The Wingham Advance-Times, 1957-02-27, Page 7r•---..r."—i- ' 1.7-7 4-
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11Stit!*- Otnded'. 1111 Ontaii os itty MOTICHEALT013:
INSTITUTE SUBJECT . ears. Ago Now ..Serves Lands;
TtleSdaY of last week marked the
00th aimiverSary or., the rearbiling
of the Women's Institute. The. first
brOCh of this great erganiZatien
was,
termed at Stonq Creek in.
Wentworth COunty,
MM., Adelaide fioedieSS, n'house,,
wife, who. bad lea her 18-month”
old son .through the use' of impure
milk decided' .that, semethirig
tkra ennarrinTiitY, Home Sanitatien!
the economic and hygienic: value of
roods, .clothing and child CON and
training with a view to raiding the
standards of 'tcalth .and morals,
were of prime interest,
.
Within a few years branches had
been organized threugheut the,
province and the Objectives went
fartner Afield. The women Were
should be done to Protect others riot only -interested M the better,
BELMORE-Tbo reVialar Meet-
Mg of the 1,3eirriere women's In
Stitnte Wds held In the fl/iitttillto
hall. After the business' meeting
the motto, "Scorn pod the iway an-
other lives--Eaelq must accept
what Nf1 0.14VgiVes",, 'was ably giV,
en by Mrs. Jean Rutherford, The
roll call was answered hi a health
Ole to practise every day.
The. Mine, "Mental Ilealth"t W4s
taken by MO', Wilfred Johann , and
Mrs. 'David .Sadie; .Mrs., Johann
described the different kinds of
Mental &roubles and some of the
methods ef, curing - them, l'Are-
'Petite had a different viewpoint,
and explained. how everyday living
may be improved, -so that marly
trophies can, be prevented by stop-
ping them before they get' a foot-
hold', •
The: table ,,Was's decorated With
blue.and` gold' candles in silVor
candlesticks honor of the 60fh
anniversary of the Institute. Mrs.
Zinn gaVe an eutline of the history
of the founding of the organization
by Mrs, Pleodless 'arid also spoke
of the beginnings of the 13elihore
Institute.,
The Belmore ladies were invited
to visit the Lakelet Institute on
TuesdaYi Pebruary 26. The meet-
ing closed with the national an-
them,
the "province Who are antering
'courses at the school.
All, Provinces Of Op4rni.da hooted
Women's Inlitituto branches by
191,5 and the first Western conven-
tion was held in ;'Winnipeg in 'Feb-
ruary 1.91,9,
Miss Gertrude 0;4 spent three
years In the Vnited States,
Mg and organizing branches there,
Mm, Alfred Watts went to Eng-
land' in 1917' and by the renewing
year; there were 120() Institutes in
thatt country. miss EmilY Guest
topic on this work in Scotland,
'Branches spread all over:the world
and in 1930 a, world convention
was held 'in Belgium, when Mrs.
Laura, Rose,Stephens was sent by
the Canadian Government and
Mrs. Walker by the .Women's In-
stitutes of Ontario,;
Thre are now thirty countries
with, a membership of six .million
belonging to the Associated Coun-
try Women of the World, which
was formed in Stockholm, Syveden
in 1983, as an outgrowth of the
Institute movement.
Mrs, Berry ,of Australia is presi-
dent and last June many Of the
Women's Institute , members, in
this district had • the' pleasure of
meeting net at. Ginslph.
W I Publietition
Horne and Country, the Wo-
men's Institute miblicationi was
first ,printed .1983., Since, that
time there nave been thiee sup-
erintendents, 'Miss B. MeDermicl,
Miss Mary A. • Clark and Miss
Anna P; Lewis, who has held the
position since 1945:
This great organization Is nen-
sectorial-I and' non-political: It is
interesting to note . that when a
branch was formed at • Sandring-
ham England in 1.919, the Duchess
Officials of the St, Helens W.I., pictured before their anniversary
celebration supper which was held on Friday evening, ladies
axe, lea to right, front row, Mrs. Fred. McQuillin, Mrs, Andrew Gaunt,
nient of homes and eormininities,
but were now striving for p, better."
nation and a better vvorld.
The first .convention in • the
prevince was held, at Guelph in
1902,• By Tidy, 1908 there were 50
clistrictS organized with member-
ship •of '3,081.. The motto, , (Tor
Home and Country" was choaen
in 1902 and the following year ithe
Institute .pin was designed.. The,
eolora of else organization, blue
and gold, were chosen 'at an early
conventions in Guelph.
11frs. Heedless was instrumental ,
'in the founding of Macdonald In t
stitute at the Ontario Agrioultadal
there was a need for education in
College, Guelph, She realized that
there was a„ need for' education in
dornestie science, She approached
Sir William Macdonald of -Ment-
real; explaining the necessity for,
sugh a school and was successful
in interesting him in the project.
He donated $200,000 as a gift to
the college. Women'S•Inptitutes in
Ontario today supply five scholar-
ships each year to five girls from
president, :and Mts.-Charles McDonald. Back row, Mrs, vy, A, Miller,
Mrs, 5. Curran, Mrs, E, Barbour and Mrs. C. Taylor, • '
• .7-Anyaripe-Times Photo..
from the same fate, She realized
tnat mothers should be better '
formed in 'regard to'nealth rules
- and in all Phases of domestic
science.
Some, years previous 'there Was
Farmers' Institute made'up of
ale members. One', of these
igentleMen, • Earland Lee, board
Mrs, HeocilesS addrosO :a Sheeting
and asked her to speak -At
gathering of, the Farmers'
Mute.' •
She 'was asked to 'sneak to a
, group of women a' few days, later:
This meethig, attended by 101
women, and 1 Irian, M'r. Lee, Who
i • acted as chairman Was the founda-
tion• of what ,Was to become one
of the most cintstanding organiZa-
tions of all time. '
On February 19, 1897 the wonton
'organized as the Women's Insti
tute, Mrs; E. P. smith was presi-
dent, Miss M. Nash, secretary and
Mrs, 3. H. Mc:Reilly acted'as tress-.
user. The membership fee „was
25c, • '
obieet,1%)9$ of W.'1„
The objects of' the' Women's In-
stitute at*, fitst related only to the
twine, the women, in the home• and
It is impossible to. mention all . .
Iletherford;
ember of Wingham WI Branch of Yoris (now the Queen Mother)
. Was, the president." Taylor and Terry Wilson; a duet
piano duet, Kerl
by Betty McDonald and :Beverly
Gaunt; a . reading, ""Comforting
Secretary Achieved, -
Perfect Attendance
Paring.20 Yeats
' ST, HELINS-The Diamond
Jubilee of the Women's Institute
was observed and the memony of
eMr r SboAnodUerileidcleatHES°904eigmAru intistyt9g4altind-
erin'g in 'the community hall ; On
Friday evening.
Around 175' filled the, hair to
capacity and enjoyed a buffet sup-
per arranged under the convener-
ship • of 'Mrs.: Ernest Gaunt and
Mrs. Ross Gaintale.
At, the conclusion Rev,.' B. F:
Green was chairman for a pro-
gram consisting of piano soles by
Mary 33, Puritan and Mrs, 'Will
Cora", by' Marvin McDonald and
one "Playing the Game",, by Mrs.
A. Gaunt, •Choruses were sung by
the chits and by the members
of the Institute„
The, story of 'the founding of
the Institute 'was given, by Miss
Norma Murray and by Mrs. W...A.
Miller, who: Mid of.,Oeme of lfa
aehievements thronghbut the '60
years. At the
to'
dancing
was enjOyedi to music by.Donald
Taylor, Mrs. Ernest Walker, Don
Cameron arid Norma:Murray, •
past years. In. its early stages the
the aceomplishments dutting . the
members Strove for medical super-
vision in schools and not with
opposition from boards. They also
began urging that' neglected ceme-
teries be.cleaned up and maintain-
ed and in many, centres ,took, oven
libraries thai..Weie in , difficulty,
The Bluevale Library was erected
by the W.I. there; and the' Ford-
with Institute took over in that
village when the library was not•
functioning • well.
During war' years contributions
of money and iartiples were Sent
overseas in large amounts: Since
that time aid has been sent to war
torn countries.
Practically every braneh in. this
locality has been • compiling a
Tweedamtiir hook. These accounts,
of local nistory, :past and present
will be , invaluable in future years.
One of , the pthjects, for the'
future is a county Scholarship ,for
each County In the province, At
the present time there:are provin-
cial 'scholatshiPs but very few
county awards.
It is with pride. that we realize
that this world-Wide movement
originated not . only .in our, own
country but "our 'own proviece,
Women's Institutes will, continue
to exist and to• sponsor better
homes, better communities, better
nations and a better world.
left to right, sitting, Mrs. Russel Rots, Mrs, Herson Irwin and Mrs.
Sohn Burchill. Standing, Mrs, Hugh SimpSon,„Mrs, E. McClena,ghan
and Mrs. G., Farrien—Advance-Times photo, •
Members of the Whitechurch W,I. look over the Institute's publication
at the 60th anniversary of the Women's Institute,, held in the' White-
chureli cothinunity hall on Friday evening. In the picture • are, from
Mrs. William Linklater opened
„bet. home hi, East Waivanesh for
an organizational Meeting, of.'Wo-
men's Institute in 1901, From what
can, he fouhd :in 'early newspaper
files it appears that this was later
to become :the Winghath branch;
At thaCsneeting on April. 19, Mrs.
Elfni.d • of Volmesville •addressed
the-gathriting: a:nd gave a paper on
no*: for' 'general' housework.
11,frA:' X' Currie, gaVe a talk on
systematic housework and other
subjects were brought before the
meeting and discussed.
Through the interest of 'seven
women who promoted', this move-d:
merit, ;twenty Aadies attended this
meeting, several of the members'
becoming members, The first slate
of ,officers was: President, Mrs.
Wm. tinklater;• secretary-treasur:
er,:Mrs, J. „I Elliott; directors, Mrs.
Jcihn Linklater, Mrs, Jelin CtIrrie
and Mrs. W. 3.:Currie. ,
By 1917 there were '85 members,
and this number grew until there
were , over a nundted, During the
years 'of World War I the women
devoted much time and; effort to
the comofit of soldiers.' In' Match
1917 the niernberS this..; organiza-
tion knit 956 pairs Of socks alone.
During both wars they Worked
closely with the Patriotic and Red
Cross Societies, sending giftS, food
and clothing to members of the
services.
.The Women's Institute' assisted
for many years With relief and wel-
fare work in. Wingliarn and dis-
trict providing coal„,money for tax-
es, milk tieketS, groceries, 'clothing,
shoes and rubbers, for rieedy fami- , , lies, Quilts were donated to the
*County Home at Clinton arid' fruit
to the Sick' Children:s. Hospital iii
1:4taldon.'
branch raised $1,000 for care 'and
,edueaticin 'of an' Armenian boY;
brought to Canada through the Ar-•
menian Movomoiit An Canada. The•
money was raitieethroogh cater-
ing,.serving' steals at the• fall fair,•
sponsoring booths: at street carni-
vals and making and-Selling quilts.
:The .organization also estainiihed
the ladies' rest. :town in the town
hall . and maintained it for several
years. A piano was purchased fot.
the hall as well as a stove, kitchen
equipment and card tables.
The local branch, with other dis-
trict branches has, furnished a
room in. WinghamGeneral Hospi-
tal and has also donated to the
Huron ,County Scholarship Fund.
Member Oyer 50 Years
Mrs, T, •Bower, a life member,
has the longest standing i,n this'
branch being connected with Insti-
tute work for over 50 years: Other
life members are Mrs. W. J. Hen-
derson, Mrs, R. Gerdon Gannett,
Mrs. Jennie Currie, MI's, H. Burrell
and Mrs. N. Keating and only last
week Mrs, 4R. A, Coutts received
this distinction at the annual fam-
'AlY night.
The present officers are Mrs. N.
McLaughlin, president; Mrs, Robb
Powell; 1st vice; Mrs. Margaret
Guy, 2nd vice and Mrs. Wilfred
Henry, secretary-treasurer.
Members of the local branch
have' served in Several ;district
offices, One or* More as distriet
ptesident, Mrs. Norman Keating
has had the honor of serving a
three-yarar term on ,the Provincial
Board of Federatedi Women's In-'
stittites of Ontario.
BELGRAVE INS'ilTUTE
An account of 'the anniversary
meeting ,of the 'Bisigritih :Women's
Institute will be .found on, page
five of this issue.
WHITECHLTRCH—The merner-:
ial hall was prettily decorated with.
blue and gold streamers for the,
special sixtieth anniversary eele
,bration, held on Friday. evening.
The Institute president, Mrs, Her-
son Irwin, was in charge of the
program, which opened with the
singing of the Institute Ode.
Piano solos Were given by Mary
Fisher and George Corm.; Hawaiian
dancing 1<aren Wasney; Scottish
dancing, Elaine Conn; bagpipe se-
lections, Lorne Wall; solos, Sharon,
Edwards;' duets, Carol arid Carl
Miller; a .choruS of sin of S.S. No;
10 boys sang, "I Never :Felt More
Like Singing the Blues", and
Mrs. Stobo ,with her. sliding trom-
• • -• discusSions. Outside speakers have
added to the interest of the -meet--
hugs, •
Demonstrators, under the De-
partment of •Agrictiltute, have giv-
en. varionsi courses for the Mein..
hers and community, such as nurs-
ing, cooking, sewing, upholstering,
gardening, entertaining, etc. In re-
cent years the • homemaking clubs
for girls have- made a fine' cont•ri-
'salon to the -community.'
'Though money making is not the
first objective of the organization,,
every year seine plans are required
for raising funds for the many
prbjects..in which the members arz .
interested„ 1.0.• Bluevale some of •
the projects have been the bone, and Ronald ',Colton, sand- provernent of the cemetery, side- phone gave' Several splendid selee. Walks, street lights, the former; tions.
School fair, the public library, the
community hall, .Mrs. Victor Emerson told the
Each year 'contributions ate giv-
en to one or more organizations
outside' the Trnmunity. Some of
those have been, Wingh'am General
Hospital, Cancer Fund, March of
Dimes Greek Relief Save the
Children Fund, Institute for the
Blind, Children's Memorial Hos-
London, Sick Childron's
Hospital at Teretito, Supplies were
also sent in times of depression
to Northern Ontario and the Can-
adian West,
The 1956-57 president Is Miss
Ruby •Duff, vice president, Mrs.
Stanley Darling and Secreta.ry-
treiniurer, aViisa Margaret Curtis, .
story of the beginning of the Wo-
men's Institute at Stoney Creek,
by Mrs. Heedless, who 'desired
that women would be banded to-
gether for mutual help, education,'
and for the betterment of home.
and countty. The, Women's In-
stitute has since progresSed by
leaps and bounds.
Organized lit 1,00
'The Whiteehurch branch was or-
ganiZed in :Tannery, 1028 by Mrs.
Agnew of Lucknow and met in the
Foresters' Hail. The ' ladies 41e ,
dried to buy this building, have it,
widened and lowered on a new,
cement foundation., 'they also,
bought the C.N.A. station. and
with all working to other the
station" Was dismantled and Used
in the erected of the present build-
SEE PAGil
Further Women's Institute his-
'tory and pictures Will be found On i "45 '
page twelve, completing the teat- tt, adequate,t trs d
are material presented •tin the eh n "
occasion Of' 'the 00th anniversary *thiltig d"sSin rd wha PI h"
of the teottith of th e Wom.enis lied, furnace WAS IfittalkFil and fin,
Institutes In OrittitiO, 'ally a ititehen Was " heeded,
r
Through tne'yearS this has been
equipped with an electric stove and
adequate cupboards and .tables.
Cutlery; kettles,'dishes, towels, etc.
have been. supplied. The ladies
painted the large interior, and
many worked -at 'decorating the
stage, wiring, etc. Through it all,
it has :been a, community project
and has nobly served this diatriet
as It. training: centre for young
people, 'with many short courses,
programs and district meetings
being held 'here, It haS also 'sery-
ed 'as a Voting centre arid is: al-
wsvayhoisesotrirnel ehritetittraafentmloiesnplA:
' great
deal CC free ' time, labour,: and
leadership has been provided," and
is still needed to keep, this 'centre
progressing and a. place where
talents can be nurtured, displayed
and perfected.
The officers elected at the first
meeting were: President, Mrs.
Wesley Leggett; 1st vice, 11/tris,
D, Beccroft; .2nd vice, Mrs. 3. G.
Gillespie; ;NM-treas., Mrs. Albert
McQulllin; directors, Mrs; Mae
Ross, Mrs,. Victor Emerson, Mrs.
Chas, Gillespie, Mrs, T. 1-I, Moore,
Mrs. Rent. Pardon and Mrs, Bert
Reed; auditors, Mts. B. Morri-
son and Miss Ida McQuoici; pub-
licity, Mrs. Robert Mowbray;
Miss Merle Wilson, Miss Irma'
Moore and Mrs. Ames Corbeling
also attended this meeting, Ave of
these ladies have since paszeh on,
The' group. held a special' Celebra-
tion 'in 1053 to etlebkatie .twenty'
five yeats of •rnattial help mid good
fellowship' in this cerarturnit,Y.
Mrs, Alen Robertson and Mrs,
Gordon McOurney, dressed is SOO
and Miranda, sang "Put on 'itotir,
Old Grey Beerier, end an ecoth
and the young peoplo of the united
Church protented a humorous
11a Pooh ,About ,Daisy'''', The
Iteothig closed with the liaticirial
Ftttorkatt,l'Itititinti net:44,11t:elitr0"; i't;17015/11 1111:11
BLUEVALE-The local branch
of the 'Women's Institute had its
beginning. in 1003, just six years
after, the , first society was organiz-
ed at Stoney Creek.
The :first president was Mrs, Jo-
seph Pugh, daughter of Rev. Rich-
ard Paul, one of the early Metho-.
dist ,ministers of the district and,
the secretary was 'Miss Annie
Aitchison, afterwards Mrs, ',Ioseph
Copeland, a sister of Mrs, William
Abraham of 'Morris, The first of-
ficers and . many of the members
arc not living ,now,
The activities of, the • Bluevale-
branch have been rifany and, varied.
The greatest achievement, perhaps,
was the patriotic work undertaken
during ,the First World War. As
much as $1,500 was raised iir one
year by' concerts, garden parties„
ittections and personal canvass,
The Women worked steadily, meet-
ing every week to sew and knit,
make dressings and pack gifts for
overseas, under the direction of the
Red Cross. Each year the work
continued and the givings innunt-
ed,
Simliar efforts were made der.
ing 1.989-45 but the Red Cross un-
dertoOk the canvassing and all of
the stipplies made up' were shipped
through the Winghain 'Branch ,of
the Red, Cross,
Ifoineuniking
, W.I, Programming
In trying to follow the Mate,
"IVor Home and 'Country", the
Members endeavor to have home-
Making prominent in the Meetings.
Addresses and paper's have been
given 'on many subjects reative.to
the home, such tia.cOoking, sewing,.
.gatidenirig, health, child training,
art,. traisie, literature, Members
haVe learned to prepare tedia,my
11110113e SUbjectS and take 'part in
Orgatiized• in 1.905
Unfortunately, the early minute
book of the -,St. Helens Women's
Institute has been lost; but accord-
ing o records in Toronto the
•btanch was organized 'in '1905, dis-
banded and re-Organized in 1907
With the late Mrs. Ed.' Purvis
(formerly Miss Minnie Ramage)
as president, The late Mrs. R. K.
Miller was secretary-treasurer.
Mrs. Miller 'held that: office for
twenty-eight years retiring in 1936,
and it is said that during those
years she never missed a meeting.
In the fifty odd years conditions
haVe changed `-but the members
have always kept the motto For
Home and "Country in 'mind.
Donations have' been given to wor-
thy causes such as the Red Cross,
the Institute for the Blind, the
Wingham General Hospital.
Doing the years of two world
wars, the ladies worked hard, In
the second War they were assoc-
iated with the Lucknow Red Cross
and a great deal of work was turn-
ed, in; besides remembering local
boys in the armed forces.
Girls clubs Were first 'sponsored
in 1986 with Mrs. T. ,J, &Wield
and Mrs. Frank McQuillin (Lattr-
ine Miller) as leaders: These have
continued throughout most of the
yearS and this year Mrs. Gordon.
MacPherson and Miss Jean Aitch-
Won Are leaders .for the project,
"Sleeping Garments"' with 12 girls
participating,
A eland" was purehased, When
School Fairs were held, the Insti-
tute always assisted and provided
a tefreshrnent booth,,, Donations are
made to the LticknOW Agricultural
Society and the organization al-
ways has an entry in the display.
The cemetery received care'
throughout the years. Piettires and
other suitable gifts haV'e been
given to the schools.
Three years ago, through the
„efforts pi' the Institute and public
donations, the community hall was
wired for electricity and the fol-
lowing year, 1959, the filstittite re-
celVecl the deed for the hall, The
interior Was improved and painted
and :on October Oth of that year
the braneh• observed its 50th mini-
Versaty, When the newly acquired'
hall was filled to capacity with
former members, Members of the
Lucknow, Whitechurch and Dun-
gannon Institutes as guests.
On November 10th,,1055 the hell
Was officially opened by Elston
Cardiff, with John Hanna,
Ivt,P,P,, and 3, W,. ./eYnt as special
guests,
Mrs. Andrew Gaunt is the pre"
sent president With Mrs. Prod
MnQttllliii AS Seetetaty- treasurer,
The present proSeet it the improv-
ing of the otterior of the hall and
with a new piano, and a Wench
glen with a, potluck sups Ort Tritifiday evening. " Ittieking" their ltmeh are Mrs. Nerihen McLaughlin, brarich ,riet, test on its lallrOsr
president, Mts, Frank MeCoririlek, Ictrg; Wilfred nen fy, Statetary, and Mrs, it, a GEihnetto :Who is a, life but will go toewata with greater„
Members of the Wirighani Brandh of tho-- v omens ills Ante Marked ; 60th anniversary of that orginiz-I .a.tzeal:tigitested auto projects, thia
tnerither Of the 104 brairieh,-Acivatice-TtineS photo,