The Wingham Advance-Times, 1947-07-03, Page 71897, when the• name was changed ko
the ""Stoney Creek Wornen's Institute".
Mr. Lee assisted the ladies in drawing
up the first constitution and By-laws,
The constitution reads; The object of
this Institute shall be to promote the
knowledge of household science which
lead to the improvement in household
architecture, with special attention to
home sanitation, To a better under-
standing of home 'economics And hy-
gienic value of food and fuels, and to
a more scientific care of children with
a view to raising the general standard
of the health of our people.
In later years this was added: And
in carrying on any line of work which
has ,for its object, the uplifting of the
home cir the betterment of conditions
surrounding community life.
Six days after the organization of
the first Women's Institute this con-
stitution was adopted, Mr. Lee notified
the Minister of Agriculture, Honorable
John Dryden, of the action taken and
grant was given the Stoney Creek In-
at Mr, Lee's request a government
stitute, since the aims and objects of
the Institute were considered worthy
of such support. The only group ever
to be so honoured,
When I tell you we are still carry-
ing" the foundation laid down that
February day in 1897 I do not want
you to gather the impression that we
are outdated, not so, that foundation
was so well and truly laid on molt
sound principals that it is still the basis
of all our organizations.
At this first meeting it was estab-
lished the fine custom of opening each
meeting by repeating the Lord's
Prayer in unison, and of the roll call.
At the second regular meeting a pa-
per was read on, "Proper food for chil-
dren",and at the now.% a paper on,"The
child in health and disease", followed
by a discussion' and question drawer.
Thus we see from the very first the
eagerness for knowledge 'of child care
first in a women's heart, as now.
The second Institdte was organized
at Whitby in June 1897, and Kemble
Institute in Grey County followed a
couple of months later.
The rapid developement made it nec-
essary to find a way to meet the greiv-
ing- needs of so many local groups.
This was done by forming districts. A
group of three or more branch Insti-
tutes would form a district where the
needs and interest were similar. Each
district is still governed by a Pres-
ident, Vice President, Secey,, Treas.,
and a representative from each Branch.
The district body was needed to
strengthen' and enlarge the branch ser-
vices.
So the district, required a broader
vision and source of inspiration than
itself and soon this was furnished
through an annual convention gather-
ing.
It was in 1903 that the first Worn-
en's Institute Convention was held at
Guelph in the new McDonald Insti-
tute, not then completed, and an out-
standing speaker was present, Miss
Martha Van Rensselaer of Cornell
University.
Delegates managed to come from
the most remote corners of Ontario, to
seek help in solving their local prob-
lems and inspiration to carry on. Many
were the economics practised and sac-
rifices made to make attendance pos-
sible.
Within ten years the Institutes had
outgrown one convention meeting and
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ThuradaY, July 3rd, 1947
'THE: 'WINGHAM .ADVANCVIINIES
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WIN61-1AM, ONT.
5 3
5
The following History of the past 50
years of the Womens 'Institute was
compiled and given at a recent meet-
ing of Wroxeter Branch by Mrs. M.
Sellers. Mrs. Sellers is well qualified
to prepare it, having been for almost
87 years an active and valuable mem-
ber of the organization. It is hoped W.
I. members 'within the coverage of the
Advance-Times will find it interesting
and profitable.
"Ontario's Gift To The World"
In commemoration of the 50th anni-
versary of the Womens Institute.
Blessed are the, loyal souls, who work
on bended knee,
Or. polish taps or mangle clothes, or
' make a cup of tea,
Who rise up every 'day, and work in
any weather,
And all to be a homemaker, and keep
the home to-gether.
There is no more important person
Where women of All ages and Of every
nationality and religion work to-!;ether
in friendship and tolerance, milted in
their devotion to home And country.
It has formed a true sisterhood far
above the prejudice and pettiness of
race and creed and has set a shining
example of unity during its entire fifty
years of existence we can be forever
proud of Ontario's gift to the world.
Like many other fine things, the
Womens Institute movement was born
of a great personal sorrow and pain, A
young mothers grief at the loss .of her
first 'baby, whose death at eighteen
months was largely due to the lack of
knowledge of proper infant feeding.
The mother had no way of knowing
that the milk being fed her baby was
unfit for human consumption. Hers
was the bitterest grief of all, that of
knowing. It need not have been. This
experience was a dominant factor dur-
ing the whole life of this woman whose
longing to save others 'from such grief
drove her to try to 'bring. within the
reach of. all the education necessary
to prevent it.
This' woman was Mrs. John Heed-
less of Wentworth county, Ontario.
In later years her younger son said
of her, she was a great mother, whose
mother love was large enough to in-
clude all classes and creeds.
About this time the department of
agriculture was beginning its work for
the improved health of farm animals.
Mrs. Hoodless felt that the health and
well being of the human family was
of more vital importace than that of
farm animals. She therefore approach-
ed the department of education, urging
that the rudiments of homemaking be
taught in the rural schools.
She received no encouragement, the
men were much more willing to spend
money to study feeding and care of
hogs. About this time Mr. Erland Lee
a prominent young farmer, broadmind-
ed and public spirited, a graduate of
the 0, A. C. at Guelph and a member
of the farmers institute heard Mrs.
Heedless give a stirring address on
"The need of Domestic Science and
sewing in our public schools." He was
so impressed by her address he im-
mediately invited Mrs. Heedless to
speak at the February meeting of the
farmers Institute, when the women
were invited to attend.
Delighted at this opportunity Mrs.
Hoodless suggested that the Women
have an organization similar to the
farmers Institute for men. To assist
them in their most important work of
ministering to the health, comfort and
welfare of the rural family, Enthused
by this idea, the chairman counted
thirty five women then and there who
promised to attend such a meeting
Women in rural communities were
not recognized as they deserved. They
and their work and problems were not
appreciated greatly by those in posi-
tions of influence, who still seemed
more interested in the improvement of
the live stock; and took very much for
granted the loneliness, narrowness,and
hardships of the rural mother.
'So on Friday, February 19., 1897,
Mrs. Hoodless, to ben amazement
lewd 101- women at Squires Hall in
Stoney Creek. Also the brave Mr. Lee
who acted as Chairman. Here was
organized the first Women's Institute
in the world using the name of: "Wo-
men's Department of Domestic Econ-
omy. In affiliation with the farmer's
Institute of South Wentworth."
The first officers were: Hon. Pres.,
Mrs. John Hoodless; Pres,, Mrs. E. D.
Smith; Secey., Miss Nash; Treas.,
!Mrs. J. Mc Neilly.
The first regular meeting was held
the following Thursday, February 25th
in 1914 Ottawa, London and Toronto
Were named-as convention centres,
In 1916 it became necessary to 'elect
different departments of the govern-
ment directly,, this later ,became .the
"Provincial Board or Federation of
Institutes".
Since 1897 we have had six super-
visors: Mr, F. H. Hodson 18971900;
Dr, G. A, Creelman 19Q0-1904; Mr. G.
A, Putnam 1904-1934; Miss B, :p. Me-
Derrnan 1.934-1938; Miss M, A. Clark
1938-1945; Miss Anna Lewis our pres-
ent supervisor took office in 1945,
In 1899 Mrs. Hoodless suggested
that the Women's Institute ask the
government to provide for the scien-
tific education of women by establish-
ing a women's depaitment at the O.
A. C. Guelph, also that provision be
made for special courses on any sub-
ject desired by any young woman who
might wish to qualify for home duties,
or as a specilist in any home making
department. She approached Sir Wil-
liam McDonald of Montreal and suc-
ceeded in persuading him to contribute
$2000,000 toward the erection at
Guelph of a college for the training of
rural girls in household science, which
was named McDonald Institute. This
was 'secured by our Institute pioneer,
the first training school for girls in
Ontario.
The first Institute members used to
devote themselves to the improvement
of the rural home, saying, .A nation
cannot rise higher than the level of its
homes.
It was Laura Rose Stephen, the first
government speaker who suggested the
motto: "For Home and Country,"
which was adopted in 1902.
It was in 1903 a committee was ap-
pointed to select an emblem for an In-
stitute pin, the design of the pin was
copied largely from a signet ring worn
by Miss Laura Rose, later Mrs. Laura
Roie Stephen. It was a small oval in
blue and gold with the letters "O.W.I.
cut hi the oval, and a small Maple leaf
at each end with the words, "For'
Home and Country" engraved in the
oval banding. The colors, a clear corn
flower blue and bright clear yellow,
made a most charming and dainty
emblem. --
One of the main reasons for the
outstanding success of the Women's
Institute was the broad lines upon
which it was based.
Any homemaker, regardless of class,
creed or politics, who has a desire and
interest to increase her knowledge and
efficiency as a homemaker and citizen
was welcomed to membership.
As a ward of the provincial govern-
ment the Institute receives supervision
and financial assistance.
It is a tribute to the breath of its
organization that at no time has polit-
ical partnership-weakened these ties.
For . fifty years our government,
whether liberal or conservative' or U.
F. 0. has given the same generous and
continued support. The assistance we
asked was in three forms: supervision,
money grants and educational material
in the form of free literature. One of
the greatest aids were the special cour-
ses of instruction established in 1913 in
"Food Values"; "First Aid"; "Home
Nursing"; "Sewing"; Etc. 'The cost of
these free courses of an average length
of five days has been born Almost en-
tirely by the Department of Education.
New times demand new measures,
all these services were insufficient to
reach all the thousands of women who
wished them. This led, in 1925, to the
developement of the local leaders and
schools where leaders were trained to
home Institutes.
The .short course method continues
to offer subjects such as: Foods and
Nutrition, Clothing, Textiles, Use of
Patterns and Remodelling of Clothes,
Health, Home Crafts, such as Rug
Making, Woolcraft, Needlework, Glove
Making,Knitting, Refinishing Old Fur-
niture and Interior Decoration.
In 1935 a definite program was es-
tablished to aid our girls and young
women, this junior extension plan con-
tinues to bring pride and self confi-
dence and assurance that definite
knowledge brim's in dress entertaining
and all matters of good taste.
Talent of no mean order has been
discovered and hundreds of women
have thus developed into capable lead-
ers in their community.
Fifty years has carried the rural
women far beyond their individual
problems as home makers, and our In-
stitutes are co-operating with each
other, and the men folk in providing a
better, happier and more useful life for
everyone in the community.
Institute. women approached the task
of community building with timidity
and inexperience but they did blaze a
new trail of co-operation effort and
good will.
From the home the first step was
naturally the school. A start was made
by appointing committees to visit the
schools and work with teachers and
trustees in beautifying school grounds.
And what a changat a few of our wom-
en generally brought to the drab, tin-
sanitary neglected school rooms our
masculine school boards generally pro-
vided. Walls were cleaned and painted,
pictures bought, safe drinking water
provided, basins and toilets installed
and first aid kits. supplied.
In many rural schools the first play
ground equipment was provided by the
WOnien`S Institute as has been also
hot lunches, medical inspection, dental
clinics and musical instruction.
The Women's Institute first dem-
onstrated the need of medical inspec-
tion in schools, at the second inspec-
tion held 433 pupils were found de-
feetive among the 909 ocatnitted, and
that fall the convention passed a i'es-
olution reguestihg the department of
arm TOotioc"
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tion' of literature on health and hy-
giene provided by the department of
health, Dominion and Provincial, e-
specially that dealing with contagious
diseases, social hygiene care of the
mother and baby, sewage disposal and
house ventilation and to teach a better
the importance of milk and green veg-
etables in the diet.
Probably no phase of Institute work
in all our long golden fifty years has
accomplished so much as the circula-
tion of those Little Blue Books and the
fine Canadian Mothers Books,
In 1923 a Northern group raised
quite a sum of money as bonus for a
(Continued on page 8)
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EMP1111€ 4:1111fI55 1111:G Co
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measured in influence on the life of,the
nation than the farmer or village wife,
there are no finer homemakers than are
found in Ontario homes,and it is
through them that has been given one
oft he greatest, most useful, most toler-
ant; and idealistic organizations ever
formed,which is in a special, sense -
"Ontario's gift to the world".
If some one were to ask, "What is
the largest and most wide spread sin-
gle organization for women in the
world over we Institute members
might hesitate, scarcely realizing the
correct answer is, The Womens Insti-
tute.
Now a world federation, it enjoys a
status and a respect unknown to any
other club or group however fine.
It has earned its 'high place by its
record of idealism and service, its de-
votion to all that is finest in home and
corhmunity life, by its breath of spirit
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Wingham Telephone 237
NMI
History of Women's Institute
usiness and Professional Directory
Education toestablish a provincial sys-
tem of medical and dental inspection of
school children. This was done, •
The first medical clinic was held in
Peel County in 1918-90% of the
children 'examined were found to need
medical or dental attention. Long ago
the sage Simonides said, Health is
best for mortal man", none will dispute
these words or deny every opportun-
ity to secure this treasure, health, as
the birth-right of every child.
In 1919 the provincial corfvenor of
health was named and a definite pro-
gram prepared to co-operate with the
public health nurses and medical of-
ficers of health to promote the circula-