Westcott W.I. Branch History

              WffiKfttt W. f, 40*" Anniversary
November 9, 1993
Women's Institute in the Westcott area really goes back much farther than our 40 years.
One of my earliest recollections as a pre- schooler is driving back to Rugby W. I.' s with my
mother and grandmother Robertson - first with the team and buggy, and then with my dad's
first car. I don't know which was the more nerve wracking - Mother was scared of both
kinds of transportation. Finally, 65 years ago Mother decided there were women right in
the Westcott district who would benefit from a Women's Institute; so in 1928 she was in­strumental
in forming the first Westcott W. I. It served a very useful purpose in this area,
but by 1953 had spread east to Didsbury, south to Jackson, and had 20 or more members.
So 25 years after my mother formed the first Westcott W. I., I looked around our im­mediate
Westcott area, and like my mother, saw there were many young women who could
benefit from a club of some sort.
On November 25, 1953 I invited nine of my neighbours to my home to see if they
would like to form a young women's group. Four of these ladies had W. I. experience:
Ellen Wilshusen had been a member of the Westcott W. I. for 14 years; Mary Dubois had
taken her mother for several years; and I joined Westcott in 1946 when I was married. Bea
Weidner had been a member of Rugby W. I. for eight years before she was married. Ethel
Baudistel, whom I had known all my life, Joyce Topping and Angeline Murphy were friends
from Westcott Church. They brought Wilma Rinehart and Clara Bogner - two new young
wives to the district. After some discussion, we decided we would like a W. I.. We made a
list of things we would like to learn, which included learning to knit, crochet, and sew;
first aid; how to make pie crust and different salads; and a recipe exchange.
We decided to meet again at Ellen Wilshusen's home December 8, 1953, and asked
Mrs. Alex Hogg, Constituency Convener, to be present and organize a Women's Institute.
We would decide on a name then.
At the organizational meeting we chose Westcott Junior W. I., which was appropriate
because we were all young, beautiful, and enthusiastic in those days.
The nine charter members were: Ethel Baudistel, Clara Bogner, Mary Dubois, Jean
Ford, Angeline Murphy, Wilma Rinehart, Joyce Topping, Bea Weidner, and Ellen
Wilshusen. During the following year, 1954. five more ladies joined: Marj Hughes, Ethel
Konschuh, Marie Konschuh, Laura Sletton, and Delores Topping.
We would have our meetings in the evening because, on counting, we found we had
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