1924 - Annual Convention Report

              A L B E R T A W O M E N ' S I N S T I T U T ES
D o n a t i o n given to Greek and A r m e n i a n R e l i e f F u n d . The C o n s t i t u e n c y C o n ­ference
at S t o n y P l a i n was b o t h i n s t r u c t i v e and enjoyable. M r s . M a c G r e g or
S m i t h a n d M r s . M a c d o n a l d were t h e speakers. Splendid r e p o r t s a n d h e l p f u l dis­cussion.
T h e E d s o n C o n s t i t u e n c y , Convener, M r s . TJpcott, H a d d o c k , h a s five I n s t i t u t e s.
Jasper, a young I n s t i t u t e shows strength and growth. B a s k e t r y is t a k e n up.
M a h a s k a , M o u n t a i n P a r k a n d W o l f C r e e k h a v e depleted r a n k s t h r o u g h ' people
l e a v i n g the D i s t r i c t . This makes i t h a r d to c a r r y on b u t they are s h o w i n g a fine
s p i r i t . Edson is d o i n g good c o m m u n i t y w o r k . No conference was h e l d o w i n g to
the D i r e c t o r ' s illness. The women a p p r e c i a t e what the G o v e r n m e n t is d o i n g for
t h em a n d have n o t h i n g b u t praise for the D e m o n s t r a t o r s and L e c t u r e r s who c a r ry
o n the work. Where there are no G i r l s ' C l u b s t h e t r a i n i n g of t h e g i r l s i s one of our
r e s p o n s i b i l i t i e s .
" A perfect W o m a n , n o b l y p l a n n ed
T o w a r n , t o comfort, a n d command,
A n d y e t a s p i r i t s t i l l a n d b r i g ht
W i t h s o m e t h i n g of our angel l i g h t ."
C- A . G A T E S , D i r e c t o r.
R E P O R T O F D I R E C T O R O F D I S T R I C T N o . 3.
I n r e v i e w i n g I n s t i t u t e w o r k i n D i s t r i c t N o . 3 for t h e year 1923- 24, I a m most,
pleased to be able to r e p o r t as m a n y I n s t i t u t e s as were r e p o r t e d last y e a r a n d each
a n d everyone is a c t i v e i n some phase of c o m m u n i t y work, a n d there i s _ a d e c i d ed
i m p r o v e m e n t i n the organization. Re conveners of s t a n d i n g committees. In
most I n s t i t u t e s a l l the subjects have a place o n t h e i r y e a r l y p r o g r a m m e . A few
I n s t i t u t e s are s p e c i a l i z i n g more on the work of one or two committees such as
" H o u s e h o l d E c o n o m i c s " o r " C h i l d W e l f a r e " b y h a v i n g v a r i o u s papers, discussion,
or demonstrations and b y t a k i n g u p t h a t p a r t i c u l a r subject i n a l l i t s phases.
T h e eighteen C o n s t i t u e n c y Conferences h e l d i n t h i s D i s t r i c t d u r i n g t h e months
of September and October were, o w i n g t o the e x t r e m e l y b u s y season, not so well
a t t e n d e d as the year previous but t h e y l a c k e d n o t h i n g i n i n t e r e s t or e d u c a t i o n al
value. As i t has been m y p r i v i l e g e a n d pleasure to a t t e n d several of these c o n ­ferences
for three successive falls, I find t h a t each year b r i n g s a d e c i d e d i m p r o v e ­ment,
programmes are broadened, the i n d i v i d u a l w o m a n has a b e t t e r o p p o r t u n i ty
for self expression of her v i e w s o r f o r l e a r n i n g f r om others s o m e t h i n g she i s desirous
of k n o w i n g . Discussions are less c r i t i c a l a n d more c o n s t r u c t i v e . T r u l y the t r i te
s a y i n g , " W e l e a r n t o do b y d o i n g , " is w e l l e x e m p l i f i e d i n t h e i m p r o v e d C o n s t i t u e n cy
Conference. A t each and every Conference there was a speaker for P r o h i b i t i on
s h o w i n g where the I n s t i t u t e s s t o o d i n t h e c a m p a i g n . A t e v e r y p o i n t where a C o n ­ference
was h e l d t h e l o c a l I n s t i t u t e added m u c h t o t h e social success b y e n t e r t a i n i ng
a l l v i s i t o r s as well as materially-• a s s i s t i n g i n m a n y other ways.
J u s t here I w i s h to p a y t r i b u t e to the eighteen C o n s t i t u e n c y C o n v e n e r s of
D i s t r i c t N o . 3 who h a v e done s u c h s p l e n d i d w o r k d u r i n g the past y e a r ; b y v i s i t i ng
v a r i o u s I n s t i t u t e s ; by a s s i s t i n g the conveners of s t a n d i n g committees a n d ' b y co­o
p e r a t i n g w i t h t h e D i s t r i c t D i r e c t o r . I n m a n y cases t h i s has meant a sacrifice of
t i m e a n d a b u r n i n g of t h e m i d n i g h t o i l b u t i t has a l l b e e n done w i l l i n g l y a n d cheer­f
u l l y .
W a i n w r i g h t C o n s t i t u e n c y reports m u c h c h a r i t y work, one i n s t i t u t e d e v o t i ng
a l l t h e i r energies to t h a t work. A n o r g a n was p u r c h a s e d and p l a c e d i n h a l l for
c o m m u n i t y use b y one b r a n c h a n d another r e p o r t s not a t t e m p t i n g to raise m u ch
money but have put special effort, i n a r r a n g i n g an i n t e r e s t i n g a n d well b a l a n c ed
p r o g r a m m e for the year w h i c h i s p r o v i n g a r e a l benefit to the w o m e n of t h e com­m
u n i t y .
T h e Conference was h e l d at R i b s t o n e w i t h n i n e t y i n a t t e n d a n c e a n d all the
I n s t i t u t e s represented. Excellent m u s i c was again an o u t s t a n d i n g feature of this
Conference.
Sedge w i c k C o n s t i t u e n c y s t i l l holds for its slogan " B e t t e r S c h o o l s . " Most
I n s t i t u t e s r e p o r t m u c h assistance to S c h o o l F a i r s also p u t t i n g i n p l a y g r o u n d e q u i p ­ment.
One b r a n c h has p l a c e d four p i c t u r e s i n t h e i r v i l l a g e s c h o o l a n d t w o i n e a ch
of five r u r a l schools. This same b r a n c h is a d d i n g a n u m b e r of trees t o those t h ey
p l a c e d i n t h e m a i n streets of t h e v i l l a g e l a s t year a n d t h e y also gave § 100.00 t o the
m e m o r i a l f u n d.
One b r a n c h gave a f r o l i c t o t h e school c h i l d r e n b y p u t t i n g o n a c h i l d r e n ' s c a r n i v a l .
Several I n s t i t u t e s r e p o r t lectures b y t h e i r l o c a l d o c t o r or n u r s e o n s u c h s u b j e c t as:
contagious and infectious diseases, value of sleep, poisons a n d t h e i r antidotes;
also M i s s M a c m i l l a n ' s s p l e n d i d l e c t u r e on " D o n a t i o n " a n d M r . O t t e w e l l ' s lecture