The Story of the Alberta Women's Institute

              THE

STORY

OF

THE

ALBERTA

WOMEN'S

INSTITUTES

Lady Tweedsmuir Prairie Library Started The idea of the Lady Tweedsmuir Prairie Library Scheme 1,vhich operated through rural women's clubs in Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta originated in Calgary in September, 1936, when Her Excellency invited a number of the A.W.I. Council to an interview in which she expressed her desire to assist the Women's Institutes in some way and suggested the library scheme. In addition to the books given Her Excellency the Lady Tweedsmuir, a number were given by Her Majesty Queen Mary and in response to an appeal from Lady T,:veedsmuir, the I.O.D.E. in eastern Canada forwarded a quantity of books. mostly second-hand fiction. On arrival, the books were boxed in lots of twenty-five to thirty books and upon payment of transportation charges by the borrower, any Institute could have the books for a period of two or three months. The A.W.I. bulletins which used to be distributed individually were amalgamated into the A.W.I. magazine "For Home and Country". During the years, several prominent W.I. women from Alberta have been on extended personal visits to other lands and some of those authorized to take greetings from the A.W.I. were, Mrs. C. A. Gates. Stony Plain; Mrs. J. S. Scott, Kinsella; Mrs. William Stewart, Peace River, and Mrs. J. Macgregor Smith, Edmonton. The A.W.I. Scholarship Offered As early as 1919 scholarships for girls to enable them to aUend the schools of Agriculture were urged upon the Department of Agriculture. Short courses were held in a number of localities and the girls making the best showing were entitled to one year at the nearest School of Agriculture. In 1927, the district organizations of Alberta Women's Institutes offered scholarships of fifty dollars to the girl in first year at the Schools of Agriculture making the best showing in her work, in extra curricular activities and in general character. The award was given on condition that the winner returned for the second veal'. Since 1936 these scholarships have been paid for out of the general funds of the 'vVomen's Institute treasury.

THE 1937 CONVENTION The twentieth provincial convention of the Alberta Women's Institutes held in the Palliser Hotel, Calgary on May 24-28, 1937. honored five W.I. Branches which had been organized twenty-five years and were still functioning. The branches so honored and represented at the convention were Verdant Valley W.I. organized in :VIay 1912; Raymond W.I. organized in May 1912; Munson W.I. organized .':ovembel' 16, 1912; and Cowley W.I. organized in December 1912. All past Provincial Presidents of the A.W.I. were also honored on -22-