Alumnae Story
The City Now! Tomorrow!

By Mary Beth Toomey (now Dunne)
Hudson Valley GS Council, Albany, N.Y.

I was one of the 154 girls chosen to attend the Wider Opportunity called "The City Now! Tomorrow!" at Edith Macy Conference Center in July 1971. I had just graduated from high school. This was my first opportunity to be with so many girls of so many ethnic and racial backgrounds. That trip left me with so many lifetime memories. I met one girl from Wisconsin, Julie. We have remained friends since. I was a bridesmaid at her wedding.

I wanted to be an attorney and will always remember the trip to the Manhattan Criminal Courts and a tour with a district attorney. One of the girls in our group asked two women arrested for prostitution if she could take their picture as she had never met a prostitute before! I thought the DA would faint, but the ladies posed and smiled for the camera.

We spent one night at the YMCA. Bella Abzug spoke to us and we gave her a red hat. If we had had Court TV back then, I would have looked for that hat! A woman's theater group performed for us in the gym. Their skits dealt with the way we wish to be an individual but still follow the fashion ideas of others. I watched a production of "The Mikado."

One of the most memorable moments for me was all of us in our uniforms going to Brooklyn and meeting the borough president. We took part in a program with underprivileged girls and then went to a special presentation with the borough president. I really felt like I was part of the national organization as we stood together and sang. I even sent one of the little girls I met a Brownie necklace when I got home.

When we returned to Edith Macy, we put our experiences into different art forms: dance, art, writing, etc. My written reflections were chosen for the final showcase. The art piece I remember most was a pen-and-ink of a fire escape on a brick building with the only color being the red geranium plant on the railing.

The flag ceremony was inspiring.

I also remember going to a shop in a neighborhood where we were supposed to meet with local organizers. It really felt like it was a front for a more subversive group. It added excitement.

The opportunity to see New York City from a different perspective has stayed with me. The opportunity to meet girls from all over the country and hear about their lives was a remarkable experience. I have always wondered what those girls have done in life as a result of that conference. It felt like we were the future.

I did become an attorney and administrative law judge. I also have been a Girl Scout leader, a delegate to the National Convention in Detroit and a member of the Board of Directors of my council, Hudson Valley. I treasured the memories of the different groups I met and tried to be open to all I met in the future. Opportunities like this trip instilled in me the confidence to make a difference in the law, especially at a time when so few women were attorneys. Girl Scouts had a profound effect on my life. I would love to hear from others who were at "The City Now! Tomorrow!" and what they have done.