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A Toast to ‘ The Federated Women’s Institutes of Ontario By Ethel Chapman It’s a privilege to propose a toast to the Fedâ€" erated Women’s Institutes of Ontario at this N I celebranon 0f your fifnflh flnmversary” AS our Dr, Ethel Chapman, The Honourable Win. A. Stewart, old neighbors used to say, “I remember Well and Mrs. Austin Zoeller m the Banquet Olficers' can- the day you were born”â€"-on the 7th of Feb- ference. ruary, 1919. For 22 years before that, Women’s Institutes had been springing up all over the province -â€" the record shows 925 of them in the year 1920. They were enthusiastic and active, each working “for Home and Country” according to its lights and, as history shows, with rather remarkable imagination and wisdom; though I suppose as they got farther from their begin- ning there would be a danger they might go like the hero in Leacock’s novel who “jumped on his horse and rode off in all directions.” At conventions they sometimes discussed the need of a closer co-relation with each other; and by 1919 they felt they were ready for a provincial organization â€" an organization to unify and co-ordinate their work; and to enable them to speak with one voice on causes that concerned them. Also our national organization, the Fedâ€" erated Women‘s Institutes of Canada had been set up the previous year: and the Ontario Instiâ€" tutes would have to have a provincial organi- zation to represent them in the national body and later, of course. in the Associated Country F.W.I.O. is to be commended for the way it keeps this twoâ€"way traffic, this give and take, running through the whole organization. This may be part of the reason for the sense of both freedom and unity among the Institutes. Members of the Provincial Board come up through the ranks so they know Institute work as it can't be learned any other way, And these same Board Members communicate back again through the convention and the district right to the branch and the individual member. There's a two»way traffic, too, between the Federated Women‘s Institutes of Ontario and the provincial Department of Agriculture and Food. This the women asked for fifty years ago. The Home Economics Branch has an educa- tional service for homemakcrs and the lnsti~ tutes help to get this service out to the women of the province. They even consult hack and forth about how to make the service the best it can he. institute women sit on Government Councils on Consumer Problems and Conser- Womefl 0f the World- vation. The provincial organization makes it So the “Federated Women's Institutes of possible to find these qualified women. Ontario" came into being. NOW, alter fifty The Institutes wanted to be federated so years, we can see how well the plan has they could “Speak with one voice." Perhaps worked. they had sometime been embarrassed by some one purpose of FIW_I_OI was to give some wild-cat resolution that had slipped through a uniformity. a general direction to the Institute local QWUP‘ Now; If i1 Temllltmdgfls PiISL the Program. And how easy it would have been to branch. the. district. the convention area and go wrong here! If they had imposed a uniform the Pr0\’1nClal_ bOEll'd- “It 5 901 t? ‘3}? good- ngmm from the top they might have dis- And hccuuse it represents the thinking of so couraged initiative and deadened the whole manywomen- {W‘hor't'ffi “51mm”; _ movement Instead they gave guide lines Through your provm‘cial organization you through standing committees on homemaking. have \‘OUF 131'OVInClul F'W‘leCts â€" you ‘10 thllfigs education, health and other live Institute inlerâ€" together “11” YOU 03”” flew” ‘10 alqned Think ests. the branches telling the conveners what or “'hkli YOU haw donc "‘1 SChOl‘dFShlPS for “1* they are doing and the convene” relaying stance. Or your current undertaking for Mac- these ideas to the whole province along with [Jonah] lm‘tltme‘ _ recommendations of their own so everyone 'F,W.I.IO. has a place In the Federated Wom- helps everyone else; and we have a steadying ens Institutes of Canada and the Assocmted Uniformity along with a diversity that gives Country Women of the World. And what an color to our work and keeps it dose to the avenue for service this has opened for the In- grass roots of the people stitutes of Ontario! You have sent a tractor to SUMMER 1969 15