1924 - Annual Convention Report

              T E N T H A N N U A L C O N V E N T I ON
Y o u w i l l a l l b e i n t e r e s t e d to k n o w that M i s s Bess M c D e r m a n d , o u r past Assistant
S u p e r i n t e n d e n t , was present, a n d gave one of the most c o n s t r u c t i v e r e p o r t s of the
C o n v e n t i o n . Miss M c D e r m a n d is engaged in E x t e n s i o n w o r k i n the State of N ew
Y o r k .
It was i n t e r e s t i n g t o hear t h e vague, a n d at times erroneous, impressions of the
West. One gentleman, in s p e a k i n g of the vast spaces of our C o u n t r y , referred to
a n i n h a b i t e d a m i of 250 miles i n w i d t h . I thought of A l b e r t a , w i t h Women's
I n s t i t u t e s s c a t t e r e d f r om S u n n y N o o k i n t h e S o u t h t o F o r t M c M u r r a y i n t h e N o r t h ,
a d i s t a n c e of o v e r S00 miles as the crow flies, and from A l s a s k i n the East to Jasper
i n the West, a d i s t a n c e of o v e r 300 miles.
T h r o u g h o u t the East 1 h e a r d the dirge, " W e l l , the W e s t ' s best days are o v e r ."
Y o u c a n w e l l i m a g i n e that such a challenge s t r u c k fire. Y o u m a y wonder how this
impression got a b r o a d . It was f r om a few o f o u r o w n people, who b y p u b l i c u t t e r a n ce
a n d w r i t t e n w o r d spread this erroneous report. What are we g o i n g to do about, it?
Ul t every woman h e n ' who has a f r i e n d i n the East make a point of w r i t i n g the t r u th
to that f r i e n d . We have had h a r d times here, but wc are not alone i n t h a t . Every
new c o u n t r y has i t s hardships, esjveeially after years of b o om followed by years of
w a r . but the real A l b e r t a |> cople are not winners, but believers in the fact that
A l b e r t a w i l l he. a n d is now. one of the best spots i n t h i s great D o m i n i o n.
I n c l o s i n g . I w o u l d l i k e to p a y t r i b u t e to the u n t i r i n g k i n d l i n e s s a n d friendliness
of the E a s t e r n jieople. In the West we are a bit more free perhaps, for we care not
a whit what the neighbors m a y t h i n k , n o r a r e we h o u n d b y t h e t r a d i t i o n of " k e e p i ng
up a f r o n t . " We a l l d o our own housework, and feel p r o u d that we are able l o do
HI. but I sus] MH- t t h a i when the E a s t e r n c i t y woman docs her o w n w o r k it is a f a m i ly
secret. It was once thought i h a i a perfect l a d y must not soil her fingers, and s h o u ld
p r i d e herself on b e i n g unversed i n the business of housewifery. 1 b e l i e v e the species
is not yet e x t i n c t . However, be that as it may, the E a s t e r n w o m a n in E a s t e rn
c i t i e s are c h a r m i n g a n d hospitable ladies, a n d 1 s h o u l d be e n o r m o u s l y pleased if
thoy l i k e d me one- half so well as I l i k e d I h e m .
W O M E N ' S I N S T I T U T E G I R L S ' C L U B S.
Dear f l i r t s,
O u r C o n v e n t i o n this year meant much more to each girl t h a n in past years
T h e simple* un|> olishcd r a m p - l i f e at Jasjter p r o v i d e d a n o p e n i n g for us I h i s year.
T h e pent up energies in us, the s p i r i i of a d v e n t u r e I hat we love, had more r o om
: u i d more ways of expressing itself. We a l l realize that wc arc part of an organ­i
s a t i o n s t r i v i n g t o direct o u r energies in a p a t h that w i l l t e n d to m a k e us i n e v e ry
way, better, more comix- tent eh izens of C a n a d a , vol we often fail to reach the common
u n d e r s t a n d i n g thai we found at Jasper this year. Our feelings were s i m p l y and
n a t u r a l l y expressed c r e a t i n g a spirit of w h i c h we were v e r y p r o u d.
We say w i t h much pride t h a i our C o n v e n t i o n t h i s year I) rought about greater
c o - o p e r a t i o n a m o n g our w o r k e r s - - a c o n d i t i o n w h i c h i n d i v i d u a l effort could never
have brought about. This was n huge s t u m b l i n g block i n i h e w a y of o u r progress.
I hojje that during, t h e c o m i n g y e a r each one of us w i l l do a l l wc c a n to . stimulate
interest among i h e g i r l s w h o were not able l o be at C o n v e n t i o n t h i s y e a r so that
next year al Banff a good many more may profit by our C o n v e n t i o n.
W i t h e v e r y good wish for a successful year, I am,
S i n c e r e l y .
M l N N i K PACIK, President.
T h e fifth a n n u a l C o n v e n t i o n of the A l b e r t a Women's I n s t i t u t e CurW C l u b was
held at L a k e E d i t h C a m p , J a s p e r , J u l y 2 n d , 3 r d and - 1th, M i s s M i n n i e Page p r e s i d i n g.
T h e m e e t i n g opened by s i n g i n g " T h e M a p l e L e a f , " a f t e r which the minutes were
read and a p p r o v e d.
T h e financial report was then s u b m i t t e d by Ihe Secretary- Treasurer.
A l e t t e r f r om M m . M . K. K o g e r s , S e c r e t a r y , A l b e r t a W o m e n ' s I n s t i t u t e was
t h e n read, b e a r i n g greeting* to the girls met i n C o n v e n t i o n , also a gift of t e n d o l l a rs
f r om the A l b e r t a Women's I n s t i t u t e E x e c u t i v e.
T h e g i r l s wore welcomed to Jasper by the newly o r g a n i z e d W o m e n ' s I n s t i t u te
at Jasper.
T h e address of welcome was responded lo b y M a r i o n Vonrhees, A l l i a n c e.