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the first Women‘s Institutes were concerned mostly with problems of the home and the community, and that she has a paper on “Bet- ter Methods of Butter Marking" read by her mother at an Institutes Convention in Guelph in 1906. As the Institutes developed they pro- gressed from the branch and district to the Federated Women’s Institutes of Ontario, then to the Federated Women’s Institute of Canada. and now they belong to the Associated Country Women of the World. At first the F.W.I.C. was a co-ordinating body only. In 1949 its scope was broadened to give leadership, and the conveners of standing committees on Home Economics, Agriculture and Canadian Industries, Citizenship, Cultural Activities and Publicity now make suggestions for study and activities. F.W.I.C. also issues an official paper, Federated News, at a cost of ten cents a year to the branch. This paper will be especially interesting from now on as it will give news about the coming A.C.W.W. convention. Soil and food conservation had been taken for the major objective of the Women’s Inâ€" stitutes of Canada at their biennial convention three years ago, Mrs, Summers said, because with over sixty per cent of the world’s popu- lation hungry, this conservation seemed the most important problem of the time. Also it was a problem rural Women could do someâ€" thing about. “When there is erosion or soil drifting on your owu farm,” the speaker reminded the women, “you know there are plots that Should be planted 'to trees, and you use pressure to see this is done, The same interest should extend to conservation nationally". Last year this objective was broadened to include a study of the world food situation with related problems. The Women’s Institutes under their standing committee on Agriculture are studying F.A.O.; the Health Committee directs the study of the World Health Organization; UNESCO comes under the committee on Com- munity Activities; and the Declaration of Human Rights under the Citizenship Com- mittee.” As an organization affiliated with the Associated Country Women of the World we should learn about these things,“ said the na- tional president A further responsibility was laid on the F.W.I.C. at their last meeting in the following declaration: “The F.W.I.C. members reaffirm their faith in the future of our country and in the value of democratic government, and further resolve to ask our members to live according to their faith in Divine Providence and to expreSS this belief to others." “This means”, Mrs, Summers explained, “that we should accept responsibility for help- ing to form a sound public opinion, holding to a middle of the road policy and letting people know where we stand. To do this We must make an effort to be well informed.” Extension Services for the Homemaker Miss Anna F. Lewis, Director, Women’s In- stitute Branch and Home Economics Service, IO outlined this year's new plan for taking i-zg. tension services to the Institutes. Under me new plan the branch institute can arrange my the course it wants without collaboration to :h the other Institutes in the district, provth the branch can assure the required attendant .; Miss Lewis said: “From experience we have found that 3., A .3 branches, even though the branch delegil. ,- came prepared to vote for a certain servo, never managed to have their choice of serr . chosen on the district level. It was felt 11ml there should be more leeway, that it shm 1 not be necessary for all Institutes within i . district to take the same course but that ()1 :- Institute could either sponsor a course a1.» and invite in the women from the local cw munity or two or more Institutes Within a co venient radius could co-operate in holding Extension Service with one Institute in ii group acting as the sponsor (with the p'dl cipating Institutes accepting their share in l_ planning and carrying out of the service). “In order to find the interests of the met bers in the branch Institutes an INTERESE SURVEY SHEET was sent our with our bowl let “Extension Services for the Homemakei “We haVe found that a branch Institute do not always have enough members interest in any One course to warrant the Institu applying for it. Yet on comparing notes wii other Institutes it might find that togetlii the two branches would have more the enough for the course, “Citing another example, one Institute might have sufficient members interested to sponr sor, let us say, a psychology course within it. OWn branch yet 2 or 3 might very much want a course in Modern Dressmaking. By using the INTERESTS SURVEY SHEET to compare notes with neighbouring branches it might be found that by coâ€"operating with other groups this minority group could be satisfied. Those with varied interests may attend courses Sponv sored by nearby Institutes and in this Wal' take in more than one course, if desired. “From now on there will be no voting 0“ Departmental service at the district level. The Department will still be represented at .VOUI‘ Annual. Our staff member will now haVe time to give you an instructive and inspira~ tional talk in place of taking the time to record your notes. Voting on the Extension Services will take place at a Branch meeting. The deadline date for applications reaching our office has been set for July 12 in order that Branches which are not able to sponsor a service on their own will have time to com- pare notes with neighbouring branches and the district director can take the Interests Sur- vey Sheet with her to the District executive meeting and the District Annual. There she will find out What other nearby branches are doing and perhaps arrange to have her minorâ€" ity groups join in with these. “Another reason for our change in set-up is that in recent years we have found that we have had many more requests for services i l g 3. HOME AND COUNYRY