Origins of the International Institute
English Certificate
The institute was originally a branch of the Youngstown YWCA, created for women and girls of foreign-born families who were new to the country. The YWCA worked with the United States Committee of Refugees and Immigrants, and by the mid 1920’s, 55 Institutes had been established across the U.S. The Institutes were founded by Edith Bremer, who directed the International Institutes as head of the YWCA’s Department of Immigration and Foreign Communities. She later became the founder of the American Federation of International Institutes. Though the YWCA was geared towards women, they helped whole families when needed. Furthering the social education of immigrants, from earliest contact through the stages of adjusting and modification, to emerge an enlightened and satisfied citizen, was the organization’s goal.
Olive Steede worked with the YWCA to organize the local International Institute. Mrs. Steede was the first executive secretary, and she remained with the Institute until 1923. Elizabeth Wick was also involved, as the president of a community group titled the Free Kindergarten Association and head of the Mother’s Club at a local kindergarten. She secured the interest of club members and stressed cooperation between the kindergarten group and the International Institute. Elizabeth’s husband, Myron Wick, was a well-known entrepreneur in Youngstown and had been a president of the local Y.M.C.A. Along with Mrs. Wick and Mrs. Steede, a staff of bi-lingual individuals helped newly immigrated women with everyday tasks, such as shopping, touring art galleries, and visiting the public library. Men usually came to the country first to acquire citizenship and funds needed to transport their families, after which women and children began migrating. It was recorded that for every foreign born man there were two women, making the female presence much higher. These women were loved ones or family members, who often waited till their relatives acquired jobs and homes before following them.
