The Book of Ideas

              CHAPTER ONE

THE ALBERTA WOMEN'S

INSTITUTES

The A.W.I. is an organization of women working together under the motto "For Home and Country." It fosters and promotes interest of homemakers in health, home economics, citizenship, education, social service, agriculture, industries, United Nations and exchange programs. Eight or more women may be organized into a W.I. Branch and a number of Branches are grouped to form a Constituency and these in turn are united into Districts and altogether they form the Provincial Body called the Alberta Women's Institute. The Provincial Organization is a part of the Federated Women's Institute of Canada and is also a Constituent Society of the Associated Country Women of the WorId. At present (1967 there are 3,636 members in 233 Branches, 36 Constituencies in five Districts forming the Alberta Women's Institutes. Mrs. Hugh C. Graham of Vermilion was President of the first W.I. in Alberta, organized in 1909. Her persistent appeal, for three years, to the Department of Agriculture, brought the appointment of Miss Mary MacIsaac as Superintendent of Women's Institutes and an annual grant of five dollars per year to any Institute having twenty or more paid-up members. Six Branches qualified in 1912. In 1915 the 42 Branches in the Province held their first Convention in Olds and Miss Isobel Nobel became the first Provincial President. In 1918 there were 212 Branches in the Province and the Government increased the grant to ten dollars per Branch and gave five dollars to Women's Institute Girls' Clubs. The Government also paid the fare of one delegate from each Branch to Provincial Conventions. In 1922 the Institutes were cut off from being a part of the Department of Agriculture and financial assistance gradually decreased. By 1932 the Alberta Women's Institutes were entirely on their own. In this it is unique among the Provinces. The Alberta Government has, however, from time to time contributed toward

special projects.

.

The Alberta Women's Institutes Constitution defines the objectives. Summarized these are to improve the social conditions in rural communities through study of problems relating to home, school, health, agriculture, child welfare and to maintain the motto, "For Home and Country." We will never outgrow those needs.
Some things done by the A.W.I.: Passed the first resolution asking for Medical Inspection in Schools and for travelling clinics in the Province. Established rest rooms, community halls, organized recreation, made school improvements, took care of cemeteries, encouraged beautification of home surroundings and welcomed new settlers to their communities. They were "good neighbors" to them in a new country. Contributed to the purchase of radium for free use of cancer patients; were the first body to have Associate Membership in the Canadian Cancer Society; encouraged and sponsored schools for the study of cancer; contributed to the purchase of equipment for cancer research; encouraged the Government to form Cancer Clinics. 11