Saturday 14 February 2015

Women Patrols at Military Centres

From the Glasgow Herald, 13th February 1915. 

WOMEN PATROLS AT MILITARY CENTRES.


Mrs  Hartwell, who has been appointed organiser for Scotland of a movement for the provision of women patrols at military stations, addressed a meeting of the Women's Educational Union, held in the rooms of the Royal Philosophical Society, 207 Bath Street, Glasgow, last night.   Miss A. Stuart Paterson, LL.A., president, occupied the chair, and there was a good attendance.

Mrs Hartwell explained that the movement originated in England at the instance of the National Union of Women Workers, in consequence of reports which were current in August regarding the behaviour of soldiers and girls in the vicinity of military camps, etc.  The Home Secretary had been consulted by those interested in the movement, and he approved of the intention of the patrols, which was not that of rescue work, nor even of prevention, but rather of guiding in a friendly way any girls who were found to be idling away their time at such places and thus possibly exposing themselves to harmful influences.  Chief constables in the various districts where the military were in training were instructed to authorise the proposed patrols, and already there are between 600 and 900 of these in about 40 different localities in England.  There are 26 organisers of the movement, one being located in Ireland, one in Scotland, and one at Jersey and Guernsey.  It is hoped to enlist the services of 25 patrols for Glasgow district.  The women required for patrol work are those who are friendly disposed toward girls and who would be able to suggest useful occupations for them.

The meeting was also addressed by Miss Ann Macbeth, who delivered a lecture on the subject of “Inventive Crafts in the School.”

[I like the way this report skirts around the topic of concern, i.e. sex, without coming within a mile of actually mentioning it.  Also that women who could suggest alternative useful occupations might have any effect.

The lecture on 'Inventive Crafts' sounds intriguing.] 

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