1939 - Convention Report

              T W E N T Y - F I R S T PROVINCIAL CONVENTION 23
REPORT OF RECORDING SECRETARY
Mrs. R. E . Wood, Stony Plain.
Madam President and Fellow Workers:
It is with great pleasure that I submit my first report as your Secretary.
I appreciate the honor you did me, in electing me to this office two years ago,
and, though I have given of my best, to warrant the confidence you placed in
me, no doubt many mistakes have been made, and for these short- comings I
crave your indulgence.
At the close of the 1937 Convention, held in the Palliser Hotel, Calgary,
the new Council met to formulate plans for the coming biennial term, appoint
Conveners for the Standing Committees and clear up details arising from the
past convention. It was decided to publish our own " Home and Country"
magazine until such time as the " Federated Home and Country" became a
reality, and Mrs. M . L . Thompson, Coaldale, was appointed the Editor.
I was asked to take over the work formerly done by Mrs. J . A. Campbell,
and here I should like to extend to my predecessor sincere thanks for her
kindness and assistance to me. The work has been that of Business Secretary
as well as Recording Secretary, and though arduous at times, I have enjoyed,
the work very much. Many hours have been spent at the typewriter
endeavoring to answer all letters pertaining to our work and giving, to the
best of my knowledge, all information asked for. Whatever help I have given,
has been given in a spirit of thankfulness that the opportunity to thus serve
our Institute members, has been given to me. In the two years; 6,989 pieces
of mail have left my office. This includes supplies, convention reports, notices,
circular letters, etc. Many of the circular notices and letters, especially
those to Constituency Conveners and Conveners of Standing Committees, I
typed, rather than have the expense of mimeographing.
My first duty in my new office was the compiling and editing of the 1937
Convention report. Thanks to faithful Women's Institute members in Calgary,
Lethbridge and Edmonton Branches and to Mrs. J . A. Campbell, sufficient
advertising had been solicited to cover cost of printing this valuable report.
We are very grateful to the many firms who placed advertisements in our
report and ladies, let me urge each one of you to patronize these firms when­ever
possible. They are all reliable places of business. Is it too much to ask
you to say to them, " I saw your ad. in our Women's Institute report and
am pleased to give you my business." It means such a lot to them and
to us also.
A great deal of time and work is spent in publishing- the report and I
hope it is carefully read by all our members. Many Branches are reporting
that portions of it are read at each meeting until it has all been read.- They
use it as a text- book in the work of our organization. That is a splendid way
to get the valuable information given at the Convention, to all our members,
and please remember to take notice of the advertisers.
Extra copies of the Report were printed so that individual members
could get copies— 136 were ordered.
On June 6th and 7th, 1938, the members of the Council met in the Club
Room of the Y . W . C . A . , Edmonton. Several details in connection with
signatures in transacting business with the Bank of Commerce were attended
to. The Council voiced the appreciation of the courtesy extended to our
Institutes, by Radio Station CJOC, Lethbridge, and - a letter expressing same,
was sent to the manager and staff. Much time was spent dealing with
Branches in arrears with Provincial- dues; in a n attempt to; get these cleared