The News from Frederick, Maryland • Page 22

Family Section Jftrriimrk Frederick. Tuesday. August 2. 1977 Page A-7 LJ.VDA GREGORY. Family Section Editor Area women in construction form Cumberland Valley Chapter, NA WIC By LINDA GREGORY Family Section Editor In 1953, sixteen women in Fort Worth, Texas organized Women in Construction, the first such group of women working in the construction industry.

In 1954 they received their state charter, and one year later that charter was amended to make Women in Construction a national organization. This past Saturday night. Cumberland Valley Chapter became the 239th chapter to join what has become an international association of more than 7,000 women holding responsible positions in all aspects of the construction industry. The National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC) sees as its basic purpose "to foster cooperation and better understanding among women actively engaged in the construction in- d'ustry." Its members are motivated by a desire for self-improvement and by a desire to be of even greater service to their industry by becoming better trained and more knowledgeable employees. This self-governing, nonprofit, nonsectarian and nonpartisan group cuts across all phases of the industry and brings together women with common interests and goals, whether architects, contractors, salespeople, or office personnel.

NAWIC and its individual chapters undertake projects that are oriented toward the career development of the members hi terms of education and actual construction project experience, and projects that yield service to the construction industry terms of scholarship and career recruiting. As the foundation grew and became self-sustaining, became even more response tu member needs. The NAWIC Education Foundation administers Operation Woman Power, whose objectives are "to organize, develop and implement a highly specialized training program to foster career advancement for women in construction; to encourage orderly growth from secondary positions by building a positive attitude dedicated to responsible performance; and to achieve greater management opportunities for career development in construction for women." In 1963 a scholarship fund was established; over the years it became self-sustaining. Guts, token contributions, and congratulatory messages from national directors, officers and sister chapters from all parts of the country expressed a welcome to Chapter 239 and the hope that it will promote professional growth among its members in their dedication to the construction industry- Represented at the Cumberland Valley charter night were the national organization and chapters from Baltimore, Boston, Philadelphia, Norfolk, Delaware, and Washington. D.C..

sponsoring chapter. Also attending were Maryland State Senators Edward Thomas and Charles Smelser. Region I National Director Gloria Hinkle. assisted by the president of the Washington. D.C.

chapter, conducted the installation of officers. Representing the tri-state area, the following women accepted official duties of the Cumberland Valley Chapter: President Betty Stubits. Horn Corporation, Hagerstown Vice president Vicki Britner, Associated Builders and Contractors. Hagerstown Recording secretary Teddi Duda, Fabricated Metals. Frederick Corresponding secretary Nancy Garling, A.G.

Crunkleton, Greencastle Treasurer Isabel Redding. The Blake Hagerstown Directors Erik a Rauh, Service Glass Industries. Frederick; Nancy Jacob. CBS Electric, Kagerstown; Betty Eichelberger, A.G. Crunkleton, Greencastle; and Gladys Spessard.

CBS Electric, Hagerstown. Eva Poling, past national president of NAWIC. presented the charter to the new chapter president, reminding the newly formed chapter of the overall goal of promoting education and service to the construction industry. "We are all working, career-minded women working in construction," she said. "We are not an auxiliary, but a mutual partner employed in all the facets.

Our concern is that the industry remain a vital part of American life." On behalf of Chapter 239, President Stubits accepted the charter, subsequently signed by 28 charter members, affirming that "we shall work together to maintain the high professional standards on which (NAWIC) was built." She pledged that through involvement, Cumberland Valley Chapter would strive to do its part in working for the betterment of the construction industry. Miss Merriman bride of Thomas A. George Mrs. Patricia Merriman announces the marriage of her daughter, Kathy Ann, to Thomas A. George, son of Mr.

and Mrs. Fred L. George Lovett- sville.Va. The double ring ceremony was performed by the Rev. Leonard D.

Carmack, June 25 at the First Baptist Church in Brunswick. The soloist. Miss Sheree Childers, was accompanied by her sister, Mrs. Linda Weddle, the organist- Escorted to the altar by her father, Mr. Donald Merriman of Devine, the bride chose as her maid of honor Miss Carey Deener.

Bridesmaids were Mrs. Terry Axline, Mrs. Cynthia Payne (sisters of the bride); Miss Jackie George (sister of the groom), and Miss Karen Merriman (cousin of the bride). Melissa Cook served as flower girl and Christopher Axline as ring bearer. Fred L.

George III, brother of the groom, was the best man. Groomsmen were Jeffrey Wilt, Richard Karle, Richard Mullen, and Michael McGmley. Following the wedding, a reception was held at the Lovettsville Game Club. The bride is a 1975 graduate of Brunswick High School. The groom is a 1975 graduate of Loudoun Valley High School and is presently employed by the Baltimore Ohio Railroad.

After a honeymoon to Ocean City, the couple will reside at 102 East Brunswick. Mr. and Mrs. Thomas A. George Tasker's Chance gardeners report summer activities Judge and Mrs.

Samuel Barrick, near Frederick, were host to members of the Tasker's Chance Garden Club, husbands and guests on July 14. An evening picnic supper was served on the lawn. Other summer activities include an upcoming work day at Court House Park. Earlier this month, Mrs. John Yetter and Mrs.

Gene Prevost attended an informative meeting at the Citizens' Nursing Home on the subject of "Communication with the Aging," in conjunction with the Garden Therapy Committee. The next regular meeting will be the annual luncheon outing in September. Signing the charter Cumberland Valley Chapter. National Association of Women in Construction, was chartered Saturday night in Hagerstown, with national and sister chapter representatives in attendance. Here Cumberland Valley Chapter President Bett Stubits.

center, signs the official charter. Looking on are (left to right) Gloria Hinkel. Region I national director: Teddi Duda of Fabricated Metals, Frederick, recording secretary of Cumberland Valley Chapter: Poling. NAWIC past national president: Erika Rauh, Service Glass Industries, Frederick. Cumberland Valley Chapter director; Vicki Britner.

chapter vice president: and Dawn Waltz, Glenn Waltz Plumbing and Heating. Frederick, charter member. Another charter member from Frederick, not pictured is Charlene Donovan of R. F. Kline.

(Photo by Linda Gregorj). Home births: pros, cons and a compromise By JEANNIE HANSON University News Service There were 201 babies born at home in Minnesota in 1976. According to Minnesota a of a preliminary figures, that's 68 more babies than born in homes the year before. The trend toward home delivery is growing across the country, and three University of Minnesota experts feel it is important for prospective parents to consider both the pros and cons of home birth before making the decision to give birth at home. Some women may be choosing home birth because they feel it gives them more control over the childbirth experience, said Sharon Rising, director of the Nurse-Midwife Service at the University of Minnesota.

Minnesota's program does not offer home birth as one of its options, but has surveyed the couples who request the services of certified nurse-midwives. Their figures show that many of the people who request nurse-midwives do so because they hope to gain more control over the birth of their child. Women tend to want personalized childbirth experiences. Rising said. "Some of our couples just want their own pictures on the wall, and even a request like this, if denied, could encourage some women to deliver at home," she said.

At home, couples can determine their own surroundings, perhaps inviting friends and family to help them welcome the new baby. Many women want to avoid medical procedures, drugs and the tacit assumption that they are ill, Rising said. According to an article in Women and Health 1976), the use of certain medical procedures and the more aggressive use of drugs may be encouraged by a woman's presence in a hospital. Cost is another factor which encourages women to give birth at home. Rising said.

Although giving birth at home is not a new phenomenon, having the choice is new. Until the 1920's, most babies were born at home, helped along by a doctor or midwife, sheets boiling on the stove and chloroform for the pain. Safety was one factor accounting for the number of home births at that time. Hospitals were dangerous places to be, said Gaius Slosser, consulting obstetrician for Minnesota's Nurse-Midwife Service and a member of the Minneapolis Council of Obstetricians. "Now.

infections in hospitals are very unlikely." he said. With the 1920's came the increased use of forceps and anesthetics and advances in medical training, and women began to come to the hospitals to deliver their children. According to Preston Williams, pro- fessor of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Minnesota, the numerical risks of home birth are hard to measure because nationwide statistics are notoriously sketchy. No one knows exactly how many women and newborn babies experience problems that might lead to disaster if they were to occur during a home birth. Slosser's best estimate is that two or three per cent of all deliveries present threats to the mother's or child's life -threats that cannot be anticipated, that occur in healthy mothers, and that require professional intervention and equipment within minutes or seconds.

There are several key complications that could make home birth dangerous, Williams said. The first is loss of oxygen to the fetus. Oxygen loss can be caused by disruption by the placenta or a sudden onset of high blood pressure in the mother. If untreated, this oxygen loss can result in the baby's death, mental retardation or learning disabilities that may not be discovered for years. The second type of relatively common problem is "malpresentation" of the fetus, Williams said.

"Malpresentation" can mean breach birth, an umbilical cord wrapped around the baby's neck, the baby's head turned the wrong way or a birth canal too narrow for the baby to pass through. Problems with uterine contractions also can occur, Williams said. Labor pains may be strong enough but not coordinated, causing prolonged labor. Prolonged labor can lead to infections and undue strain on both mother and baby. Other complications can occur after birth, Williams said.

Some women begin to hemorrhage as they expel the placenta and need a drug to contract the uterus. A blood transfusion may be necessary. Others fail to expel the placenta, which can cause infection or shock. Williams stressed that most childbirths progress without complications, but that no one can predict which delivery will be the problem delivery. "if you are the one person in a hundred whose baby is born retarded because of a problem at home (delivery), you don't BURGLAR-PROOFING "The average burglar doesn't think in terms of harming anybody.

He's more or less afraid of being detained. He doesn't want noise or trouble." That's what professional burglar Roosevelt Smith (now serving time in the Correctional Training Facility, Soledad, says in an Aug. 23 Family Circle article on burglar-proofing yoar home. Roosevelt adds that, contrary to what people believe, an excessive number of lights on and abnormally loud music or TV indicate a homeowner's absence. care how few other people have the problem," he said.

Although agreement may never be reached on which way is best home or hospital there is a compromise available. Maternity centers are springing up in a few places in the country. Such centers are in large homes, within minures from hospitals, and contain some emergency equipment. Rising said. Birth rooms in these centers are set up to be friendly and comfortable, with greea plants and space for couples' personal possessions.

Professionals work- ing in centers like this include doctors and midwives who believe that the childbirth experience includes more that blood pressure readings and timing of contractions- Slosser said. Such centers offer coordinated pregnancy and post-partum child health care. Williams is not convinced that maternity centers are a good idea. "There are now no maternity centers locally and many obstetricians, such as myself, oppose them for safety reasons," he said. However, increases in the number of home births as well as consumer demand may encourage the establishment of such centers soon, Rising said.

CONNIE'S "AN EXCLUSIVE FIRST FOR FREDERICK" Carroll County film produced The Carroll County Department of Social Services has recently produced a film entitled "It's Called Growth, Development, Progress." The film was made by John Van Hart and takes a precautionary look at the rapid population growth and building now happening in Carroll County. It stresses open farm land conservation with its planned and thoughtful development to assure a comfortable and livable future in Car- roll County. It includes current and planned ideas for development This film should be of interest not only to Carroll County residents but to all individuals concerned with rapid population growth and development of rural areas. Reservations for the free use of this film can be made through any agency of the Public Library Systems in Carroll and Frederick County. Think fashion think individuality think Connie's.

For the woman you are or would like to be shop Connie's. Remember CONNIE'S "Truly the special place for the woman of special taste." (OYMES 201 NORTH MARKET ST. 662-1831 Mon. thru Sat. 10-4 Private Appointments Invited MEMBER PARK 'N SHOP.