1924 - Annual Convention Report

              40 A L B E R T A W O M E N ' S I N S T I T U T ES
A c t i v i t i e s i n c l u d e : P a t r i o t i c C o n c e r t s ; P a t r i o t i c Pageants; O r a t o r i c a l C o n t e s t s;
F l a y R a i s i n g ; C o m m u n i t y P i c n i c s ; C o m m u n i t y S o c i a l s w i t h n ew C a n a d i a n s as guests
of honor.
Studies on T h e N o r t h A m e r i c a n A c t , C a n a d i a n C i v i c s , C a n a d i a n L i t e r a t u r e,
C a n a d i a n A u t h o r s , C a n a d i a n Heroes and Heroines, C a n a d i a n N a t u r a l Resources,
C a n a d i a n M u s i c and Composers, C a n a d i a n A r t i s i t s , B r i t i s h B i o g r a p h i e s , W o r ld
P a t r i o t s , Programmes have been arranged c o - o p e r a t i v e l y w i t h teachers i n m a ny
schools for the observance of the v a r i o u s p a t r i o t i c d a y s.
A C a n a d i a n n i g h t i n the I n s t i t u t e.
A p a t r i o t i c d a y i n the I n s t i t u t e.
One Institute arranged to have each B r a n c h c h a i r m a n responsible for the
programme of one meeting— a prize w i l l be g i v e n for the best. T h i s I n s t i t u te
presented small flags to p u p i l s a n d a large flag t o school, also have p a t r i o t i c sugges­t
i o n s for a r o l l c a l l . Another I n s t i t u t e was p r e s e n t i n g the t o w n s p o r t s g r o u n d w i th
a beautiful flag- pole a n d U n i o n J a c k . M a n y other I n s t i t u t e s are p r e s e n t i n g schools
and pupils w i t h large and small flags.
I wish to again refer to the fact that a c c o r d i n g t o the School O r d i n a n c e a ll
schools are supposed to fly the N a t i o n a l F l a g a n d 1 c e r t a i n l y t h i n k t h a t where i n ­spectors
find this is not " being done they s h o u l d recommend to the Department
of E d u c a t i o n that the flag and pole be p r o v i d e d b y the government a n d the money
for same be deducted f r om school g r a n t . In d i s t r i c t s where it w o u l d w o r k a h a r d ­s
h i p to take a l l i n oue year then a s m a l l s um a n n u a l l y c o u l d be deducted. Whilst
the " N e w C a n a d i a n " s t i l l continues t o be t h e greatest field for t h i s w o r k . I w o u ld
l i k e t o m e n t i o n that the one- roomed r u r a l school has been b r o u g h t to m y a t t e n t i on
a great deal this year. This is not a general c o m p l a i n t of course— many of these
schools are nearer to the ideal t h a n the t o w n schools— but i t often happens that the
r u r a l teacher t h i n k s she has ample work to fill and sometimes more t h a n fill her
t i m e a n d we k n o w t h a t i s so— but more c a n be done, nevertheless b y t h e r i g h t k i nd
of teacher. Professor O t t e w e l l has p r o m i s e d me he w i l l s h ow us h ow a n " A l b e r ta
R u r a l School came i n t o its O w n , " a n d at m y request our k i n d h e a r t e d l i t t l e secre­t
a r y has arranged a place for the Professor f o l l o w i n g this report.
Of all the Women's I n s t i t u t e s S t a n d i n g C o m m i t t e e s I make bold to say that
t h i s w o r k is the mcst difficult and d e l i c a t e , for here we have to deal w i t h h u m an
hearts, w i t n primal passion, w i t h i n h e r i t e d prejudices and w i t h supersensitive
minds w h i c h are sometimes i n c l i n e d to r e a d i n t o our purposes, motives w h i c h we
do not possess.
But so long we s t a y w i t h the G o l d e n R u l e , " A s ye w o u l d that men s h o u l d do
u n t o y o u do y o u also to t h e m , " likewise, we s h a l l not offend the most s e n s i t i v e . So
l o n g as we show the foreign b o r n that we are w i l l i n g to l e a r n f r om them— as well
as teach them— so l o n g as we resist the t e m p t a t i o n of t r y i n g to impress t h em w i th
idea.-- of A n g l o - S a x o n s u p e r i o r i t y a n d remember that C a n a d i a n i z a t i o n is a m u t u al
process we s h a l l c o n t i n u e t o m a k e a success of t h i s w o r k.
W h i l s t the p h y s i c a l g a t e w a y s to C a n a d a seem to be M o n t r e a l a n d V a n c o u v e r—
t h e r e a l g a t e w a y is i n o u r o w n c o m m u n i t y — i n o u r schools, o u r churches, o u r W o m e n ' s
I n s t i t u t e , and k i n d r e d o r g a n i z a t i o n s — i n o u r homes— in the personal t o u c h . Let
lis s t r i v e to use the advantages at our d i s p o s a l.
R e s p e c t f u l l y s u b m i t t e d,
M A R f i A R E T M O R L E Y,
C o n v e n e r .
R E P O R T O F D I R E C T O R O F G I R L S ' C L U B S.
W h e n your E x e c u t i v e a p p o i n t e d me director of W o m e n ' s I n s t i t u t e s G i r l s'
C l u b s , 1 k n ew the first t h i n g I must do was t o get i n touch w i t h the G . C . P r e s i d e nt
a n d Secretary so I i n v i t e d the P r e s i d e n t to s p e n d a week w i t h me a n d we t h o r o u g h ly
discussed the girls' work. We b o t h k n ew a l l t h e clubs were not s t r o n g a n d o u r a im
s h o u l d be t o make the s t r o n g ones stronger a n d the weak s t r o n g.
M i s s Page, the President, t o l d me that at their C o n v e n t i o n last M a y they
passed a r e s o l u t i o n t o t h e effect that it w o u l d be impossible for t h em ever t o meet
i n C o n v e n t i o n at t h i s t i m e of the year, i n fact they w o u l d prefer no C o n v e n t i on
t i l l t h e close o f the school year. M a n y of t h e members are teachers a n d a great
n u m b e r of o t h e r s are s t u d y i n g f o r final e x a m i n a t i o n s so i t w o u l d be out of t h e q u e s t i on
to t h i n k of m e e t i n g w i t h the W o m e n ' s I n s t i t u t e s i n M a y or June.