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‘0 HOME AND COUNTRY Overseas Tour 1,1,,“e fl At Northern Ireland Women's Institute Rally. Left to right: \. v . l I". ,IWWMA Mrs. Arthur Hamilton. Mrs. Stephen Mercer, Mrs. R. G. Purcell, Lady Cynthia Brooke; .‘liss Anna Lewis, the Marchioness of Hamilton. (Continued from page 9) Words cannot express the admira- tion thr- Canadians felt for the Lon- doners and all the British who, through austerity, hardship and sacri- nce are bound to overcome the rav- ages of “or. It was heart-breaking I0 ee the bomb destruction. Build- i , documents and treasures of the - which never can be replaced were L’Ul’lE. But the morale of the people was outstanding. Froissart, th 8 French chronicle-r wrote of the Lou- doners in the fourteenth century words still true of them: “They are bold and courageous, and the more blood is spilled the greater is their courage‘ is an example of the Lon~ nloners spirit the writer jetted down :in ins ’ption placed inside the bomb- nlcstroyed Church of Saint Swithin‘s where the famous London Stone is ' uatcd: "This has been consecrated ground fur at least seven centuries. The church has perished. Some day, please God, it will (not for the first time) rise from the ashes, fairer even than before. Meanwhile, Saint Switbin’s sxill tries to serve the city of London by providing a quiet spot where men can rest, and think, and pray, as well as eat their lunch." .\'.F.\\’.I. Commonwealth Week-End Party at Denman College While the major part of the Cana» main group was travelling through Norway and Sweden, one representa- tive from each province was invited by the National Federation of Women’s Institutes of England, Wales and the Channel Islands, to attend a British Commonwealth week-end party at Denman Women‘s Institute College at Marcham, near Abingdon in Berk- shire. Here the Canadian representa- tives met sister members from Africa, Australia, Ceylon, New Zealand, Northern Ireland and the British West Indies. This week-end provided a splendid opportunity to hear about the projects and problems of Women’s Institutes throughout the Common- wealth and to share in the fellowship at Denman College. This generous gesture on the part of the N.F.W.I. was greatly appreci- ated by all the Commonwealth organi- zations. Much was gained through this sharing of ideas. It was especially fine to have first-hand information about Lady Denman Collegeâ€"a thriving N.W.F.I. p r 0 j e ct. This Women's Institute College might well be a model for similar projects in other countries Northern Ireland A veritable fairyland atmosphere was created since it was by air that the delegates approached “The Emer- ald Isle". As the plane descended over those greener than green handker- chief fields near Belfast maybe they did not actually see fairies, lepre- chauns. and banshees, about which their Irish grandmothers used to speak, but it was fun to let the im- agination run rampant on first view- ing the land of the Shamrocks, the clay pipes and the Giant's Cuuseway. Mrs. Stephen Mercer, the dynamic. vivacious organizer and director of Women’s Institutes in Northern Ire» land, escorted the group from the air- port to a luncheon meeting where Lady Brooke, wife of the Prime Min- ister and Chairman of the Women’s Institutes of Northern Ireland, and The Marchioness of Hamilton, Presi- dent of the Northern Ireland Women's Institutes, acted as co»hostesses. That afternoon a capacity audience, in Clarence Place Hall, representing ninety-eight of the one hundred an three Women's Institutes of Northern Ireland met to learn more about the Women’s Institute movement in Can- ada. The highlight of the afternoon’s programme was the showing of the Canadian Women’s Institute colour film “Let There Be Light". This told the story of the origin of the moveâ€" ment and the growth of the organiza- tion up to the present. The Canadians found that a mag- nificent job is being done by the Women’s Institutes in Northern Ire- land. Here the difiiculties of religious differences have left mountains of disâ€" trust and prejudice to be overcome in order that friendliness and co-opera- tion might win out. The Irish expres- sion “hasten slowly" was understood when Mrs. Mercer explainedâ€"“The division in the country, religious and political, goes deep and, in each new Institute, members have first to learn to meet under the same roof and to find that, after all, they have much in common. Within the framework of the Federation each Institute is encouraged to develop along the lines best suited to itself and its district, and at its own pace.” After an appetizing tea of Irish delicacies the Canadians left with their Women’s Institute hostesses to spend the week-end learning more about the customs of Northern Ireland. From the time the Canadians crossed the threshold of those hospitable homes until they boarded the “Ulster Duke" back to Liverpool they were royally entertained and educated in the ways of the Northern Irish. Besides contacts with Institute groups here and there the visit in- cluded a tour of the Mournc Moun- tains, the grave of St. Patrick, 3 visit to “Slemish and Skeery". and the Agricultural School at Cookstown, the little summer house where Dean Swift wrote “Gulliver’s Travels”, Old Bleach at Randlalstown, Stormont Castle and Parliament Buildings, Overseas House at Belfast, and the Blackstafi' Spin- ning and Weaving Company. Of course, Canadians could not leave ' ' lMeeting, Federated Women’s ("Smut Bwnm of Canada. June 19-26. 1951 “ enteenth Biennial Meeting “iii: Tee‘derntcd Women’s Institutes of Canada met at Mncdonuld College, Ste. Anne De Bellevue, Quebec, on 19-26 inclusive. JuThe President, Mrs E... E. Morton, Veg-rcville, Alberto, was In the chair and two Board Directors were present from each province. Mrs. Hugh Sum- mers, Fonthill, Ontario, First VICD~ President, F, 13. and Mrs. J. Eust, Kerenic ., Second Vice-Presi- dent, presided at some of the sessions. sessions. After fitting words of welcome to all, Mrs. Morton spoke specnil words of welcome to the delegates from Newfoundland and, by hearty ap- plnuse, the Board Directors voiced their pleasure and approval at their presence. Mrs. Morton, in her reporthgave an extensive account of her activrties as President of F.\\’.I.C. Her report was filled with excellent information â€"nntiona1 and international meetings were attended, proving the intcrestrof F.W.I.C. in matters of world-wide sCope. Mrs. Morton's report was so outstanding that the Board Directors voted that copies be made and sent Northern Ireland without “seeing with their own eyes" a fairy tree, a fort “where the little men with red jackets live" and a hill “where the lepre- chauns come out and dance”! Long will the Canadians remember this glorious climax to their visit with sister organizations abroad. _ Not only do the happy memories linger, but the mutual knowledge and understanding are ever broadened and enriched through “friendship links" firmly established. Home Again Via “Empress of Scotland” the Can- udian delegates sailed eagerly towards home after eight glorious weeks. The days abroad had sped by very quickly. Each day brought new experiences, fresh enthusiasm and deeper, richer understanding. There was no doubt about the value or “\vorth-whileness" of the tour. Enriched and broadened by her experience, each came home a wiser, more useful world citizen. These rural women were happ ' to be home again on Canadian soil w ere freedom, security and opportunity abound. They appreciated more fully these values and realized the neces- sity of working hard to preserve the Canadian Way of Life and to develop its potentialities, They understood how important it is for women to take a positive stand in developing the attern of living. Within the heart of each there was ardeep, nostalgic love and appreci- ation for home and family, community and country But also, within the heart of each burned the immortal words of Edith Cavell, quoted at the Conference, “Love of one’s countryâ€" love of one’s ownâ€"is not enough; God's kingdom is wider still". CoNcLusioN Because the next A.C.W.W. Con/er- ence will be held in Canadaâ€"o! lhe Royal York Hazel, Aug. 1243, 1953â€" great appormnitiex will be ours as we welcome and entertain sister member: Iron: abroad. I! ix true, we do no! have [he cusrlex, palaces and mullimdes a] historic ruin: seen in (hare caunm'e: visited; we do not have Ilie some rich- lies: and anliquily in our culture and tradition; but we are Canadaâ€"a slrong, wnle, young Italianâ€"an example of DEMOCRACY. Let us be ourselver at our bcsl. Le! 11: plan now how we may .vliow Iruc Canadian hospitality, Le! u: vial-e (he Associated Country Women's 12ml to Canada one which will be up- Il/ling, informative and. above all, enter- taining. a rim which will lead to mature llmuglil and action on the par! of our Eaunlry women everywhere, :1 visit out of which will grow true inlzrnallonal underslundlng and world bellermenr. (Contributed by Anna P. Lewis) to each province. The business sessions were length and arduous. y Two extremely important especially interesting to amulon fiienstioned first. rs. ug ummars of Fa ' First Vicevl’residnnt, was President of F.W. .C. We all km“. Mrs. Summera' ability and her long years of outstanding service in lnnli. tutu work in our province. We knm, she will bring honour to Ontario Ivmti. tutes as she fulfils the demanding duties of this important ofiice and we pledge to her our loyalty and u“, cooperation. The second grout Item of news is that the Associated L'uun. try Women of the World will meet in Canada in 1953 and Ontario is the province chosen by the Nfltilllml Directors as the Hostess Provimc. Committees have been set up [0, the A.C.W.W. meeting in Caninln. These will start functioning immwli. utely for it will be ii supreme ell‘m-t h, arrange for and carry through to completion such an international meeting. There will be a “Céliimln Day" when Institute members will meet with the delegates for a lul - y of entertainment. So, Ontario hum. bers, start planning now for Willi great day. Every Canadian Inslimm member is to have a share in A,» financing of the Conference. Th. H1 lowing motion was carried, "Th. .1 letter be sent from F.W.Il . to l vincial Boards asking that they r in. tact their members, stating thul. .- urc depending upon our Cnnlili-lll membership to bcar the cost of rm: A.C.W.W. Conference and asking a it each individual member contr w what she can, in the name of Institute". A suitable memorial to Mrs. Al mil Watt, a Canadian woman, the ' .1 President of the A.C.W.W. and ‘m‘ person responsible for the forum in of Institutes in England and \\ , was the subject of much discu» A committee was set up to coir w different suggestions advanced ‘1. before the close of the sessions, ‘lm committee proposed the follov. My recommendation, that was appim it by the Board: “That a suitable memorial Mrs. Watt, namely, a Memorial I .. with Bird Bath suitably inscribed placed in the F.W.I.C. plot in 2‘ International Peace Garden and H this project be financed by the V merit of 1c per member, to be l v at the Branch Institute meetintv ‘ the International Month of Fehru. 1952. International Peace Garden Just here, our Ontario Instn .1“ members might welcome some mic" niation about the International 1': 1 v Garden. This garden is 3%: n. - long. On either side of the Interhr tional Boundar Line between M tuba and Nort Dakota. Six 5 lakes have been dredged for sum. ming and boating. The T. Eaton ! w Limited has decorated the forem house, recently com leted, Work .‘ men‘s houses are a so complete mm seven tourist cabins are in use M' the travelling public. Hydro is to lw' installed this summer and also A sunken garden completed and 1313"MI The Canadian Government annuullrv gives $15,000 toward the upkeep w the Gardenâ€"the United States Gm» ernment $70,000. This is augmenwl by yearly givings from organizatium such as our own (Each provmce glvfis $20. per annum towards this profit“- The F.W.I.C. plot is near the enmiin to the Garden, and is noticed by a“ who enter. This plot has been planted with shrubbei-y, perennials and 5'" finals and is becoming quite attrac- tive. The committee in charge of U“: Garden, plan that this year Will in the year of greatest development to date. When the chairman of the Inter-l national Pence Garden Incorporflel was challenged with the quefiim“ “How can we think of Peace and matters, OntiiriuY Our on n r