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Y. W. C. ASSOCIATIONS 485 YPSILANTI into one of the most important industrial communities in the United States. The steel industry is the most important and to it the growth and importance of the city have been due. There are over 50 blast furnaces, producing over 7,000,000 tons of Bessemer steel, over 4,000,000 tons of open hearth steel, and 25,000 tons of castings. In addition there are coke oven plants and by-products plants of various kinds. Other industries include the manufacture of steel furniture and structural parts, steel sash, presses, steel buildings, asbestos, cement, shingles, cranes, engines, stoves, etc. Aside from the steel industry, there are manufac- tures of automobile trucks, flour, leather, powder, wagons, and rubber. The in- dustries employ about 50,000 men. The city had an assessed valuation in 1919 of $215,260,960. There are five banks and three building and loan associations. Fop. (1910) 79,066; (1920) 132,358. YOUNG WOMEN'S CHRISTIAN AS- SOCIATIONS, societies devoted to the spiritual, mental, social, and physical development of young women. The first Young Women's Association was formed in London, England, in 1855. In the United States these associations grew out of the Ladies' Christian Union of New York, established in 1858, the first Young Women's Christian Association in this country being formed in Boston, Mass., in 1866. In 1871 there were three Young Women's Christian Associ- ations and 27 other women's associa- tions. The associations since 1871 have held biennial conferences. There is a distinct organization of young women's Christian associations in the colleges, all snrung from the first association in the State Normal University, Normal. 111., in November, 1872. The work in Youug Women's Christian Associations was at first modeled on that of the Young Men's Christian Associations, but it was found that vomen's needs required that it should be different. An important feature is the maintenance of boarding homes for young women. The associa- tions in large cities have gymnasiums, educational classes, entertainments, lec- tures, employment bureaus, etc. The work of the associations among women is fourfold: Physical — system- atic training in the gymnasium, health talks, holiday excursions, and outing clubs; social — receptions and socials in home-like rooms, boarding clubs, employ- ment bureaus; intellectual — libraries and reading rooms, educational classes, lec- ture courses, concerts, library, musical and art clubs; spiritual — Bible training classes, evangelistic meetings, personnl work, Gospel meetings. The association did valuable war work, especially among the women, c.ur- ing the World War, and following its conclusion there was planned a world program through which emergency work maintained during the war should be made permanent, and new work under- taken in other fields. The War Work Council carried on its work entirely in the interests of women and girls. The organization carried on efficient service in France, Czecho-Slovakia, Poland, Italy, Belgium, Rumania, Palestine, Constan- tinople, and in Russia, while it was possible to continue there. The amount expended for overseas work in 1919 was $3,000,000. YPRES (epr) (Flemish, Y'peren), a Belgian town of West Flanders; on a fertile plain, 30 miles S. S. W. of Bruges, and 8 from the French frontier. Ypres was at one time one of the most impor- tant manufacturing towns in Flanders, the number of inhabitants in the 14th century being 200,000, and the number of looms 4,000. Its staple manufacture was Diaper {q. v.). At the outbreak of the World War the only remnant of its once flourishing manufacture was the cloth hall (Les Halles), standing in the great market place, in a rich style of Gothic architecture, and surmounted by a stately square tower or belfry, with a clock and chimes. It was built 1230-1342, and restored in 1860; a part was added in 1730. There were fine frescoes in the great hall, and many statues on the out- side. One of the wings was used as the city hall. The cathedral of St. Martin was a fine Gothic edifice (1221-1350), with an altar of Carrara marble, a richly carved pulpit, and a picture doubtfully attributed to Van Eyck. The chief mod- ern manufactures were thread and lace. Ypres is a very old town, its origin dat- ing from the 9th and 10th centuries. In 1688 it was strongly fortified by Louis XIV., and in the great European wars was frequently subject to sieges. Jan- sen was Bishop of Ypres. Some of the most severe fighting on the western front occurred in and around Ypres, and practically the entire town is now in ruins. Pop. before the World War about 20,000. YPSILANTI, a city in Washtenaw co., Mich.; on the Huron river, and on the Michigan Central, and the Lake Shore and Michigan Southern railroads; 30 miles W. of Detroit. Here are the Michi- gan State Normal School, St. John's Academy, business college, Ladies' Pub- lic Library, electric lights, waterworks, National and savings banks, and a num- ^ifcT of weekly newspapers. The city has