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Attractive blue and gold programs have been printed by the South Waterloo district of the Women's Institute as a souvenir of the 50th anniversary celebration being held in New Hamburg Tuesday. The history of the district and of each of the branches is carried in the program. We were interested to read the accounts which we will attempt to summarize for our readers. On the invitation of the South Waterloo Farmers' Institute, a number of women gathered at the home of Mr. and Mrs. George R. Barrie, North Dumfries, on June 8, 1903, to discuss the formation of a Women's Institute. Miss Agnes Smith, Hamilton, was speaker. The following officers were elected: Mrs. R. H. Knowles, Hespeler, president; Mrs. J. J. Jamieson, Hespeler, vice-president; Mrs. William Elliott, Galt, secretary-treasurer. Sixty women joined at the organizational meeting and two men were made honorary members. South Waterloo was the 46th district organized in Ontario. During the early years meetings were held at Galt, Preston, Hespeler, Blair, New Dundee, Roseville, Branchton, Mannheim and Bres-lau. In the summer of 1904 Branch-ton organized a branch and in 1905 the groundwork was laid for adding more branches. From 1912 the branches started arranging their own programs and reporting at the district annual meetings. The early district annual meetings were held in the homes of members. In 1921 the district affiliated with the Federated Women's Institutes of Canada. Mrs. W. H. Pat-terson, Galt, was the first federated board member of the district. She held office from 1934-35. In 1928 the 25th anniversary was held in the Hespeler United Church. Mrs. Knowles, the first, president, and Mrs. Lewis Hahn, retiring president, cut a special anniversary cake. There are 15 branches in the South Waterloo district. Branch- ton was organized in 1904 at the home of Mrs. John A. MacDonald. Mrs. William Elliott and Mrs. Knowles were present to give assistance. Mrs. Cam Scott was elected first president. There are two remaining charter members, Mrs. Walter Oliver and Mrs. Agnes MacDonald but there are no de scendants of first members on the present roll. president ent at the first meeting. Miss E D. Watson was the first president and held office for 13 years. The Haysville branch was organized Nov. 20, 1914. Mrs. Elliott was the organizer. Eleven women joined at the first meeting. The home of Mrs. David Rife, Sunnyhill, was the scene of the organization meeting of the Hes-peler branch in 1906. Mrs. Thomas Shaw was the first president. Miss Emily Guest of the Women's Institute branch of the Ontario Department of Agriculture organized the New Hamburg branch Nov. 29, 1921. Mrs. I. M. Cassel, district president, was also present. There were 41 charter members. The Laura Rose Young Women's Institute grew out of the Sheffield Junior Institute which became so large it had to divide. The branch was organized in 1942 with Miss Jessie Oliver as president. The name is a tribute to a very early and faithful institute member. A group of women met at Little's Corners May 25, 1927, to organize. Mrs. Louis Hahn, district president, presided and Mrs. Harry Dakin was elected president. The 25th anniversary was celebrated last year. The Mill Creek branch started in 1931 under the inspiration of Mrs. Leslie Turnbull who held a lawn party as the organizational meeting. Work on historical research has an added impetus in this branch because Mrs. T. D. Cowan, president of the Waterloo County Historical Society is member. group of women met at Chapman's Hall, New Dundee, June 13 1907, for the purpose of organization. Mrs. F. W. Watts, Miss B. Duncan and a Miss Pattison were the guest speakers. The officers were elected, headed by Mrs. T. Rice. In 1947 at the time of the 50th anniversary celebrations women in the community of Glen Christie felt that they were missing by not having a WI. So a branch was ¦formed and took the name "Jubilee" because of the anniversary. On Sept. 7, 1906, a group of women met in the Preston town hall with Mrs. Elliott to organize a branch. The first president was Mrs. B. Seiman and there were nine charter members. The Galt branch was organized at the YMCA Jan. 30, 1906. Mrs. Rife of Hespeler was the organizer. Mrs. James Douglas was elected president and Miss Mabel Cowan was the secretary-treasurer. Twenty members enrolled at the first meeting. ¦ ¦ ¦ The Ayr branch was organized in 1908 by Mrs. Knowles and Mrs. Elliott with the first meeting held in Mr. Charles McGeorge's Hall. Mrs. Adelaide Hoodless was pres- The Maple Grove branch was started March 13, 1930. Women from six communities attended the first meeting. Mrs. J. R. Wood was the first president. Central Dumfries branch was organized May 19, 1909. Mr. F. C. Hart, after organizing a farmers' club, suggested a WI for the women. The first meeting was held at the home of Mrs. Robert Ford. Mrs. John Taylor was named first president. The silver anniversary and 40th anniversary were both celebrated with banquets. The Grand River branch was formed Oct. 28, 1947, when 14 women from Doon and Blair met at the home of Mrs. E. G. Perine, Doon, under the supervision of Mrs. A. R. Matthews, Preston, Mrs. G. Ayres, Doon, was the first president. 1903 1953