The Lucknow Sentinel, 1956-02-29, Page 5• WIFD TY, rat .24th, 19546'
T LucKNOW SENTINEL, IUCKNOW, 4 ONTARIO
PAGE FIVE
,
' • mss --end •finer : Vve- not a evestlze ed-ses-neee sity this' -Branch ` us -
meetings were not so well at- ually supplied the sweets as., a
. tended. As the war work .slowed service for the children.
up: the attendance at the meet- Ln July 1952 the Institute lad'-
ings • did likewise, ;so the homes ; ies . decided to:take a bus trip' in.
were tried; ,out again. place of a picnic; This trip was
in 1947 Mrs. •G•, MacPherson taken to the. Tpronto Exhibition,
became . president again. due to The idea met with such a fine
the 'passing of Mrs. Aitchison; 1st approval that. Mr. Allan. Reed of
vice, Mrs. Elwood -Barbour; .2nd; Dungannon has taken the 'ladies
Mrs. Stanley Todd;: 'sec, -tress., on several trips since. One that,
Mrs.; E.' W; !Rice, Mrs. .T. J. Todd preyed -educational. as well as
haying , served her six year term enjoyable was the Institute hot-
of office. ' iday held in Guelph at the 0.;4.C,
on July 16th, 1953; In September*
it ' was moved that , we as a•
Branch see if " it • were possible
to procure signs . to• be placed• at
the four corners, Belfast, High
way.. 86, Fordyce corner and .one:
large,sign :in the* village; After
a' timthese signs • were erected
:by the Council and this. Branch
h.ad the St. Helens sign in the
.village 'made and placed_ on ..the
corner of' the Institute Hall lot..
At the golden jubilee anniver-
sary celebration o!f St. • Helene
Women's I nstitute, held'this fall,.
a very interesting historical re
vievte, was given• by Mrs. E. W..
Rice, .We publish. the article,/ as it
waa'given at. that: time.
I am Sorry to say that the first
�:ininutes 'books 'of ,the 'inception
.of this Branch:••have been 'lost
; '.and se. our records do not 'begin
until. the -year 1930. We have had
'great .difficulty trying AO find
' the. names f °t•he Presidents and
Secr taries • up to this date, 'brit
Miss Edith Coll ins, ,who was with,
`,. the Department, ' .very' kindly
• looked up the' past' records and
they are' as'follows : •' , •
Our 'first'minute book states it
was organized " in 1905 but • the
,Department couldn't account:for
two years, previous, We do know
that it was organized the second
time in the year 1907. •
Before 'proceeding oceeding • with the
past history, I would like to pay.
..tribute to our former members
(.beginning 1960) who have'pass-
ed on: They. are as follows: Mrs.
Ed Parvis; Miss - Mary Ru-ther-
ford;'Mrs. rc-hie I l o arson; • ®•rs:
George Webb, Mrs. -Archie Aitch-
ison, Mrs. • R. ' E. 'Miller, ,Mrs.' R. J.
Woods,'. Mrs.,John•. ' McQuillin,
Mrs. :George ' :1VIoRoberts, Mrs,;
Dan Martin; Mrs. Wm: Ball, Mrs,
Jas. Gaunt, Mrs. Jas,' Lyons, Mrs,
T. B..Taylor, ,.Mrs.' . ' (Rev.)' T. C.
�ilkin on . Mrs. James `•Durni
;•. w s ,.. n,.
Mrs: Jaynes Lavis, Miss Mary
Jane Irwin : 14re. Rintoul , and
y
Mrs Wm. McQuillin.
The list of,presidents •front 1907.
to 1936 is..as, follows: ••
1907-08-•Mi•ss Minnie Ram•age. •
1908 -09= -Miss Mary ' Rutherford
1909 -10• -Miss. M. Ramage •
1910 -12 --Mrs. Archie•:' Anderson
1912=13-aMrs.. Ed Thom
1913-2.4-iMr.s. Archie Anderson
' 1924-26---Mr•.s. George Webb
1926-287Mas:, Durnin . Phillips'
.1928 -36 -:Mrs. John Miller;
Mrs.: R
K. (Millers Was secrets
• ary during -this. . period ,except ire
1909 -10, -when. Miss M.,; C, Ruth-
erford held 'the office.
Beginning .. the :year 1930; May
lst,' we read that Mrs. John ''Mil-'
ler. was • re-elected for a second
term, lst• vice, Miss •'Annie .Me
Kenzie; '2nd vice,,' Mrs. Ed Thom;
sec,; Mrs. Ile: K. Miller. Names of.
others who. held "office- at this
.time were: auditors, Mrs. D; Todd_'
and' Mrs.' •W, I. ,:Miller;. pianist,
Mrs. W. A. Miller; ': representa-
tives, • Mrs;, . Archie Anderson,
'Nfiss •Mary .Rutherford' and Miss.
Gretta Webb.
The meetings were held in the
'• homed and at each meeting a,
Paper, or an, address was given,
also ore or two special numbers.
The . district president 'at . that
time was Mrs._ Davidson.. of Dun-
gannon'. She ' Visited us that. Year
and complimented the women of
St, Helens on the splendid work
. they were doing.: •
• :We. notice b
' Mr y the minutes that
James Levis ;received $5' for
,cutting weeds in the St. • Helens
cemetery. *This was done' .once
each, year and 'financed .by. . the
Institute:
randmothers
Day was always,
a 'special', meeting' an this yeah
.they were well represented:with
aprons• and dust caps, Roll call
was old '�photbs and. they were
used. as a�'guessing' contest.'
We hid School Fairs ' . these
._years.--and-a:-booth -
weealways
sponsored by the W.I. this be-
ing one source of raising. funds.
The at, Helens Branch was
noted then• es well. as' Trow for
giving donations to all organ='
iza
tz
ons,Canned.. fruit was the:
us donation' tv=-Wfr _ Toon -Hns
•
pita!, T`.hiisle
year a bale had 'been
sent North. and .a note Thiswas
laced, in
it. " placed, and
acknowledged. .
s:0:-$ ,00 "there' Was sent to thr
wine territory.
In these tunes .a stated subject
Was set and a paper was .given
`ori it, Picnics Were an annual af-
fair and usually held .at Godes+
ich.. One "At Horne" k year for
. ei•nem.be
r3 asree
ten ofe ntortainment:
In 132' Mrs. Bissett of Gorier- 'Ball Mrs. - rd
Go on .MacPherson
ich was District President and and Miss. Mary Murray and after
made her visit to , the branch. much* discussion Mrs *Wm, 'Ruth -
,
Special .Summer meetings were • erford became acting 'president;
held with Department • speak'ers sec., Mrs, Earl .Durnin. Red' Cross.
and other .branches as guests:• We, 'and refugee Werk was begun in n
•
had numerous health talks. and 1940'This branch af!fsliated them-.
demonstrations each=,year' usually selves with Lucknow`` Red 'Cross
given by. Mrs.:'George :Stuart. •; and ''took . a very active ..art. in
Duringthe, 'ap
y quilt was. the wgrl�c. In ;May. •Qf 'this year'
made with .Mrs, Jas..; Gaunt do the District Annual of West Hur-'
ng most of . the work. Tickets nn was.held in St. Helens: During
were sold on it. It •Was, custom-. the car one of h
. customs, , , , , y � the.: hg�llights.
ary in"these times tor' the mem-' was a talk on the San Francisco
bers; to make quilts for .bales, as World's.. Fair by Miss W. D. Ruth-'
well '• as needy . families, in ' the erford. ,' We had a iRed. Cross` re-
pot at every' meeting given: by
the .convener, Mrs, W. A, Miller,
whoacted in. this 'capacity during
the 'war -years.-
In
years.-In 1941 Mrs. Gordon MacPher-
son was elected .president with
Miss •Mary Murray,•Mrs: Ball and
Mrs. D. Phillips,' assistants; secs
Mrs. Allan ' Durnin. , The Red
Cross work was in great demand
and we met every two weeks for
giilting. A ten -cent tea was ser-
ved and . each, lady. brought
Vera
lunch sandwiches. and cookies,
Taylor; Marro; Mrs -:fester Ta . + ,:•
r, •gig sitar,'` rs. R1ce.
First' Ghee" Club
''In . May 1936'-1937: Mrs. John
Swan •'took '• over the presidency'
which' Mrs,. Johne Miller held for
eight years sec:, ;Mrs_. E,,. W. Rice.
Many new members.. have. 'joined,
the In t'i.
s tute and progress was
seen 'in . many" ways; This .year
saw the formation of the first
Junior .Girls' .Club in the district..
This' was begun in the
-community. The attendance at
this time ranged from 20 to, over
45. '
In. 1935 Mrs.: John Miller was
re-elected assisted by'four vice
presidents, each .one . to take
charge fors three •months.• They
were as, • follows: Mrs ' Lorne
lDurnin; '!Mrs. D. Phillips, Mrs.
W. A. (Miller and *s.. ' James.
Gaunt' All ,meetings were' favor-
ed • with a' special number but
one that was news to the ,writer
consisted •of 'a -trio; violin; V
a
:raise: money ' any,. way, possible
so tickets were sold at meetings
on . articles. that .members, donat
ed such as : aprons, knitting bags,
towels,.,, ete., We .even sold tick-'
ets on a hamper . of : apples. which
was' donated by the ' late: Mr.'
Kenneth .: Cameron. Besides all
the Red • Cross' 'work • at home
'each 'soldier received a box. at'.
Christmas arid, ,a gift when' they
returned.hom'e. - .
March a new project for the .
Girls'' Clue . • was `announced ' ` The : Instittte always • retained
b „ '; • its :interest in :,the local, Fall Fair.
Clothes •Closets' Up-to-date and
it ,was decided• two leaders,,'Mrs, .anih a display was' usually put
T J.: Salkeld. and' Miss Laurine up :.by the: branch and was -al:., . ways -in the-prize-nion-ey--Tn
Miller be ..responsible` • for form- •'
Trig: a' Junior: Girls' Club This .September of, 1941 we had .a.taik
was`, th ' beginning of .a. Girls' by`'Dr. Johnston of Lucknow on'
health and: foods:and, now;. 'as:
Club �n.:this• branch and Projects .
v< ,
have .been carried :on till,:lastell as -then. this; is` one of our
Year
foremost interests. One new ven-
ture these t.imes'we wee fortunate tur'e . of raising money in these:
ire." hav ng a poetess in our I'nsti_ times was by having . "Victory.
trite , in the person of Mrs.. Eliza- Nights". ' Each ,member '.was • re -
beth. 13a11. .•,She alviays, brought sponsible; for; some form of en-
beth
ray of aunehin,e to ,the meetings;
tertainment.. Some had card :part -
with .her poems. : O;ne that str.e:..'es and invited: ,their friends and;
neighbors. I remember having . a.
"Badminton• 'Party" here in the
hall and.so_ in. this way our funds
grew,
In May 'of .:1.942 the officers
were the' same with the.`exception
of Mrs. Charles' McDonald who,
Mildred McQuillin. The .president tdok .Mrs. D. shill ps'.place, sec:;
and.'secz:etary acted from 19,37'.to tress, *Mrs.'T. J. Todd: Mrs,: Todd
me. took over in Aug: of. 1941. Each
'In October 1937 We named con-' Year --we usually had the ; school
'veners under ' -headings Which childr,.,n responsible• for a pro -
were 'much the sane as' at the -gram in• July. The program this
present time. This was the . be-• .years was, held in 'the ' hall, with
hfad prepared andYread at this.
time was entitled "New Year's'
Reverie".
In. the ' year 1937 Mrs. W.
Miller was made .presidents vice
silent
Alun •Durnin; 'sec.-treas., Miss
ginning.. of a program set. by the
Departrnent. • • In * these years. "At
'-Homes.'.' were: held frequently to
raise •money. •
In 1938 we .decided to 'change
the, place of the picnic from God-.
erich to the Maitland bridge. The
meetings now were growing, in•
attendance, so had to be: held in
the hall, with ..the hostess being
responsible for 'cleaning• up the:
hall after each , meeting.
In March 1939 we notice that
two minutes, silence .was obsery
in :memory of Mrs. R. Mil-
ler,
who was a faithful member, evening anmany or us: remern-
ranch for 28 ears; and ber how we did .enjoy these pic-
o f the b Y,
S • understand never .•missed a nies along the/ creekand being.
meeting: In those years „officers within reach of all . members
didn't have 'any ."'meant time.' .eant a good attendance. .
e Aitchison
A.rchi
_'.
From -1934 to -40, :pres-president was •Tn . •• 1944 Mressr
. rs. W. A. Miller; vice presidents, becaQpresident. with.' 'all of -
Mrs, ',Ewart M " art MacPherson, Mrs. ricers.me the, sante: ,Red Cross work
Allan Dlirniif9' and'', Mrs. Wm. still continued and 'the " W, ,L
utherford; sec. Miss Mildred didn't spare' themselves,•by ways
McQuillin, Mary interesting and, 'means / to. work and' raise
papers, current events a n d
courses-• eeress-ee :-W Were also
privileged by having 'many ,outs
side speakers. Our district pres-
ident at this timie.was Mrs Osler
the following taking part: solos,
Barry and Ivan ' McQuill'in, I2on-:
aid `..Murray , and • Murray ':Gaunt;
instrumental; Doris- Taylor; read-
ings, Verna, McDonald and Mar-
garet MacPherson duet, Margar-
et MacPherson,: Yvonne. ' Magof-
itatio 'Dori Cameron,
fin; rec n,
In 1943 the officers'werei pres.
Mrs. Gordon'-" MacPherson; vice.
presidents, 'Mrs. ,Harold ''Gaunt;
Mrs. Archie Aitchison • and Mrs..
Ball; sec., Mrs. T. 1. Todd. We
had • a picnic 'in. August of this
year .-at:. Morton's' Grove •in the
money. :r.. ,
-1 = f•fieors-•were thes-Sam zn
1945 = with Mrs.' Gordon MeePher-
son taking the office of. 3rd vice.
In the spring ofthis year we
of-`131y'tlr`anrl -she ' visited 11.5. -iii held, a six week-e-111greirtg---eflur-se
'May and conducted the election in the hall. This was condilcted
by the following nurses: Mrs.
George Stuart, . Mrs. Frank Mc-
Quill%n, Mrs. James Wilson, and
Mrs. (Rev.) Ward, assisted by
local doctors. . • .
In 1946 the ioffieers were' the
Baine " ee t`Fis Mrs': ,EletrO `BATIAStir-
Of officers. The 'executive then
acted asa program committee.
We also. had a flower committee
along with other conveners.
Red ' Cross Activities'
a we cad tlYat,
c : k
the vice preen • ci ;,s were rs..
•
In May .1947' we celebrated the
50th Anniversary of the forming
of .The" Women's Institute in. On-
tario. One of .our oldest and .con-
scientious workers, t'hp • late 'Mrs,
Archie, Anderson, was privileged
to blow gut ..the icaridles on': the
cake. Arog ram ' and. 'dance at
p
this time 'brought a / delightful
evening' to a close,•
As the war work decreased
our Institute. work gained mom-
entum 'again and ,from -1947 on
our- meetings were ' very 'inter-
esting. We entertained numerous
branches and also entered -,into
courses given by the: Department
and with numerous "At : Homes"
our finances grew also.
The ,officers for 1948 were re-
elected. . The "Girls Club" was
formed again, The Spring class
leaders • were Mrs. Wm. Ruther-
ford; assista_nt,._Mr e_NOrman__Mc-.
.RktalekirmS1
Mrs.•. Gordon MacPherson and
Mrs. James Curran', and in,' this
year Our. donation of prize money
to *the Lucknow Fair was label-
led for •1Funior Girls Club 'work.
' In the • Fall of. 1948. • a small
group, . of Institute ladies decid-
ed they Would- try and' .put on
a 'play "'Uncle. Cy Hite; A New
'High". which had •been prepared
some previous yearsbut was
never presented. So a . cast of 13
:was formed under the auspices
of 'the Institute. and was present-
ed in January of 1949 to an over-
f'lowieg,.hall and it proved:. so
successful- t=w-as ret eated -in-the
surrounding communities four-
teen 'times.
ti- of interest 'was a talk *by .Rev.
1.949• new officers were in-
stalled.resa Mrs.`.'E. 'Barbour,' Jennings . of Lucknow Anglican : r
with..asss tants, Mrs. Todd 'an'd church on . the .Indians 'of . the
Mrs. 'Charles McDonald. In Jun Northwest• Territories,' he being
pf this -year the Branch was, hos stationed there., for :'a time: The
-tees for the West Huron District Girls C 'lib was• still progressing
Mrs: Gordon MacPherson • • and.
annual, when. over one • hundred Mrs:, James Curran having been.
leaders' of the group for five -con-•.
Ixr the winter of ..1950 it w•as secutive .years. Iii Novereber a
'In January. 1953 the Institute .
decided -they Would• like. to make'
improverrients on the hall and
have more control over it if ' at
.all possible. At this meeting the
President . Mrs., Barbour, Mrs.
Andrew ,Gaunt and Mrs..., Fred
McQuillin Were named a .com-
miittee to interview named.
Council.
to see (what cduld be_ done. Mr.
W. I. Miller. .had assumed re_
sponsibility' of: thehall the_paa' ,
be ,relieved of it. We read where'
Mr. Mallei interviewed the
Council and they asked the clerk
of. the Council; tsi look 'into the,,
,matter, : concerning the deed and.
report at the next meeting.
In 1953 ,the president ,arid vice
president were re -.elected with.
Mrs.. Andrew Gaunt as' 2nd • vice
president; •Mrs. Fred McQuillan
succeeding ''Mrs. E. W. •Mee who
cornpleted her' 6 -year terra of of -
five• ars secretary,. A special feat;*
.lure of. one 'of the meetings of •
this year were colored pictures . •
of England,: •, Ireland, Holland, .
' ainesand-3t 1- - - - e _-
p a y -being szl�un. b:
y
Miss Helen: Salkeld who visited
these countries. Another meeting•
interesting to note thatthe win: -
ter'
in-ter''months ' were very stormy
and .ev ,ry social that was plan-
ned for never materialized and i a:A'pointed to bring: in estimates:
in. April our ,annual . meeting had This .was done and in .Marchof
to be ;postponed_ tw•q -weeksedue 1954 the Ball : was wired.. The, -
to •bad.roads and then *the • at- ;wising ' was paid . for by . :pub'lic
tendance 'was ` only • t• welve'. Th:e
'officers were all returned . this
year This':year a move yeas.. on At the December., meeting a re
to clean up the St Helens cam port was 'brought, in: from the .
etery and- after a lengthy period -Council .regaarding •the hail: This
of time, the weeds `were sprayed .in ormation ,stated that the; deed •'
but it, waS agreed that a fund had been located in, Goderich, 'It
should be:'raised so as.' to kee Was issued in 1929 with Messrs.-
it in a respectable condition. The`' F. G. Todd, Hugh Rutherford and
t. Helens W.I:: ha e 1 Jas: Ramage as, trustees It was
S v , a Ways , been
• noted for their gifts away from. • also made,• known':; that . the. Conn- •
home but this year $5.00. was do- cif did not *wish to. have anything
nated to each. school in the sec- to ,do with" •the hail. 'A lengthy
tion to purchase a ,picture `ar, any discussion took place .regarding
other article they .wished. At= this the -.Instutute taking over, This
time the Institute was instrumeri- was finally put ''to .a ':vote and
tai in ha inlg all the .schools sup- passed, unanimously. that' the' ' St.
.lied with books • from the Huron Helens Wo'men's Institute. stake
p
County' travelling library; over' the hall and', that a standing
Mrs. Barbour was' re-elected debt'." be paid to Mr. W. I: ;Miller,
president in' 1951 with Mrs.: Jas.
It was . also made,„mention that
Curran 'and Mrs: C. McDonald.. 'the Institute did 'not want the
as vice prem • ents. n t e spring • lid' on vlrhie es -the monument ”' .
Miss W. D. Rutherford, attended
the •Historical. Research. Confer-
ence in Guelph, and gaveus a
splendid report of this meeting.
We were also visited by our Dis-
trict Presidents -Mrs, Scrimgeour
of Blyth; .Mrs.' Morgan Hender-
son of Lucknow was present at
our November' meeting and ,gave
us an interesting talk on 'her
trip through Europe.
s Inu2-1y9•52•e=the-:_eftieeresses roserese
elected,. Mrs.. Jas. Curran only:
acting vice president. We had an
interesting, 1..611 -call at" our an-
rntial-rineeting wl cern-••eaeh-ane was
responsible for a short • history
of their home. This was to be
entered • into our. "Tweedsniuir thread and• then - ,make. a :Suit of
Book". •We note that - 5'5: was do-. clothes• out of this woven thread.:
• . ' . All"this wag done b hand,
rioted to organizations in : 1952. � �"
Since the ' School Area had been
formed, each year they held• a•
y"'
move was agitated -to see. about
wiring : the: hall. Mrs. Fred Mc_
Quillin ,•and. Mrs.'••Barbour' were
subscription and the Institute.
stands. At.. the May meeting • .we. .
were privileged in having Mr.
Baker, our • agricultural' repre-
sentative; 'give ' a talk and 'show •
pictures on a . trip he • had taken
to the : West, Indies. In .'June we
entertained trie grandmothers. •A
large group was present and they
related rnanv initerestine exper-
iences of olden times They told
of how' they washed the quilts
ins_
on'thrail :: •
e fence, cured the pork
then seared it. in the granary;;- It
was a custom then to wash and • •
eard_s_tne:' • sol._.anri. Make_...the
yarn.' 'Soiree evert had' to help
shear th,e sheep,weave the
In March .of 1955 a new slate
of officers was brought.. in, pies:,
-..'"ontiite- ori mag i-..,..,. ...
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