Historical information

This is a programme, produced in-house for the Annual Display in 1955 of the Warrnambool Wesley Girls’ Gymnasium Club. It shows that the instructress was Mrs V. Last and the pianist, Mrs B. Utting. There were 29 items in the display with the performers in various age groups. Gymnasium Clubs for both boys and girls, organized by the Warrnambool Methodist Church, were well-established in Warrnambool in the 1930s. It is not known when these clubs ceased to operate but church youth clubs of various kinds continue to operate and gymnastic exercises of some sort would still be one of their activities. The first Wesleyan church service was held in Warrnambool in 1847 and the first chapel was opened in 1851. By the early 1900s the church was known as the Methodist Church and in 1977 after a merger with some other Protestant Churches the church today is known as the Uniting Church with the Warrnambool Uniting Church now located in Koroit Street.

Significance

This programme is of interest as an example of the type of recreational activity sponsored by churches in the 1950s in Warrnambool. Gymnastic Clubs continue to be a popular activity for youth.

Physical description

This is a sheet of paper folded in two. It is buff-coloured (now faded) and has black typed material on the four pages. The paper is torn at the folds and is ragged at the edges.