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‘:t : ‘*; 7 & . f 33 \ 1 »THE UEVELOPMENT aup wonk OF TeE wourirs NSTITUTES® . O tm Th M rrrrmsmremmonmremmpmmentam ocms \ t by Mr, Geo. A. Putnam, B.S.4., Superintendent of Institutes, feronto . If/(,t}-,l/jq â€" £ & After twentyâ€"five yearts assccistion with the Wemen‘s Institutes of @ntario, I am li; 4 taking the liberty, A8 Superintendent, of reviewing some of the develepment dur‘s this perind which have been of special worth to the countryâ€"@omer, the rural ho ss | i0 and the rural commubities of the Province, t The decision of the founders of the Women‘s Institutes in 1897 to recognize . no party, sectarian °T closs distinctions has resulted in the coâ€"operation of the + whole community in their educational, sccial and community service undertakings in f some 1,148 centres throughout the province. & Ontaric has set an example in caâ€"cperation between local volunteor erganizaâ€" :_ tions of women with various departments of Government, which has been followed by 4 most gratifying results from Geavernment service and most offective efforts on the t _ part of the local orgenizstions. The Government ef the Provinese of Ontaric has reâ€" cognized the importance of the profession of homemaking by providing instruction ~ in Househeld Economics in schools, and in order that these who have passed the school f | age may have an opportunity of obtaining upâ€"trâ€"date infnrmation in the various branâ€" § i ches of homemaking, provision has been made to furnish to the Women‘s Institutes g trained instructors in the nousing, clothing and feeding of the femily. This serâ€" { i vico at first sonsisted of cisclated lesturs and nceessionsl demonstratiens bearing i upon foods, but this wes not very effective, and has been followed with systematic } instruction for two weeks, one month, and sometimes three months, in each centre, | in food values and combinations which make for heslth and strength. It is reongâ€" | | nized that the women of our land are, far the most part, efficient in the mechâ€" { t anical prepargtion of foods, but are in need of information as tr the foods to choose, 1 the combinations to make, the quantities to sat, sad bhow to eat it. ‘l' In providing to Rouse the family in comfort and health, it is, in most cases, | # impessible to tear down and build greater, but rather to remodel, adjust and introâ€" j duce equipment and methods wh:ch make for the lessening of laber and provide comâ€" j fort and attraftiveness. So the instruction.provided by the Department of Agri~ : " °_ curvure in~ludes not enly plans for new houses, â€"but methods of remodelling old twâ€"O We houses, whick must, an most farms, continue for many years to be the abede of the E1 4 farmer and his family. | 5 Recognizing that the presentâ€"day costumes make fer comfort, health and attracâ€" _ _ tivensss as compared to the styles ef past generati~ns, the instruction provided _ avoids extremes and stresses quality af gonds and materials best suited to the seaâ€" _ sons of the year, with proper selectien and eombinations nf colors, |~ o The Department also provides for a course in Hame Nursing and First Aid specâ€" _ ially suited to the needs of the girls and women of the rural districts. The velue '!- and practicability of this is shown in the assistance given by neighbour to neighâ€" _ â€"| _ bour in cases of sickness and accident. One Institute member who has taken the i _ course reports having attended thirty maternity cases during the past year witheut i _the loss of a mother. Besides instruction in the housing and feeding and clething l of the family, health, as well as handicrafts to a limited extent, through literature j * _lectures and demonstrations, the Department of Agriculture passes on to the Inâ€" _ | stitutes infermation bearing upen methods of organizing, procedure in cenducting { meetings, how ta carry on debates, put on plays, give instruction in mugic, and othen ", lines of activity undertaken by the lmcal orgenizations. Se much f@r the Governâ€" , ment service and coâ€"operation, Nov far the more important field from the standp«int 1 of the development of the individual and utilizing locel takent and the resrurces Baiin the educationsl, social and community service of the Institutes, The classifiâ€" *f; eation @f the activities of the local branches under the follewing headings indiâ€" 4 } eates the importance and variety of the work carried ~n by the local branches: f (% | Equcatien, Health, Agriculture, Home Economics, Inmigration, Legislatien, Community ;'5: Activities, Helief, Historical Research, Canadian Industries, Publicity. To4 |â€" $3 The ceâ€"mperation of the members in the branches, the coâ€"operation of the branâ€" , {: ches in each district and the holding of twelve Conventions in carefully chosen _ centres throughout the Province, has brought to prominence many wemen af talent who é; plan f*r and conduct their gatherings in a most effective and businesslike maenner, BP Ltilizing.local talent to a large extent and securing assistance frem autside only W¢ for those features which must be dealt with by specialists in their particular lines. o4 We may well class homemaking 819 community building as amongthe prefessions, k for what is of greater impertance than physical development and Preservation, CMM= _ | fort, sconenic stability, efficic"tY Snd good citizenship for which the Institute & 5 stands? _ Tre aecamplishments Of °DC Metibers and the carnestness witk which they 4. 2 f T