1930 - Annual Convention Report

              50 A L B E R T A W O M E N ' S I N S T I T U T ES
quickly than the women; here then is the opportunity of the members of the
Women's Institutes in helping these women solve the problems of replenish­i
n g wardrobes with clothing suitable to the climate, style of the country, and
purse of the buyer. A little tact in explaining trade names and values; they
are eager to learn our customs so an interchange of visits gives them an
opportunity to learn them and our language. Members of the community
with time to spare and ability could teach the language at night during the
winter months. Perhaps large corporations employing a number of non-
English speaking people could be approached to make provision for night
classes whereby these people could be taught Canadian ways. In the country
to the south of us many large factories make learning of the English language
a compulsory condition of employment. This plan is not feasible in Canada
at present., owing to the heavy shadow of unemployment; the inadequate in­come
to meet the necessities of life, makes citizenship a difficult thing. A
happy and contented people is essential to good citizenship.
Violet Legary recently said: " The chief problem today is the quality of
our citizenship. Grow men and women who can be called good citizens and
the world will not have much to say about what else we grow."
So our duty is plain. Let us set aside a day, preferably Dominion Day,
for the purpose of inviting all those who have not yet obtained the rights of
citizenship, to participate in the day's events. This will afford a point of
contact and the occasion w i l l provide an opportunity to inform the new Can­adians
of the means by which they can become citizens, entitled to a part
in the life of the community, national, provincial and local.
A native or naturalized citizen who does not take a sympathetic interest
in and try to assist in every possible way, immigrants who have been invited
to settle in this country to become good citizens, is more to blame than the
immigrant, if he fails to measure up to the proper standard of citizenship.
I know of no organization better equipped to render this service than the
Women's Institutes. And it is a recognized fact that no better service can
be rendered to the organization than that to ' be found i n good citizenship.
We cannot help but wield a tremendous influence for good on the entire
community.
Many matters of national importance have taken place during the year:
The wonderful achievement of l i n k i n g up the national broadcast, thus making
it possible for us to hear the voice of K i n g George; also the chosen repre­sentatives
of many countries, speaking many languages, yet meeting in u n i t y;
the coming of General Smuts of South A f r i c a ; the achievement of Alberta's
five famous women, who made it possible for the last handicap to be removed
from our own sex; the movement to do honor to the first woman to be elected
to a British Legislature by having a portrait painted and hung in our Par­liament
B u i l d i n g ; the Ontario movement to honor the memory of the first
woman school inspector, Dr. Marty, by raising $ 25,000 to endow a chair in
the university; the passing of a b i l l , through the efforts of the Alberta W o ­men's
Institutes, making the " W i l d Rose" the emblem of Alberta, and last but
not least in importance, the survey undertaken by Dr. Wier, to obtain a
knowledge of the needs of the public in regard to trained nursing service.
May I urge the Constituency Conveners to assist the local Chairmen to
a better working knowledge of what is required of them. One Convener
w r i t e s : " Out of sixteen branches, only six replied." Let us return to our
branches determined, that great and glorious as have been the achievements
of the past, the duty of those who live in the present age is to build up a
greater number of honorable records that future generations may have added
inspiration and nobler traditions to follow. May I urge that you endeavor