GFS Enters New Phase
Diocesan Press Service. August 3, 1966 [45-3]
"The G.F.S. - Society for Girls is about to enter into a new phase, with new structures adapted to the needs of today," said GFS national director, Miss Jean Kind, as she described the action of the National Assembly of the G.F.S.
Meeting in Denver, Colo., June 30 - July 6, the National Assembly voted to discontinue the national structure of the GFS. The continuing income will go to Executive Council's Department of Christian Education, in order that the Department may provide leadership in the area of weekday work among children and youth, GFS's primary concern.
This planned change began three years ago at the triennial National Assembly. That Assembly made some structural changes in the national organization, minor in themselves, making it possible to have an overall view of the Society. This view led national leadership to feel that something was radically wrong. That something, they finally came to realize, was that they were not within the overall structure of the Church. With the tendency toward interdependence, they felt it would be even more difficult to maintain a wholly independent existence in the future.
A survey taken at the request of the national leadership confirmed their previous thoughts. While parish G. F. S. groups were vital, the national structure was not. With the resources in hand it could not supply what the local leaders needed.
After conversations with the Executive Council, It was decided that the G. F. S. national structure must disband if the work was to continue and have new life. The Society's continuing income will go to the Department of Christian Education and will be used to assist the Department in supplying the training, materials, and standards necessary for an ongoing weekday program among children and youth. This action has now been approved by both the National Assembly of the G. F. S. and the Executive Council.
Local G. F. S. chapters will remain, as will a reconstituted national Board of Directors, responsible for the administration of the Society's funds, but the national office of the G. F. S. will close on January 1, the planned change having occurred.