Survey of Eighteen Parish Recreational Programs for Adolescent Girls in the City of Yonkers, New York

The writer became interested in leisure time activities of youth while engaged in parish scouting in the Immaculate Conception Parish in Yonkers and later as playleader in the public parks of this same city during the summer months. Recently, the study has been given further impetus from the contacts with adolescent girls that the writer has as caseworker in the Yonkers office of Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of New York. These contacts have shown the need for church guidance and supervision in helping the adolescent work through her leisure time problems and establish a more desirable pattern of conduct. The writer wished to undertake this study since no survey on private recreational facilities within the City of Yonkers has ever been made. In 1931 Margaret F. Byington did a study of the social welfare program in Yonkers ; although she was able to analyze the social service organizations in the community, she felt that it was not possible to give in detail the organizations connected with the churches. However, Miss Byington thought that they would, without a doubt, reveal the same acceptance of responsibility on the part of the churches for varied elements in the life of its young people and should be included in any detailed review of the city’s leisure time facilities