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OMB and COUNTRY Published by The Ontario Women's Institutes at Toronto, Ontario me 10 < ‘3â€" c SPRING, 1944 MRS. ADELAIDEIIOODLESS The above picture of Mrs. Adelaide Hoodless is a half-size reproduction of th- photograph which may be secured from the Federated Women’s Institutes of lntario, through Mrs. W. B. Leatherdale, Secretary-Treasurer, Goldwater, {oi the price of sixt cents a copy. These are photographs of the beautiful pm wait of Mrs. Hoc less which was presented to Macdonald Institute, Ontario Ati’cultural College. ten ion department of the College. PENTRAL FUND, F.W.I.0. ihe auditor’s statement for 1943 ha been sent to your Institute secreâ€" tm . A careful study of this Will ii a you proud of the war work mode possible by the Central Fund. nu are reminded that contribu- ‘ should be sent to the new treas- ~Mrs. H. Wicks, Treasurer i'al Fund, F.W.l.0., 27 Buck St,, Cubivurg, Ontario. JAM FOR BRITAIN l«'tters have been sent to all Insti- tuiâ€"s requesting Jam for Britain for 11W. The need is urgent and your support is requested. Miss Ruth B. Rorkc of the Women‘s Institute Branch, Department of Ag- riiiilture will be responsible for Jam l'm Britain this season. She will be phased to answer your questions and to receive reports of your activities. 1‘25 tons is the objective for the Ontario Institutes and Red Cross. EVL‘I‘Y pound is needed in England. Cm we go over the top? ‘ SEEDS. FOR BRITAIN $3805 to the value of $1,141i98 have been shipped to Miss Elizabeth H955. Agricultural Secretary, Na- t‘0"31 Federation of Women’s Insti- tu‘ts 0‘ England and Wales for SW": planting. These included 1550 callactions. each containing car- 1"‘tv 0111011, leek, tomato, cauliflower and either peas, cabbage and turnip . °fIbeans. beet and spinach. n ad- dentWentv pounds of tomato seeds, “19 gift of W. J. Downing, Colbornc, Were forwarded. They have been provided for the F.W.I.O. by the ex- GARRISON LANE NURSERY SCHOOL Writing to thank the F.W.l.0. for gifts of clothing to the Garrison Lane Nursery School, Miss Eleanor Hamil- ton says:â€" “You ask first of all if we received the box of children's clothing. Yesâ€" we certainly did and were so pleased to see the shoes and sweaters. Cloth- ing is so badly needed. Our Christmas party at the school was a huge success. We planned weeks ahead for it and worked at making toys and other things for the children. We decided to give each child a toy and a book. Toys are almost impossible to buy here. So each member of our stafl' went on a buying campaign to col- lect what toys she could. Then we bought wood and paint and set to work to make toysâ€"and the result was that we had over fifty toys. As well as the toys and books we gave each child either a dress or .a sweaterra pair of mitts and a pair of stockings or socks. These had to be tried on beforehand and many the sad face there was when after trying cnâ€"we took the new things off. We all saved our rations for weeks and still it didn’t look as if we were going to have enough. But this problem was soon solved. The minute the parents heard there was to be a party for themâ€"they came with armfuls of sugar and margarine ._fi1e two most important things. Then Fridav a box of sweaters ar- rived from the Junior Homemaking Clubsâ€"sent to me here“ In it were seven sweateis, one .skirt_ and one pair of pantsâ€"all 5129 six. They were perfectly lovely and such sweet sweaters." Number 1 NEW CHAPTERS We are now about to close another chapter in the year book of Women’s Institute History. We anticipate the new chapter in our work will be filled with larger, more efficient and more useful enterprises. When reading a book we look forward to a new chap- ter; so, we anticipate our new year of work. No matter what last year has been, let this year be more fruit- ful, richer and definitely betteri When it has been closed, it will have been an outstanding chapterâ€"one we will look back upon with satisfaction. The new year is a time for looking back, for weighing and judging, but it is also a time for looking forward and planning. Each year’s work should help us face the coming year with more confidence, more courage and more strength. Let us review some of the outstand» ing accomplishments of the past year. Despite labour shortage and added household and farm duties, Institute members have carried on valiantly. Review of \Var Work Contributions through our Central Fund to Russian, Chinese and Greek War Relief totalled $2,200; and $2,500 was allocated to the Salvation Army, Red Cross, Navy League, British Minesweepers, Queen's Canadian and British War Victims Kinds. Two mobile kitchens valued at $6,200, one financed by F.W.I.O., and the second by Middlesex County Wo- men’s Institutes and Junior Farmers, were officially presented for use on the eastern coast. A gift of $200 was made to the Garrison Lane Nursery School where Miss Eleanor Hamilton, an Ontario teacher, was financed by us last year. Junior Institutes are sending clothing and knitted articles there. $176,035.00 has been raised by In- stitutes for local War Work. of this $40,000.00 was spent in gifts to en- listed boys and girls and $11,000.00 was invested in War Savings Certifi- cates and Bonds. Knitted articles have totalled 73,850 and sewn articles 134,250. Institutes have sponsored and co- operated in salvage drives and the Victory Loan Campaigns. 109 tons of jam from Ontario In- stitutes and Red Cross went to Eng- land far British children and civilian war victims and for Canadian soldiers in hospitals. Vegetable seeds for five thousand gardens valued at $3,200 were sent to the Federated Women's Institutes of England. Hundreds of letters of thanks received last fall were proof of the great service rendered our sister organization. Develop Farm Homes We are interested primarily in home life and the betterment of com- munities. Toward this goal our In- stitutes must strive. The more we can do to develop the attitude of mind of the average farmer and his wife toward their work, so that they will value their profession more highly, the more good we will be doing our country. These responsi- bilities have a value in the national economy. If we do not keep the gears of home life meshing it will mean the collapse of the home front behind all war effort of our country. I ouote from the "Farmer in National Life": “The social position and problems of the farmers concern the whole Canadian community, for the life-giv- ing roots of that community are still deep in its forms It must be the goal of Canadian democracy to secure a satisfying life on the land and especi- ally to preserve in its intergrity t‘ A farm family as an institution with all its valuable assets. The most certain way to protect the natural resources of land fertility and the human re- source of the continuing family is to maintain in economic security the farm family". The Women’s Institute Branch pro- gramme of adult education for the promotion of better rural living, with emphasis on good nutrition, improved health and conservation of goods, designed to help homeinakers meet the changes in living conditions, met with enthusiasm. A. total of 8,665 women participated in this pro» gramme. The Junior Home Economics pru- grammc has given leadership through club work to about 3,850 girls and young women. 2,159 girls enrolled in the Garden and Canning Brigadcs. Senior lnsti utes are to be commendol for the assistance and cooperation they are giving Junior Homemaking Clubs. A Farm Housing Survey of one thousand farm houses in ten counties was completed by Women's Institute staff members, with a view to oppor- tunities for postwar reconstruction. Adv-ice Sought We (Va-operated with and made i'u» Commendations to the Consumer Branch of the Wartime Prices and Trade Board, in the interests 01' rural women as consumers. Twenty panels of ten rural women each were set up throughout Ontario. Our organization was given repre- sentation on the Agricultural Coni- niission of Inquiry. Resolutions presented at the annual Provincial Board meeting in Novem- ber showed that Ontario women are demanding rural electrification and improved health and educational ser- vices. This is an opportunity for pm» senting our suggestions for improved legislation. It is our hope that mem‘ bers are giving serious thought to needed reforms in their areas, and have presented resolutions at their meetings, to secure these reforms. Plan to Grow Men The new chapter has yet to be lived, thus we must plan it wisely and think about it carefully so that each page will contribute something toward a better and more useful life. The Chinese proverb says: “If you are planning for one your grow grain, If you are planning for ten years grow trees, If you are planning for one hun~ dred years grow man." All over Ontario our W.l.’s are planning their year’s programme, are entering upon new ventures in coniv munity octiv‘itica. The results: Who can tell'! Soldiers are ever ready to serve. Can we not give as much? Will we? We must forget the failures. They are pastâ€"behind us. This is a new chapter, a fresh beginning. Let us face it with hope. We cannot rclive yesteulay, but we have for the living 1944-45. Let us not cloud this year with the memories of yesterday’s fail» ures nor carry into it the smart of the wounds of yesterday. In planning programmes for the year, give each member some respon- sibility. Enlist the services of the charter and life members, the grand- (Continued on Page 3, Column A.)