1932 Convention Report

              20 A L B E R T A WOMEN'S INSTITUTES
All through the district the branches are having get- together meetings,
one branch entertaining another. I had the pleasure of visiting Champion
W. I. when they entertained Carmangay and Kirkcaldy branches.
A fine gesture on the part of five Institutes in the Red Deer and Innisfail
West constituency was when they sent me several parcels of seeds for dis­tribution
in drought areas. These seeds I parcelled into 15 packages of about
25 packets each and sent them to the very dry districts. I have had some
very grateful replies thanking for the seeds, especially the flower seeds, as
they are in a luxury class when there is not money to provide more than
vegetable seeds.
Nothing very spectacular has been undertaken this year but the steady
cruising is what is most beneficial to the interests and ideals of the Women's
Institutes.
REPORT ON E D U C A T I O N A N D B E T T E R SCHOOLS
Mrs. E. J . Bell, Hussar, Convener.
It is with pleasure that I submit this, my first report on Education and
Better Schools. The scope of the subject is so vast; its methods and concepts
are ever changing, so that we of the Institutes must be reading and studying
constantly in order to keep abreast of the times.
During this period of so called depression, the Rural High School has and
should become a very important factor in the education of our youth. The
cities are finding it very difficult to finance the higher instruction for their
own girls and boys, and more of the burden must be sustained by the rural
and town school districts. Several have put in Grade XII. and are charging a
tuition fee for each of the High School grades, such as the city boards charge
for outsiders, and are finding this method satisfactory. One village hired a
teacher for Grades X. XI and XII and those receiving the benefit paid their
share of the expense above the school grant, and this room obtained a higher
per cent of passes than ever before in the history of the school. The parents
had their children home for one year longer, and the cost per family was less
than $ 100.00, and it was paid promptly.
Information concerning the financing of such an undertaking can be ob­tained
from the Department of Education, and from the towns of Bassano and
Hussar, where the method was carried out l= st year most satisfactorily.
The success of the above methods of continuing the education of our
local boys and girls depends to a very great extent on the teacher. As Arthur
Guiterman, in his poem, " Education." remarks:
" No printed word or spoken plea
Cm teach young hearts what men should be,.
Not all the books on all the shelves,
But what the teachers are themselves.
For education is making men."
If we prolong our local schools by adding more grades, we prolong the
home influence, too. and give parents a greater chance to play their parts, the
most important role in the relationships of humanity, at the time in the lives
of the young people when parents' love and guidance is most needed.
Our school curriculum has been revised and is really a wonderfully worked