1939 - Convention Report

              18 A L B E R T A WOMEN'S INSTITUTES
REPORT OF THE PRESIDENT, 1937- 1939
Mrs. Wm. Stewart, Peace River.
When in 1937 you did me the honor of electing- me President of the A l ­berta
Women's Institutes, it became my earnest desire to serve this great
organization to the best of my ability. To this end I have travelled many a
mile and spent many an hour at my desk, and now submit to you a report of
my humble efforts and a summary of the general policy of the Alberta Women's
Institutes.
CONFERENCES AND MEETINGS
When I assumed office it was my intention to visit every Constituency
Conference in the Province during my two- year term. Unfortunately on two
occasions the Directors and myself were almost within hailing distance of our
destination when the roads became impassable. All the others were reached
and District I had a " repeat" visit in 1938.
Those of you who read my article in our A. W. I. " Home and Country," " In
Search of Alberta," and those of you who were fortunate enough to read Mrs.
McCorquodale's article entitled " Alberta Samaritans" in the magazine section
of the Calgary Herald, do not need to be told of the splendid work that is
being done by the Women's Institutes all over the Province. This will be re­ported
to you in detail by your Directors and Conveners. Suffice it for me
to say that even in the worst dried- out Districts the Institutes were carrying
their banner high. Noticeable too was the high standard of the handicrafts
at some of the Conferences.
In 1937 I was privileged to attend the Women's Institute Girls' Club Con­vention
at Olds. It was a revelation to me to see how splendidly organized
these girls were, and how useful and practical their studies were. One could
only wish that every rural girl in the Province could belong to a W. I. Girls'
Club.
In 1938 Mrs. Evans, A. W. I. Convener of Child Welfare and Public Health,
represented me at District II Conference, and Mrs. Thompson, A. W. I. Vice-
President, at District IV Conference at Calgary. In 1939 it was possible for
me to attend a very successful District Conference at Calgary. In the spring
of 1938 and again in 1939, Council meetings were held in Edmonton and Red
Deer. All members were present and gave reports of their work and their
problems, and made plans and preparations for the Constituency Conferences,
Biennial Convention and other activities of the Alberta Women's Institutes.
FEDERATED WOMEN'S INSTITUTES OF CANADA
In November, 1937, I attended the F. W. I. C. Convention at Toronto at
Federated expense. Since I reported this Convention in two issues of " Home
and Country" and since we are to hear from F. W. I. C. representatives at this
Convention, only a few remarks need be made here. All of you know about the
new Federated magazine, and you will learn something of the other aims of
the F. W. I. C. You had instructed me to try to have the Alberta dues reduced
from $ 300 to $ 150, and this I succeeded in doing. This reduction, however,
was not made retroactive, as former dues had been promised in good faith,
and so Alberta paid arrears of $ 400 up to the end of 1937.
During my two- year term I have travelled thousands of miles on Institute
work and my absences from home totalled about four months.