The Rural Voice, 1983-04, Page 22GUEST EDITORIAL
The relevancy
of the Women's Institute
by Ruth Harding, Women's Institute, pre
Just recently our organization has
been accused of being a catering group,
with programmes which are not relevant
to our times. I challenge these people
to look more closely at our programme
books and see for themselves what the
topics are. Looking quickly through the
book I see topics such as producer
consumer relations, Manitoba a sister
province, speakers on drugs. Alzhei-
mer's disease, lawyers speaking on
women's rights, township clerk, the
new Canadian constitution, tours to
P.U.C. disposal plant and nuclear sta-
tion. This year we are to have pro-
grammes geared to grass roots of
agriculture, farm safety, etc. Does that
sound like we are still back in 1897?
As for the catering groups, this
statement is not true. Catering is not
one of our duties, but some groups do
cater for a specific purpose when their
community may have a need, to help
renovate halls, parks, tennis courts and
street signs or other projects.
The Women's Institute has been a
sident, Huron East
learning organization since it was
founded eighty-six years ago, on Feb-
ruary 19th, 1897 by Adelaide Hoodless,
at the Erland Lee home at Stoney
Creek. Her child had died from drinking
unpasteurized milk and Mrs. Hoodless
felt it important that women should
have educational programmes in home-
making. She once made the statement
that "Apart from my family duties, the
education of mothers has been my life's
work."
Through the years our organization
has spread until now it is world wide:
from Branch. to provincial F.W.I.O.,
then to all of Canada F.W.I.C., to the
Associated Country Women of the
World A.C.W.W. which will be holding
its Tri -annual Convention in British
Columbia in June of this year.
The W.I. is still a learning organiza-
tion working very closely with the
Ministry of Agriculture and Food
through the Home Economics Branch,
providing leadership for 4-H clubs and
short courses for all ages. Thanks to
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PG. 20 THE RURAL VOICE, APRIL 1983
government funding and the leaders
who give freely of their time, these
courses are free to all individuals. There
is a great variety in these courses on
food, sewing and crafts. Just recently a
short course on "More Cents than
Dollars" was presented and we were
very disappointed with the turnout of
our young women. We hope the govern-
ment won't be too short of funds to
keep on with these worthwhile pro-
grammes. Where else can we find a
course with this calibre without paying,
and driving miles to participate.
Farm women today tell us they are
living in stressful times and the crying
for money is a real concern to wives
and families. Maybe they should talk to
some of the women who came through
the "thirties". They would find that
women had to work side by side with
their farmer husbands to make things
go, just the same as to -day, and take
all the opportunities for economy that
are available.
Sometimes I wonder if money is as
hard to come by as it was then. When
there are courses and a fee is charged,
there seems to be more interest in
them. In those days farmers' wives
stayed home to raise their family and
help their husbands with farm work.
The W.I. meetings were a way of
getting out and seeing friends and
neighbours and to learn.
I wonder with all these new organiza-
tions springing up, do they realize that
the Women's Institute has been here
promoting much the same ideas of
helping rural women. What they are
saying is that we are too set in our
ways; but new members mean new
convenors and the programmes can
become just as relevant as they wish.
And yes, we do need new members
always. The Women's Institute doors
are always open to every age, race and
creed. Our motto is "For Home and
Country". If we are a dying organiza-
tion, we are being helped in that
direction. I would question what are the
young women looking for? ji
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