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Here and There With the Women’s Institutes achievements over a large area, proyinc1al or international, it is easy to lose sight of what the branch Institute, sometimes in a very small or isolated community, means to its members and to the community in genâ€" eral. As an example of this we have a report of McAi-thur’s Mills Institute, sent to us by Mrs. Ernest Irwin, a former board member, now provincial convener of Home Economics and Health. McArthur’s Mills organized ten years ago has ten members; there is a population of only one hundred and twenty-five persons in the hamlet and within a radius of one mile. There was not meeting place in the communâ€" ity other than the school house so in 1949 the Institute bought 31/2 acres of land for a community centre for the price of $250. In 1952 they laid the foundation for a commun~ ity hall. Through the years the women had done “the ordinary things." They met in the homes and they must have had good meet- ings because they report that their reasons for starting an Institute were that "The day of isolation is past. We can raise better fam- ilies, build a better community, extend our knowledge and develop our own potential- ities by working together and combining our eFforts.” They quilted quilts, sold some of them and gave others where they were needâ€" ed. They raised funds by holding picnics and dances and sent treats to the sick and baskets to old people at Christmas time. They held picture shows for the community (probably through comoperation with the National Film Board). They raised talent money. And every year they added what they could to their building fund. Sometimes business people and others made a donation to the fund, and a neighboring Institute, Woodhouse, “sympaa thizing with their struggle" made a donation of $25. By 1956 they had a building “with a good floor, aluminum roof and Hydro lightâ€" ing,” fine for summer use but not yet win~ terized. All the time a good programme of Institute interests was carried on. A particuâ€" larly happy social event was a Father’s Day dinner in honour of the members’ husbands. They gave spoons to new babies, groceries to a needy family, helped to establish a skat- ing rink, built dressing rooms at the beach for swimmers, held a “baby shower" for a mother, “voluntarily made sandwiches free of charge for wedding receptions as a public service.” They sponsored a community meet- ing or “Show” on conservation by the Depart- ment of Lands and Forests; brought in a travelling library for the use of the com- munity. The final item in their programme for last year was that they were sponsoring a Hunters’ Dance in November and planning IN OUR interest in unusual projects and 30 a number of social evenings for the \., A report from Walkerton gives ;, 'mter. Mother illustration of the work of a good lzwtitutp that has thrived through fifty-seven Mars n} efiective work. The report says that tln r I'IEEL ings have been interesting. The Instim._. ha‘. sponsored a Well Baby Clinic ever :4; County Health Unit was established also have helped with the tuberculi. polio clinics. They support the cancer and assist with the canvass for the (1‘ Institute for the Blind; they hold a sional meeting at the County honw bought equipment for the local sc‘ retarded children. A point of Special is that their secretary when the bra organized in 1901 is now serving on ' torical Research and Current Events tee. Suggestions For Programmes When Hickson Institute had its anni munity Activities and Public Relati gramme at an evening meeting open 1‘ families of the community, they had : ager of a Trust Company speak on Property Rights and Wills.” (Could . be more logical than having an addre.‘ subject at a meeting where the “Film can hear it?) One of the women spot.- on courtesy, another on public relali publicity. The men added to the ever“ tertainment when they answered the “What makes a good farmer’s wife and refreshments completed an enli, and enjoyable gathering. Dublin in Halton county also had H at a meeting to hear a lawyer speak 1 At Fordwich’s family night supper tertainment the men answered the “Where I met my wife.” A feature of Bluevale’s family in gramme was a debate between 15 women, “Resolved that women can i work better than men can do women the women taking the aflirmative. Du‘ had a debate “Resolved that the me‘ years ago were better husbands than ‘ of today.” Lynville, for the main feature of lh cation programme had a panel (l dealing with the question: “Should PU‘ fluence children in choosing a ‘0 “Should a child be sent to school all sixteen?" “Is it ever too late to hobby?” The roll call at this meet “What I want most out of life” and ill “The home is the first school and thc the first teachers." Diltz and Robinson Road for their on, Historical Research asked each mt bring a written history of her farm a!‘ t thy; They and II ‘ielr ’vzlian occa- dart lIrl‘ ':I‘l'."~l 1‘. it Hi. Hil- “lll- tlllil unun iii" Hit it Edit- :slw. lie 15 _.:l 3 “hi: lullu. ‘lE‘lll‘ {‘t‘lltii im- 1U fimm HOME AND onNTflV