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. é}. & THE FIRST WOMEN!S INSTITUTE \‘ Adelaide Hoodless, a young mother of Wentworth county, having lost her first â€"born child at the age of I8 months, and _ whose death was attributed to lack of knowledge of infant g#‘%, fesding, had a great longing to save others from the heart ache A__} she had suffered. This was her incentive to try and bring within the reach of all the necessary knowledge to prevent other such tragedies. To further her desire, she approached the department of Education with the suggestion that the rudiméents of home making and child care be taught in the public schools, bug she received no encouragement from this quarter,. Not to be discouraged by the department of HEducation, and realizing she could expect no help from that direction, Nrs. Hoodless determined to carry on the fight for what she dsemed necessary by taking the subject direct to the people. She did this by addressing meetings in her own locality using "The Value and Need of Domestic Science and Sewing in our Public Schools" as the topic ofi her address. Mr. Erland Lee, a public spirited young iarmer irom Saltfleet township in Wentworth CGCounty, attended one of these meetings and was so impressed with MNrs. Hoodless‘s address that he requested MNrs. Hoodless to address a mecting of the women of Stoney Creek. Nrs. Hoodless promised to do this. â€" The following February, 1897, the Farmer‘s Institute of Stoney CGreck were holding their regular meeting . It was an evening mesting and the women of the district were invited to attend. Mr Lee arranged to have NMrs. Hoodless address this gathering. At this meeting Mrs. Hoodless put forth the suggestion that the women form an organization similar in nature to the then existing Farmeg's Institute, and having for it‘s object the furtherance of m important work of minister=â€" ing to the health, comfort, angt general welfareÂ¥families residing in rural homes. Such an prganization would also work in conjunection with the Farmer! nstitute and assist in their work. Those present at this megifing decided to call another meeting for the express pur Bf conslildering the formation of just such an organization. The meeting held for this purpose was called for Feb.I9 A\_ 1897. MNrps. Hoodless was again asked to be present at thig gathering. When Mrs. Hoodless arrived she found about 100 women present, and one man, Nr. Lese. This mecting formed the organization known as the "Women‘s Départment of Domestic ; HEconomy in Affiliation with the Farmer‘s Institute of Wentworth County".â€" As this name was so unwféldy, at the next meeting of Pazostâ€"©19 944