The Story of the Alberta Women's Institute

              THE

STORY

OF

THE

ALBERTA

WO;VrEN'S

I:;STITUTES

be cut and a committee was appointed from the floor of the convention to make recommendations on how this should be done. Among the recommendations approved, was one which provided that temporary reduction in F.W.I.C. fees be asked for; another that the delegates' fares to the next convention only, be paid and another that the bond for the Business Secretary be reduced to $3,000 instead of $5,000 as formerly. Subsequent events proved this to have been a mistake. The suggestion that biennial conventions take the place of the annu~l convention was voted down almost unanimously. However, by the spring of 1932, times were so very difficult that the Council set the situation before the branches in a circular and recommended that the 1932 convention be cancelled and that biennial conventions be held in the future. These recommendations were accepted with good grace. Without an annual convention, more work than ever fell upon the constituency conveners and conveners of standing committees and these splendid women have been carrying on a fine piece of work throughout all these difficult years. First Handicraft Exhibit Held at 1933 Convention The first exhibit of handicraft made solely by Women's Institute members was arranged for the 1933 convention held in the Palliser Hotel, Calgary, by Mrs. J. Macgregor Smith. Although the work displayed on that occasion was a credit to any organization, the quality so improved in intervening years that the exhibits became of a very high order indeed. In 1933 Mrs. Montgomery started the Loan Collection in a very humble way but so successful did it become that it proved a valuable source from which to draw practical, suitable, and up-to-date material for programmes and is used extensively. As president, Mrs. Montgomery became to the Women's Institute members a gracious and kindly friend, a firm and wise counsellor and won both their respect and affection, Times were still hard but the women \vere learning to do their best with what they had to do \vith and were facing the problems of the future with chins up and smiling, J\1rs. .J. P. Ferguson, Trochu, was elected nresident in 1933. and

Mrs. .J. A. Campbell, Milk River, secretary.

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In the winter of 1933-34 a very fine correspondence course in nutrition was prepared by Mrs. J. Macgregor Smith with the CO-ODeration of three young graduates in Household Science. Three hun'dred ~opies were sent out each month for six months to the branches applymg for them. Each branch taking the course paid one dollar to cover the cost and an examination was held at the end of the course and diplomas were awarded. What might have been a serious blow to the A.W.L was the embezzlement in 1933 of funds by a trusted employee. Thanks to the fact that she was bonded, and to the legal ability of the president, the final loss was exceedingly small-less than $100. --20--