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WINTER, 1949 HOME AND COUNTRY 7 DISTRICT ANNUAL GLEANINGS HELP WITH 1949 PLANNING Horton’s Kora: District olficors all over m. province are now plenum; ior_1949 on (ri/‘t Annuals. To help you With thls planning “.0 publish below the report or 1945 annuals “.- soul in by Board nurecma throughout Iho limvlnre and compiled by Mn. 1. H. MoGulloch, g “21.0., secretary/treasurer. A spirit of friendly co-operation, of “mere purpose and faith in the Women's Institutes pervaded the 1948 district annuals. Women are alive to [hair place in making the world a (he needs of the day and ready to take better lace in which to live.“ The most significant fact in the district annual reports was the attendance of mung women and their active partici- pation in the programs. "With such capable young women so keenly in. terested in the Women's Institutes its future is assured.” Another note of inspiration and encouragement was ille increased interest in Girls’ Club .«ork. Reports, exhibits and demon- strations of this work were a part of many district annual programs. “Their future outlook is wonderful because they have such good work among their Iuniors," writes the Board Director of Middlesex North. Reports Show a general increase in Attendance at district annuals. An in- vv'ease in membership and many new Branches was another encouraging HOLE. Corunna _United Church was sacked to capaclty for the Lambton \\’est district annual. Some ladies .nme 65 miles and others further to :he Algoma East meeting. Sudbury as quite a number of families from Finland in that District. Many of the mmen of these families are Women's institute members and attended dis, rict annual. With a few exceptions the accom- andation was good and the lunch ar- rangements excellent. The hall or hurch was attractively decorated with Sprint., flowers and in the W.I. .glours of blue and gold. A friendly ,lesture, when each registered at Sim- ‘oe West, was the pinning of a flower rn each lady. “This friendly spirit 'as in evidence all through the meet, ing‘." Generally speaking, oflicers and conveners were elficient and showed a. deep sense of responsibility in their work. "We are going for- .-:ard. Education in conduct of meet- ngs is improving. Kindliness and co- operation mean so much," writes one Board Director. Where meetings open- ed on time and well planned, printed nr mimeographed programs were formally, but friendly, carried through Milli dispatch, but not undue haste, an excellent spirit prevailed and much was accomplished. In a few instances, officers did not keep to parliamentary Procedure and motions and discus- sions were a bit mixed up and slow. The general opinion, however, was that reporting by Branch Secretaries and Conveners had improved neatly during the past year and that District Conveners were compiling much more comprehensive reports. Even so, few Districts show 100% reporting by all Branches. In Welland the District Con- veners for Historical Research and Renal Welfare received reports from all 23 Branches. “These Conveners Should be complimented as thev sent a written reminder to those Branch Conveners who were slow and thus hroucht forth the desired result.” This should not be necessary. If every Branch Convener would take seri- ously her responsibility and send her report _to the District Convener 'in rend time, what inspirinv and m- formative reports could be given next yearl In Perth North the Standing Committee reports were excellently Compiled. Only outstanding features were dealt with and the suggestions made for the coming year were very Dl‘actical. “It was a truly business meeting. All seemed anxious to learn as much as possible and showed great interest in every part of the pro- Eram." At the Welland district anâ€" nual_ the members took part in dis- cusaion after every report and one felt there was an intelligent interest taken in every phase of Institute work. A few district annual re showed programs Dvetâ€"cro\vtledDm§: too many outside speakers. The dis- trict annual should he the time for taking stock of the District's activi- ties and achievements of the past year and planning for the coming year. In'action can be as deadly as wrongr action." “_Be able to take criticism give it Without becoming personal” states one Board Director in her re1 port. Cardinal Newman once said “A man would do nothing if he waited until he could do it so well that no one. would find fault with it.“ An Indian lady from the Garden River Women’s Institute, a new branch, when illskted gf she likied the Algoma Centre Is he annua , answe “ Learn talking." red GOD‘L Music, as solos, school choruses and community singing. was a part of most district annual programs. Wellâ€" ington. Centre had a contest in six part singing in which three Branches competed. .The ad dicator. in an- nmincim‘r his decision. gave reasons which were very educational. "This was an interesting feature of the en- tertainment part of the day’s pro- ceedings." The citizenship report for Kent East District was outstanding. The oath of allegiance was recited by a member. Many Board Directors re- ported keen interest in Historical Re, search. ‘ There were exhibits of beauti- ful antiques and of 'I‘weedsmuir His- tory Books. Essex North District had on exhibit a 1891 edition of a news- paper. Ontario North had a bahY’S christening gown 100 years old. This District also had a parade of antique hats and the men in the audience judged them. Health had a special place on the program in manv Districts. Essex North pays the hospital dues of a member unable to do so. North and South Brant Dis'ricl‘s maintain a two- bed ward in the TB. Sanitorium. North and Rout}: Norfolk each elect a vice-president for the County T_B_ Association. For 22 years their In» stitutes have distributed Christmas seals to finalan the activities of this Association which include the monthly TB. clinic, tests for school pup X.ra_vs in mass surveys and clinics. These two Districts alternate in elect- ing a directnr for a. two»vear term on the County Hospital Board. At the disâ€" trict annuals in Simcoe County there was general rejoicing. A County Health Unit was to be established in that countv on July lst. This had come largely through the petitions to County Council bv W1. members. North and South Norfolk had petiâ€" tioned their Council several times for this service and resolutions were adopted at both district annuals. Their Board Director reports that the Coun- cil took steps the next week to estab- lish such a Unit. The Vllomenv's Instiâ€" tutes in Lincoln sponsor child wel» fare clinics for their County Health Unit. Halton and Renfrew’ North Dis- triets are also much interested Ill their Units. On St. Joseph Island the. Women‘s Institutes have been worklnz for a safe crossing from the island to the mainland. A committee formed of one woman from each Island Women 5 Institute interviewed the four coun- cils on the Island asking that they each petition the Department of High- ways requesting one central Crossing. Mrs. Hoodless set us the example of asking for what is needed when she asked for MacDonald Institute at Guelph." "The women are learning to do this in their own localities. Through our organization thev are learning whom to contact. as was in evidence at the Alrroma North Shore district annual when they asked for a proiector for their School. Area. . Time marches on brinwinq With it new opportunities for servme. As has been said "Take as vour motto: Go ivirrht on working’. The first letters of this motto spell 'Grow’." Grow for usefulness, efiiciency, un- selfishness and cit-Operation. _ _ Grow for loyalty and patriotism. Grow for Home and Country. Grow for all that is honest and just." RAINY RIVER CONVENTION Thunder Bay Women arrive at the Rainy River convention in the very early momlng, happy and excited. ready for the big event. Members of the Dorking Women's Institute in North ‘vVMerlnu District ‘ sponsor a Rally. Members of the South Brant Dislricl depict the historic purl. wllmen'of the County have played in the life of Canada. Adelaide bloodless, whose In- spiration led to the organization of Women's Institutes was a natlvc of Brain. County and a memorial at SI. George honours her. Mrs. W. S. Brooks, Paris, is Mrs. Headless in the pageant, .‘lrs. H. Disher, Burl'ord. Is the director and narrator. The only man is Chief Little Bear, u Mohawk lndinn of the Six Nations, who represents Thayendnnogcn, (‘hief Joseph Brant. miter whom the county and city of BrnntImâ€"d are named. Princess \Valchlng- Beside-Thc-Village, his wife, is also in the group. Others are Mrs. Ii. Bowler, Maple Grove, as Molly Brant, sister of Chief Brunt; Mrs. B. Bonham, St. George as the mother of Alexander Graham Bell, inventor of the_teleohonc: Mrs. G. Weir, Cathcart, as Dr. Stowe. the first woman doctor in Canada; Mrs. J. S. Hughson. Burl‘ord, as Sara Duncan. an early covorganizcr of the I.O.D.E - Mrs. J. C. Hall Burford, as Clara Wilkes, the country’s first woman missionar E. Campbell, Burtch, as Nursing Sister M. Macdonaldwho gave her life in the first great war and L. Bowden. Burtch, as Nursing Sister D. Baldwin, who also served in the first great war.