Boston YMHA Hecht House

              Franoos Kabaohniok
Sooial Oroup Work I
Mr. Bernstein
Before I tell my story about the Semadea, I ahould like to relate the oiroum-
ses whioh brought about *ey being asked to be the leader of the Semadea.
Early ln Ootober, a group of girla oame to me to ask for a olub room on Saturday
night. At their firat meeting,, I explained to them house rales about membership and
asked them to fill out the olub roater with every girl'a name, age, addreaa and house
oard number. All the girla listed their ages at fourteen*, and they had intermediate
membership oards whioh admit them to Clyh 160, the large dancing room.
The teen age oonmittee of Club 160 waa —try  upset the following Saturday beoause
so many young girls were being admitted to the danoe. They had a meeting and asked the
staff to oheok on the agee of some of the girla who were members of the oemades.
it so happened that we had Summer Bay Camp Records, and we were able to oheok on the a^e
of U,&.  who had just turned twelve years old. I went to visit the mother on Thursday;
she already knew about the faot that the oommittee doubted U.S.'s age. I explained to the
mother the house polioy oa membershipt (1) boya and jirls under fourteen years oan meet an
Saturday night beoause there is no sohool t e next day; (2) they oan use all the faoilities
in the game room, and (3) they leave the building at 9i30 P.M. The mother unaeratood and
appreciated the house polioy on the age requirements for admittanoe to the danoe. She
was very glad I visited with her; and, when I left, I felt ahe had a clearer picture
H.H. and what we were trying to do.
The following Saturday, I naked tho girla if I might meet with then after their
business meeting. Again I explained house membership to them and asked those girls who
had intermediate oards instead of junior oards to have them changed ln the offloe.
The Semades were very excited and infuriated. They felt I had no right to go to aee M.S.'
mother. "What sense is there to corns to H.II. if we can't dance?" They told ma
their oorreot birthdays, and fourteen out of sixteen girls were under fourteen years of
age* I suggested we meet next Saturday and talk over what the Semadea oould do on
Saturday night. They weren't interested in talking over anything, but threw the oards
at ma and walked out of the building never to oome baok.
After this outburst, the staff felt that all the parents of the Semadea ahould reoei