in the clubs, the
Council has received better leadership and was able to function more effectively.
There is still room for improvement in thie area.
An extra effort should be made in the beginning of the year to balance the
number of male and female clubs so that moro inter-club activities can be encouraged.
M.irly times, I have had to look outside of the agency for a girls club young enough
for one of the boys clubs in the Division.
This was the first year with so many successful special interest clubs and classes.
Success of special interest groups is due to the fact that it is easier to relate to a
S]jecial interest group than a friendship club. After a good experience in a special
interest group, these young people will be ready for a Friendship Club. There has been
a sustained interest in journalism and dramatics, but not so much interest in photography. Perhaps the reason for sustained interest in the former two is that both
clubs were always working on a specific project such as a newspaper or a play whereas
pi—>tography does not lend itself so easily to such similar type projects.
The Science Club attracted a certain number of boys and retained their interest.
Tills club could have doubled its enrollment. However, the lab is not large enough to
handle more than 10 or 12 tops and secondly in this type club, control is important
aixi a loader cannot successfully work with more than the above stated number. Plans
sliould be made in the Fall to have 2 such clubs, one for boys primarily interested in
chemical experiments, etc. and one for boys primarily interested in radio.
There ehould be an Art Club or Poster Club in the Inter Dept. A numbor of Inters
have shown talent in this direction and have directly related to supervisor who ie not
a specialist in this area and who does not have sufficient time to devote to this
aotivity.
A concentrated effort should be made to got a female gym person so girls would
bo encouraged to take gym rather than shy away from it because of male leadership.