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Stoney Creek Was Scene Of First Such Gathering Movement Which Began In District Village w _ . Has Spread To Corners of Empire - Bond Unites Country Women, Betters Farm Homes By CHARLES R. McCULIJOUGH V " oy! hlmdred and thirty-four years ago, devoted pioneer _ Fengibles and soldiers of the King turned back the tide of invaSloll at Stoney Creek and gave the hamlet a high place of honour to Canadian history. Fifty years ago, through the; co-operation of a few far-sighted and purpoisetul souls, the] same community gave to humanity what has become, in the; fullness of time, the greatest rural federation for women in: the world. That meeting for organization held In squire's Hall In the village of Stoney Creek on the evening of Febru- ary 19, 1897, reminds the reviewer of lines in one of James Russell Lowelys poems: "O, small beginning, ye are great and strong., . ", Based on a faithful heart and weariless brain! Ye build the future fair, ye conquer wrongr Ye earn the crown, and wear it not in vain]: [ Shakespeare himself, in his “Merchant of Venice," sets the same idea in these memorable words: i . . ' How‘ far a little candle throws his beams! So shines a good deed in a naughty world." Looking Back On Beginnings at th l t th J, 1 . on e same mes a e arn _ Inf, now let us look back to the as glnstitute Open meeting ‘10 be '"liglttmg 9f the candle" and the held atStoney Creek in January fol. “small begiruiing"or Women's Instl- lowing, So well did the speaker tutes, turning to Mrs. A. E. Walker 'll/dt, 73°16 Tees' “f“ 2',evu,thc, _ V Br - oric n were Conv WI, of Hanqiltt'on, president or the 'leEmGrasree by her reception, Adel. the? ins ttutrl?1'20-ami hold- aide Hoodless made bold to suggest Ing a like post in the Dominion Fed. an organization of women similar oration from 1933 to 1937, [or guid- lo vt,r:,t,1.ts2i'f1,t.1t1, f,'ii men Is." In- once: "It Is a strange tioimyae,'"/f,'/,itgii' Jlil1il'l1//ie11/Jrl/"if,1',2' she remarked lately, "that both theiersr wives and daughters [or the Farmers’ Institute and the Women's touowing week. Thirty-five then and Institute should have their origin in were promised to attend. Wentworth County.....Some 13 Erlarul Lee Was Only Man veers Weioce we had a Women’s In- ' When the protagonist of a tai stitute there was organized in the deal top t'es'l1/1ir"J's, ii'd'//0tc'i', _ . , ' 9: county, mainly through the efforts 2322?? or? the 117i of February IS and influence of Public School In- 1897, she was greeded by 101 womei specter Joseph H. S. Smith, the and one tmut-Erlanti Lee, who wa Farmers' Institute, Mr. Smith had to take the chair. The1 'et, andbelo . linent speaker (who a een or as right imam?) Mr, Erland Lee, on a farm near St. George) drei aclever, ma -mmded young tarm- attention to the fact that it th er of Saltneet township.,..To Mn] men, in their institute, protrted 1) Lee we are indebted for the Wo-i fg,y1t,at),'/', and séudy,_ legume ' Institut f .. ow to care for an raise ette mien:VI S H l or, whlle we recog Stock, why cou1dn't them wome mzel gas E te as our founder, hem in the Work tor betterment c 3,99 t Lssiiii.0 ewho made con- farm and home by hiding home muons p . craft and mothercraft. Sensing thei Wrote Histor o ' responsibility and opportunity a B side me It l f MDLemen't horhernukers, the 101 women (it . 93f O ta . Is he 100-page HIS-I Cided to make a beginning by tom toryfl ”ix rltr'sWomen's 1r1stitutesl i_ng "The Women's Department i ttgh Theydeays ago lay the able Domestic Economy in atriliatio ban ll ot Wt???“ Miss M. Viola‘ with the Farmers' Institute of Sout i',?,',',,',"',,',',' well a; fy. From the vol- Wentworth" (a cumbrous if man! y.me Mrs Walkmm such anthem-lI ingml title). At the very next mee tes “Rogers er, Mrs. Emberley,. ing the name was changed to te, Mrs. t; , . and Mrs. Jacksonl "Women's Institute of Saltfleet “9113.59" ”95151911?“ the Mother and later, when other women's In Institute) your revuewei- offers the its were founded, the body'becarr follow”? story of the rise and pt'0- the "Stoney Creek Women's Inst Fftss, o la movement dedicated to tote." The broadening-out DFDCEJ the SP Cl mill and physical welfare took an promotlon of improved cm ot 1r'rrcr,rr',t)i'g1." ot this Md other ditions ot the home and iarmsten 131; st - in. 8. including the nhvsical. intellectue 'Widiiiiik's Institutes To Observe 50th Anniversary ”MW/w - In the autumn of 1898, Erland Lee (who had been a student at the Ontario Agricultural College) at- tended the annual meeting of the Experimental Union in _ Guelph. There he heard the addres's of Mrs. John Huqdless of Hamilton on the need of Instruction in sewing and domes”: science in the schools. The zealous lady. avowed that training boys and girls alike was wrong. Girls ought of right to be educated and mane fit for that sphere of life for which they were destined-- home-making. So Impressed was Mr. Lee bs,rut?ttqseaker's' viewpoint that he and Majdr F. M. Carpenter made mid to Emile Mu. Hoodless to speak tilting the same lines at the Farm- i ere Institute open meeting,to be 1 held at Stoney Creek in January fol- ,l lowing. So well did the speaker:1 make her points that even the hard-boiled men were convinced. Encouraged by her reception, Adel- aide Headless made bold to suggest i an organization of women similar I lo that instituted for men by In- i Specter Smith. The chairman rccom- l mended calling'a meeting of farm- _ ers' wives and daughters [or the _ Jouowing week. Thirty-five then and " lithere promised to attend. i [ Erlaud Lee Was Only Man 3 when the protagonist of a tair: 'deal tor feminine farmiolk up- Pcared at Squire's Hull, Stoney Creek, on the night of February 19/ 1897, she was greeded by 101 women' and one rmut--Erlatui Lee, who was to take the chair, The able and elo- quent speaker (who had been born on a farm near St. George) drew attention to the fact that it the I men, in their institute, profited by l consultation and study, learned how to care for and raise better stuck, why Couldn't their. women help in the work for betterment of farm and home by aiding home- trait and mothercrait. Sensing their) responsibility and opportunity as} honhernukers, the 101 women de. I cided to make a beginning by form- l ing "The Women's Department in _ Domestic Economy in affiliation I with the Farmers' Institute of South! Wentworth" (a cumbrous if metur. ; ingml title). At the very next meet- ' ing the name was changed to the l "Womtm's Institute or Saltrleet," and later, when other women's un- its were founded, the body'hecame the "Stoney Creek Women's Insti- tute." The broadening-out process took on promotlon of improved con-i dition§ ot the home and farmstead,‘ including the physical, intellectual, lsocml and moral well-being of their. members. Malian Limited By Its Homes proof of this growth may be Iound in the iirst minute book of the Stoney Creek organization: "A ram man cannot rise above the level of its homes, therefore, we women mast work and study together to raise our homes to the highest pos- sible level." In the early records too, great objectives were set: dom- estic economy. household architec- ture (embracing, heat, light, sani- tation and ventilation), health (phy- sical culture. calisthenics, hygiene and medicine), floricuiture and ' ticulture, music and art, literature, education, sociology and legislation. The reviewer notes with satisfac- tion that the passage of years brought about a keen interest in lo. cal history through the setting up of study groups. A recent prize Jubilee poster err. titled "We treasure the past and face the future," by Betty Ann Hm gers, ot Stoney Creek, confirms the foregoing aetivities. Mention must be made here of: .the first officers ot the Mother In. stitute at Stoney Creek: honorary president, Mrs. John Headless, of Hamilton; "president, Mrs. E. D. Smith, of Winona; secretary, Miss Maggie Nash; treasurer, Mrs. J. N.: McNeilly. Incidentally, Mr. Lee, Ma- yor Carpenter and Senator Smith {strongly backed the new body, the first-named helping materially in) writing the institute’s constitution' and by-laws. "When we consider these pro- grams," wrote Mrs. Walker, "the efforts put forth by these women to improve themselves that they might better serve their home and coun- try-when we consider their ei- torts to extend the work to other icenti‘es. that others might benefit ithereby-we cannot but see that (thee pioneer leaders were most .‘sincel‘e in their efforts in living up . to the objects set forth in the con- , stitution. Their whole ambition and desire was to raise the status of r, home-making, for they were home- s makers and home-lovers in the _ truest sense of the words....What I a deep debt of gratitude we owe I these pioneer leaders for the won- ' derlul heritage they have bequeath- , ed to us in our Women's Institute 1 organization." Approprialley, at the first regular‘ meeting of the original institute, tV member read a paper on the Proper) Feeding of Children. A paper on Art) was provided also. At the second, meeting Dr. Mabel Henderson, of 'Hamilton, addressed the members on The Child, in Health and Disease --iollowed by discussion and ques- Unmasking. At successive gather- ings topics such as Sunshine in the Home, Home-making versus House- keeping, Sanitation in the Home, were reviewed. These pioneers were but blazing the trail along which general health and particularly Achilrl welfare were later to make Etheir way. The second unit in Women's In- stitutes was organized in Whitby, on June 29, 189T-fust four months alter the founding ot the Mother .Institute of Stoney Cheek. Kemble, lin the county of Grey, followed to make the third link in a chain of ln- stitutes that was destined to glrdle meeting of thenrlg'mal institute,- the world. As time passed and the gospel of co-operation for rural betterment spread, so spread the movement to all parts of Canada-and abroad. In this country were formed district groups, provincial bodies and ulti- mately (1919) a Dominion federa- tion. During the first year ot its existence the movement had a score of branches. By 1905 the number reached 268. By 1941 there were 1,367. The spread of Women's Insti- iules to Great Britain, (accomplish- ed through the missionary zeal of Mrs. Alfred Wain/MA” O.B.E., oi Collingwood, during the First World l War) began with one in a little vll-‘ inge ot Wales. In England, Wales, Scotland. and Northern Ireland "here are now approximately 6,500 iWomen’s Institutes! One of them,, “he Sandringham Women's Insti- tute, has as honorary president, ‘Mary. the Queen Mother, Queen Eli- zabeth as president, and the Prin- cess Elizabeth on iis roll of menr. bers. Were Sincere In Their Work Receive Letters From England Before the reviewer lie several! Old‘Country letters. The tirst isi from the chairman of the National'; Federation of Women's Institutes, the Countess of Albormarle, Lon-1 don. It reads in part: "Dear Fellow Members-The National Federation of Women's Institutes of England ‘and Wales would like you to accept their congratulations on your Ju- bilee, and wish to join in celebra- tion. You are pioneers in a move- ment that has brought happiness and opportunity to hundreds of thousands ot eountry-women all over the world. Canada's gift to the world of Women's Institutes has been one of the many outstanding contributions to the cause of world fellowship. To-day, our hearts go out to you in gratitude tor the on- terprise and vision shown fifty years ago by the founders of your insti- tute. . . . "On this, your jubilee day, you will be looking not only to the past with gratitude, but to the Iuture with hope, in which we would like to be associated with you so that by the strengthening of the bonds of 11nderrtsttu16itvc and common trndea- vour, the family of mankind may once again learn to live together in peace and happiness. Yours sincere- ly, Diana Albermarle, chairman.” - ... . . - . . "_-c---.," brs 1y, Luann n.w....t....., Va...P_FPFe". It will be of especial interest to Spectator readers to recall that a predecessor' in the Albemarle title was that daughter (Sophia) of Sir Allan Napier MacNab, who, on Nov- ‘ember 15, 1855, married at Dundurn Castle, Hamilton, amid great festiv- ities, the Viscount Bury (William Coulis Keppel) later on 7th Earl of Albemarle, who had come to Canada as aide to the Governor-General, Sir Edmund Head. The present Earl of Albermnrle is Walter Keppel, ninth in the line, who married Diana Grove in 1931. He won the Military Cross in World War II. t Among the 700 letters of congra- tulation received by the Mother In- stitute in anticipation ot the cele- hration of its semi-centennial at Stoney Creek on the mm of this month, is one from I. Nugent Harris, of Dane Hill, Hayward's Heath, Sus- sex, who so notably backed Mrs. Watt in establishing the movement in Great Britain and whose wire (is president ot the Dane Hill Wo- men's Institute over there. In his letter Mr. Harris wishes the Insti- tute "another tiity years of splerw did achievement," One more eommunication-this from Lady Patrick Ashley Cooper, of Hexton Manor. Hexton, Hens, wife of the Governor: of the Hud- son's Bay Company. It was written from Government House, Ottawa, whilst Lady Cooper was guest of Their Exee11entftes,,eaNy in Nov- ember, last. One or two extracts: "Just before leaving England to pay a visit to Canada, I was at a meet, ing ot the National Federation of Wornen's Institutes in London, and were were told ot your Iorth-com- ing jubilee celebrations. I had thought it might be possible to put in a day or two at Stoney Creek, but found it was impossible. . . .1 am in- tensely interested in the Women's Institute Movement-am a mem- ber of the Hertfordshire Executive Committee and president of the village Institute of Hexton. ' ..Next year I shall hope to meet some of you. I dearly love Canada. I have brought many, many messages to you to which I add my own and that A ... ., Y_..A:£nAn and mom. yvu w TVdqbV.F " _..-'- my _ of my Women's Institute and mem- hers." _ ENSTETUTES PLAN Elli BELEBRATIUN As the central feature of the! celebration of the 50th Anniver-1 sary of Women’s Institutes, the Federated Women's Institutes " Ontario are planning a mammoth golden Jubilee celebration, which will be held on Wednesday, June; 18, at the Ontario Agricultural Col-) lege, Guelph. Committees have been working on the plans for some time, and the plans provide for an all day program of events linking the past with the future. In the evening, n eolouNu1 and large scale pageant will be pri'- sented, to depict the origin and growth of Women's Institutes throughout Ontario, Canada and the world. In the historic meeting on Wed- nesday next, the special speaker at the Jubilee Dinner will be Mrs. Gordon Conant, of Toronto, daugh- ter of the Institute's first president and of the Hon. E. D, Smith of Hel- derleigh, Winona. Presiding at the dinner and sessions ot the Mother Institute will be the able and in- defatigable president, Mrs. Angus B. Jackson, whose fellow officers of the organization are: Mesdames J. B. Davis and L. 0. Jones, honor- ary presidents; Mesdames Joseph Piott and Fred Mather, vice-presi- dents; and Mrs. W. Lyle Nash, sec- retary-treasurer. . It is expected that this will be the greatest gathering ot Women's Institute officers and members ever assembled in one place, as all Institute members and their‘ friends are being invited to attend and take part in the celebration} It is expected that representativesl from the other provinces of Can- ada as well as from sister organiz- ations in other countries, will be present. For those coming (ram a distance, a limited amount of over- night t1ecompdation can be ar- ranged, but representatives desir- ing to secure such accommodation are specially requested to make their: applieauons as early as pos- sible. 7 V W. I . Jubilee Mrs. Conant Special Speaker /9, MW