Vocational Education Board. See Federal Board for Vocational Education. Vocational Guidance Association. See Intercollegiate Vocational Guidance Association; National Vocational Guidance Association. Vocational Information Bureau. See Bureau of Vocational Information. Vocational Rehabilitation Service, Red Cross. See American National Red Cross. Volta Bureau. See American Association to Promote the Teaching of Speech to the Deaf. Volunteer Service, Red Cross. See American National Red Cross. Volunteers of America (org. and inc. 1896), 34 West 28th St., New York, N. Y. An interdenominational, evangelistic body, military in its method. Seeks to reach and help those people of America who have not been affected by the ministration of other religious groups. Has organized regiments or divisions supervising local societies, stations, and institutions in large cities throughout the country. Traveling officers from national headquarters assist in organizing local groups; select local advisers from among the clergy, business men, and police officers of the community; and otherwise aid them. Local groups conduct public meetings in Volunteer Halls, churches, prisons, and on the streets; visit the sick and needy in their homes; operate day nurseries; maintain relief stations, and Homes and institutions in which free board and room are offered to unemployed persons and others in need; visit prisoners in jails and other penal institutions and conduct relief work among prisoners' families. Some local branches maintain Emergency Homes for women and children; in these Homes free care and medical treatment are offered. National organization is supported by voluntary subscriptions. Weather Bureau. See Department of Agriculture, U. S. Western Czech Fraternal Union (Západní Česko Bratrská Jednota) (org. and inc. 1897), Secy., L. J. Kaspar, 307 Twelfth Ave. E., Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Czech mutual benefit and social welfare organization of men and women. Operates in the U. S. only. National office organizes and supervises lodges in local communities. Supreme lodge keeps a lecturing organizer in the field continuously to aid in establishing new lodges. Union pays death benefits of from $250 to ་ $2,000, raised by assessments upon total membership. Local lodges pay $5 to $10 a week sick benefit while patient is under doctor's care. Sick benefits are paid from members' dues and special funds raised by the local groups. Local lodges carry on and contribute to community betterment, welfare and educational activities. Some lodges have free traveling libraries, open to the public, and provide lectures and other educational service. Union holds a quinquennial meeting, open to the public, lasting 10 days, at which questions of interest to the Czechs in America are discussed. The Fraternal Herald (Bratrský Věstník) (711 Pine St., Omaha, Nebr.), monthly, published in Czech, 10 cents a copy, 50 cents a year, free to lodges, is the official organ. Members' dues in local lodges are from 10 to 50 cents a month. Woman's American Baptist Home Mission Society (org. 1877, inc. 1878), 276 Fifth Ave., New York, N. Y. To promote missionary work throughout the U. S., Alaska, Central America, Cuba, Mexico, and Porto Rico. Carries on evangelistic and educational work in the homes, and through schools, Christian centers, cooperation with churches, and by other means. Holds an annual meeting in connection with that of the Northern Baptist Convention (for description of which see elsewhere in the Handbook). Standing committees on Missionary Work, Educational Work, Organization, Finance, and Publications conduct special work as indicated by their titles. Committee on Training School supervises the Society's school at 2969 Vernon Ave., Chicago, Ill. Woman's Board of Home Missions. See Presbyterian Church in the U. S. A., Woman's Board of Home Missions. Woman's Christian Temperance Union. Christian Temperance Union. See National Woman's Woman's Home Missionary Society. See Methodist Episcopal Church, Woman's Home Missionary Society. Woman's National Farm and Garden Association (org. 1914, inc. 1919), 414 Madison Ave., New York, N. Y. To promote agricultural and horticultural interest among women. Acts as an information bureau and clearing house for women's agricultural activities. Through its Land Service Committee, the Association offers scholarships to State colleges and agricultural schools, for young women desiring to fit themselves for agricultural and related work. Has organized branches in different sections of the country. Local branches maintain free employment bureaus and through their Active Sales De partments sell, on small commission basis, home-made food and handiwork prepared by women in rural communities. Association issues a monthly Bulletin, 10 cents a copy, 50 cents a year, to members only. This magazine serves as a medium in which members may advertise their products, and obtain reviews of farm and garden books, notices of Government publications of special value, and answers to inquiries, and through which they are kept in touch with agricultural experiments and branch activities. Whenever possible, samples of goods are submitted to central office before they are advertised. Association assumes no responsibility but endeavors to protect both consumer and producer. Membership is open to cooperating branch associations and women engaged in or otherwise interested in any phase of agricultural development. Supported by sales and contributions and by annual membership dues, $2 and up. Woman's Relief Corps (org. 1881, inc. 1883), Pres., Mrs. Inez Jameson Bender, 218 Citizens Title and Trust Bldg., Decatur, Ill. To aid and assist the Grand Army of the Republic and to perpetuate the memory of their dead; to cherish and emulate the deeds of our Army nurses and of all women who rendered service to our country in her hour of peril; to maintain true allegiance to the U. S., to inculcate lessons of patriotism and love of country among children, and to uphold universal liberty and equal rights to all. Operates through local Corps which maintain relief funds for veterans of the Civil War and their dependents. National body has general funds available for veterans of all wars and the Victory Fund for the use of World War soldiers and their dependents. The Victory Fund has been raised by voluntary contributions from local Corps. National body and local groups distribute flags and patriotic literature, observe patriotic anniversaries, conduct special work through the departments of Americanization and Child Welfare, and establish scholarships. Central office issues an annual journal. Local Corps are organized as auxiliaries to Posts upon approval of Post Commanders. Membership is open to women, 16 years of age or more, of good character and correct deportment, who have not given aid and comfort to enemies of the Union. National organization is supported by per capita tax received from local units. Is auxiliary to the Grand Army of the Republic (for description of which see elsewhere in the Handbook). Woman's Relief Society. See National Woman's Relief Society. Women in Public Health Association. in Public Health. See Association of Women Women Voters' League. See National League of Women Voters. Women's Alliance. See Polish Women's Alliance of America. Women's Legion. See American Women's Legion. Women's Trade Union League of America. See National Women's Trade Union League of America. Woodcraft League of America (org. 1915, inc. 1917), 13 West 29th St., New York, N. Y. To educate, and to build character through recreation. Provides program of outdoor and indoor activities suitable for all seasons of the year. Organizes local groups of boys and girls into separate Lodges, and men and women into Woodcraft Clubs and Adult Groups, which are led by Guides who direct recreation and teach nature study, campcraft, and woodcraft. Holds conferences on camping, and conducts courses of study for Woodcraft leaders. League confers credits or honors for proficiency in athletics. Has prepared exhibit material which may be borrowed. Publishes Totem Board, monthly, 5 cents a copy, 50 cents a year. Has also published "Woodcraft Manual for Boys" and "Woodcraft Manual for Girls”; on sale at headquarters and in book stores, 75 cents for the paper edition, $1.25 for the cloth edition. League is composed of local member organizations which pay annual dues of $5 and up. Supported by contributions and membership dues. World Alliance for International Friendship through the Churches (org. 1914), 70 Fifth Ave., New York, N. Y. An international organization. Works through the religious forces of the world to substitute arbitration for war in the settlement of international disputes and to develop friendship and cooperation between the nations. Has established national councils in 24 countries, which carry on related work and make annual reports. Council in America has local committees throughout the country, which seek to educate the public in matters pertaining to international relationships, by providing lectures and sermons, publishing bulletins, one and organizing study groups. Central office acts as a bureau of in- Sup World Brotherhood Federation (org. 1920), Commissioner for North America, Rev. J. Foster Wilcox, 23 East 26th St., New York, N. Y. An international and interdenominational organization conducting educational and social service work. Promotes the organization of Brotherhoods in the local churches and directs them in their studies and activities. Local Brotherhoods function through the local churches and the various agencies in their communities. National body is cooperating with the Government in its health educational program for men. It conducts educational and social service work. Federation is open to all interested men, but its development has been greatest in Protestant churches. World Christian Citizenship Conferences. See National Reform World Peace Foundation (org. 1909 as the International School of Peace, inc. 1910), 40 Mt. Vernon St., Boston, 9, Mass. To educate the people of all nations to a full knowledge of the waste and destructiveness of war, and by every practical means to promote international peace, justice, and good will. Publishes and distributes literature pertaining to international relations. Cooperates with other organizations and with individuals in research and education. Aims to keep fully informed on international relations. Makes a special feature of its information service concerning matters within its scope. Maintains a library which contains books, periodicals, and pamphlets relative to the peace movement and international relations. Publishes League of Nations, bi-monthly, 25 cents a year; bound and indexed, per annual volume, $1. Also publishes a large number of pamphlets; single copies free, price in quantity on application. Supported by endowment funds. 1 1 |