The Story of the Alberta Women's Institute

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A BRIEF HISTORY OF
ALBERTA WOMEN'S INSTITUTES
of f Go \ S EARLY AS 1907 the Department meetAgrsicultaurediffeoentthe pointvserni-n .h",- ment of Alberta held "Institute" ing t r t he province, but these must not be confused with "Women's Institutes", nor did the Superintendent of Fairs and Institutes, first Mr. H. A. Craig and later, ivIr. C. E. Lewis, occupy the position of Superintendent of Women's Institutes. The Institutes of that time were meetings where short courses in Agriculture were given free of charge to farmers and were usuallv of two weeks' duration at each centre. three or four schools being 'held consecutively. These were attended hy many men and a number of women. the latter being particularly interested in the lectures on poultry and dairying. On December 1st, 1912. Mr. C. E. Lewis prepared a circular en. tiUed "Inception of Women's Institute \Vork in Alberta" telling of p1ans for the future. In this letter Mr. Lewis stated that the enthusiasm shown bv the women over the addition of a short course in domestic science to the short courses in agriculture seemed to "indicate that the time was ripe for a permanent provision to assist women's work on the farms and in the homes". "With this in vie,v," he wrote, "it is now proposed to organize a system of women's clubs or institutes under government patronage, having as their object the simplifying of all problems pertaining to the home, and consequent achievement of better home conditions and the increase of the g~enera 1 fLlnd of comfort. health, and efficiency. The study of home economics. including as it does household architecture, sanitation and hygiene, scientific nutrition, the care and training of children, and the knowledge or values (relative and absolute) of household materials will come in for a large share of attention. Mutual he Ipfulness will be urged ane! social '.intercourse which affects the development of an important side of human nature, will be encouraged. Tn brief. a conscious effort will be made to promote the highest ideals of home and the best standards of community life." This was the forecast, nearly four years after the first Women's Institute in the province had begun to function. Tn 1906 there cam(' 10 the newlv formed Province of Alberta, from \i!sa Craig, Ontario 1\1rs. lVI. K Gi'aham with her husband, Hugh C. Graham. In 1903 they moved to their homestead north of Vermilion and on the bank of the l';orth Saskatchewan River. Neighbors were few' and widely scattered. Roads were poor and transportation facilities were confined to ox-team, wagons, sleighs, and horseback. In HJ08 Mrs. Graham. who had been ~;ecretary of the Ailsa Craig \V omen's Institute. and president of' 1Iw North Middlesex District \-Vomen's Institutes. met Mrs. John Johnson. formerlv a member of the Slate River Women's Insiitntc, near 1"01'1 \VilliaI11. Ontario. and ~5~