Fonds MG 65 - Balmoral Women's Institute fonds

The Women's Institute was founded in 1897, in Stony Creek Ontario, by Mrs. Hoodless. It was originally formed as a way of educating rural women in domestic sciences, which would benefit women and their families, and would play a charitable role in the community and the world. Their aim was the betterment of life for both home and country, leading to their motto "For Home and Country". The Women's Institute (also known as W. I.) grew dramatically over Ontario and in 1909 Alberta women organized their first Women's Institute in Lea Park, Alberta. In the early years, the institutes held demonstrations and lectures, which focused on cooking, sewing, home nutrition, childcare and handicrafts, but soon grew. Traveling libraries were established sent out to the institutes, lectures and demonstrations were organized, Women's Institute handbooks were printed, as well as other forms of bulletins, pamphlets and books on various aspects of home, farm and community life. In 1915 the first provincial Women's Institute convention was held in Olds, with just over 100 women in attendance. At this time Miss. Isabel Noble was elected as Alberta's Women's Institute President, which represented local branches from communities throughout Alberta. She realized the importance of organizing the rural women of Canada so they might speak as one voice for needed reforms, and the value of coordinating provincial groups for a more consistent organization. In February 1919, representatives of the provinces met in Winnipeg, Manitoba, to form the Federated Women's Institutes of Canada. In 1916 the various branches of the Women's Institutes in Alberta were incorporated under the Alberta Women's Institutes Act under the Department of Agriculture, based on the belief by the Alberta government that by improving the domestic lives of settlers, their comfort, health and efficiency, further settlement would follow. The years between 1916 and 1921 were difficult, the war, influenza epidemic and drought in Southern Alberta taxed the resources of the Women's Institute movement. Thousands of dollars were raised for the Red Cross. Socks, sweaters, scarves, hats and mitts were knitted for the soldiers, hospital supplies were bought and made, and soldiers and their dependants were cared for. At the war's end, Miss Mary MacIssac, Superintendent of Alberta Women's Institute, revived the idea of a national group and in February 1919 the Federated Women's Institute of Canada (F. W. I. C.) came into being. The Women's Institutes turned to peace-time activities, Girl's Clubs were organized, local hospitals, maternity homes, libraries and community halls were founded and supported. In 1924 the first annual Women's Institute Short course was held. The course was a month long and branch members throughout Canada were asked to send a representative. These representatives returned to their communities to teach what they had learned. This turned out to be an effective format which remains in use. Subjects first taught were mainly agricultural topics, such as dairying, beekeeping and poultry raising, but later expanded to include courses on finances, banking and business skills. In 1928, on suggestion of the Women's Institute, the Department of Education held a vote of school children to choose a provincial emblem and by 1930 the choice of the wild rose was endorsed by Legislature. Also in 1928, the Women's Home Bureau Act came into effect, declaring that the Alberta Women's Institute should become self-supporting, therefore, in 1929 the Alberta Women's Institutes became independent of the government. Throughout the difficult years of the Depression, annual conventions were held less frequently to cut costs, and "Mother's Bundles" were sent out to needy families. The Depression years brought a new interest in civic responsibility. Women's Institutes began studying laws relating to women and children, such as the Old Age Pension Act, The Mother's Allowance Act, The Minimum Wage Act for Women and Girls, and became active in recommending legislative change to the Federal Government. During World War II, conventions and official visits were again terminated while activities once again turned towards war efforts. Contributions were made to War funds, and seeds, knitted clothing, quilts and food were sent overseas. At war's end the Women's institute members grew again and efforts for "Home and Country" continued growing. Alberta Women's Institute branches provided many services in their communities, such as providing many schools with First Aid kits, providing hot lunches, Christmas treats and picnics to students. Honour Roll and scholarship programs and Health clinics for pre-school children were set up. Fundraising and involvement in community programs such as Meals-on-Wheels, food banks, clothing banks, and recreational children's clubs, canvassing for cancer research and for UNICEFF took place, and there was continued care for war-torn countries. As of 1996 Alberta Women's Institutes have once again have been under Alberta Agriculture, Food and Rural Development and continue to receive an annual government grant from the province of Alberta. Although Women's Institute organizations are still active today, many branches have disbanded due to lack of members. Yet, more than 100 years after the first Women's Institute was formed in Canada, these women's mark remains imprinted on Canadian history and was instrumental in the foundation modern day opinions and practices. The Alberta Women's Institute is associated with the Federated Women's Institutes of Canada, which is in a member of the Associated Country Women of the World (A. C. W. W.), which is an international organization that represents rural women and homemakers. Alberta Women's Institutes are divided into five districts: District 1 is the Peace River District and covers much of Northern Alberta, District 2 covers Northern Alberta in and around the City of Edmonton, District 3 and 5 are Central Alberta, and District 4 is Southern Alberta, including Calgary, Lethbridge and Medicine Hat areas. District 3 covers the area from Red Deer up to Leduc and is made up of 10 Constituencies. The Balmoral Women's Institute is part of Red Deer Centre Constituency and was organized in May 1926, there were twenty-one ladies present at the first meeting and they elected Mrs. John J. Gaetz as the first President, Mrs. Maud Tait as Vice-President, Mrs. J. A. MacDonald as Secretary and Mrs. W. MacFarlane as Treasurer. The Balmoral Women's Institute continues to be active today. The Balmoral district is situated north-east of the city of Red Deer. A partial list of presidents are Mrs. J. J. Gaetz (1926-1930), Miss A. Smith (1931), Mrs. N. Michener (1932-1935), Mrs. W. MacFarlane (1936-1937), Mrs. R. A. Van Slyke (1938-1939), Mrs. J. Hazlett (1940-1941), Mrs. H. J. Mott (1942-1943), Mrs. A.D. Bowers (1944-1945), Mrs. J. Brackney (1946-1949), Mrs. W. Howarth (1950-1951), Mrs. M. Sage (1952-1953), Mrs. N. Chrunyk (1954-1955), Mrs. Douglas Smith (1956), Mrs. C. V. Northey (1957-1959), Mrs. W. Ireland (1960-1961), Mrs. J. Pickering (1962-1963), Mrs. L. Northey (1964-1965), Mrs. L. Lockhart (1966-1967), Mrs. O. Eggen (1968-1969), Mary E. Lawrence (1970-1971), Evelyn Northey (1972-1974). See also Many and remarkable : the story of the Alberta Women's Institutes / by Catherine C. Cole and Judy Larmour. -- Edmonton, Alta. : Alberta Women's Institutes, 1997