1937 - Convention Report

              TWENTIETH PROVINCIAL CONVENTION 51
Homes", " Bottled Sunshine", " Art of Entertaining", " Foods, Their Value and
How to Use Them"; " Filling Up the Christmas Gift Box", " This and That
About the Home", and " How to Budget Money." One Constituency Chairman
reported in full on an interesting book review of L. M. Gilbuth's, " The Home-maker
and Her Job." She stated that this book could be borrowed from The
Extension Department Library. One Branch had an interesting paper on
" Chocolate", dealing with the product in all its stages of growth, manufacture
and consumption, and each member was presented with a cook book of Baker's
best chocolate recipes. One rather unique method of holding a Household
Economics' meeting was reported. One member explained the work covered by
our Household Economics' Committee and dealt in detail with the four phases.
After the topic " Foods" had been explained, another member gave a five- minute
talk on " The School Lunch." At the conclusion of the explanation of " Household
Management", another member gave a short talk on " Entertainment in the
Home. After the " Clothing and Textiles" phase had been dealt with, another
member gave a talk on " Removal of Stains", and when the topic of " Shelter"
was finished a talk on " Interior Decoration" was given.
Demonstrations have been very popular and a great many helpful ones were
given. Some of them were, Cheese Making, Brown Sugar Icing, Angel Cake
Making, Making Buttonholes, Making an Easter Dessert, Making Real Boston
Baked Beans, Making of Bath, Laundry and Face Soap from Tallow and Crack­lings,
Easily Prepared Supper Dishes, Wholesome Desserts and Home- Made
Candy, Dry Cleaning, Glove Making, Rug Making, Making of Javelle Water,
and Typical Meals in a Scottish Home, with recipes given for the dishes. One
unusual demonstration reported was the making of home- made maple syrup
from small potatoes. One Institute had a local talent demonstration, at which the
making of a lampshade, soap chips, knitted bedsocks, buttonholes and orange
icing were demonstrated. Many Branches had demonstrations on Table Setting,
Short- cuts in Sewing, Interior Decoration and Art in Everyday Life, from the
Home Bureau Department
Several Women's Institutes sent a woman to Farm Women's Week at either
Olds or Vermilion School of Agriculture. It gave me great pleasure to receive
reports from several Constituency Chairmen of Household Economics, stating
100% activity in that subject by the Branches in their Constituencies.
I feel that I cannot close this report without passing on a few suggestions
that have occurred to me during my work on the Household Economics Com­mittee.
1. That our Institutes earnestly request our Provincial Government to
continue the Health Clinic and add a Nutrition Clinic to it. More helpful inform­ation
should be given our people on " Proper Diets for Health," and these two
clinics can do, and should be doing a great service for our people in this regard.
2. After twenty- five years our Women's Institutes in Alberta seem to be
still drifting along in Household Economics work and are losing many benefits
by lack of concentrated study along Household Economic lines. Let us get
" Homemakers' University" conscious and make our Institutes what Mrs. Hood-less
visualized. Let every branch in Alberta study one subject during the next
two years, individually and as an organization, and we shall begin to accomplish
benefits from our Household Economics work. I think it would be a good 25th
year jubilee resolution.
3. My last suggestion is that every Institute start a section in their minute
book termed " Things Our Institute Ought to Know," and this list be read at
every annual meeting at least. In this way, new Secretaries, new Chairmen of
Standing Committees, and new Constituency Conveners would have some train­ing
in their duties.
In closing I wish to thank those members who have made individual study
of " Foods and Diet" and hope that by now you are putting your information to
work by providing wholesome, nourishing meals to a healthy family. My thanks
also go to all Constituency Chairmen of Household Economics who sent in such
splendid reports, and to those District Directors who co- operated with me by
sending the Household Economics reports given at their Constituency Con­ferences.