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A photo taken at lhe Ceylon Institutes' Annual Meeting last year. The speaker is Mrs. Prili, British West In- dies, with Mrs. Gunoword- ene translating. Some at our readers will have met Mrsi de Mel, third from left, at the A.C.WiW. Con. terence here. â€" Photo by Rohini. the village women playing the Rabana. Our colourful folk dancing. and our traditional crafts were seen and appreciated by the women of that far away land. They got a glimpse of the manners and mode of life of our own country women, and so the exchange program goes on. From many a land across the seas come messages and attractive parcels and our villagers see the snow~capped moun- tain of Switzerland, the beauty of the pcasunt's craft work, the rugged stillness of the German countryside, the colourful beauty and varied activities of the women of Pakistan and India "They in their turn get a glimpse of Ceylon‘s culture and our traditional crafts and see the simple beauty of our village life." AIKWJV. Conference Referring to the coming AiC.W.Wi confer- ence we have this message from the Ceylon Institutes Central Board: "Ceylon will be the venue for the next Triennial Conicrel‘icc in lilSli. Here 500 duh“ gates from all parts. of the world Wlll gillilt‘l' together Women of diverse (-i'vcds, nu- liOllilllll(’s and dialects will inch iuid exchange \'lt‘\\'§. pool ideas and experiences. From our little Isluud home the force (if lls unich \‘mre Will he heard in ll'll‘ Council Chiunhers of the world, and yet another link will he added t‘l'l‘lllll’lt‘, unow that which is pcrhiips ‘llu' greatest need in the World toilin Interâ€" national understanding and goud-will'." Elgin Institutes Start a County Museum sentative women from the Women's Inv stitutes of Elgin County met and ClL'L'idcd to go ahead with plans to establish :in Elem County museum, They looked over an Historic old home in St. Thomas“ decided it “'ltllld make a most desirable museum building, and found that the couple owning it would sell it. making some rooms immediately U\'(lil(liliL' for a museum and continuing to ll\'L' in part of the house for an indefinite period The women were happy about this eirrnngeinent because they had planned, when the must-um is completed, to have living quarters fur it resident curator so that the articles will ills ways be under surveillance. Something that makes this museum unique in the pl‘t’lt’lltt'i' 15 that the building was the first Medical School in Upper Canada and the old apotliocury cup- bards are still there. Two Boards were set up, one honorary. lht' other active. to advise as to procedure when needed. The honorary patrons and putronr-sscs include the two Members of Parliament or the County. the Warden of the County. the Mayor of St. Thomas and others especially inlciv ested in the history of the district. On the active Board are the editor and the women's editor of the St. Thomas TimcstournaL a city Epgineer, the County agricultural representa- tive. the historical converters of the Women's Institute districts of East Elgin and West EARLY in the year, twentyright rcprc~ SUMMER 1955 Eluin. and other pllhlll‘n‘ipll'llt‘li men :nui women of the County. The cmiiinilliic naked for the si-rvici-s of Miss lluth llouc. l'urincrly ul' llll‘ Muscqu llruui'li of the nllllll'lll (inn-Hr nn-nt and now With llu- (liiturin Culli-iu- ul' Ar1. tn lu-lp with llll' plluis in preparing lill‘ linith for .'l niusi-iun. Mrs, Slilllll‘y l._\‘li\, [u'i-ru- (Ii-iii iii the Jrilrit illHllllllt‘ (liritru'ts ul' l'lusl ziiiil “It'll Elem, prcsiilcil urn-r llll‘ uuliul nu-clr my, mini Mrs. .I. ll l-‘uli-hi-r, lll'l'lllillll‘lli lnr stiiuti- chiuruuui of [tin lllllhl'lllll ('tllllllllill'l' and :i mount: spirit in lhc prim-cl cuiirlui'ti-il llll' sr-sriiiiii rlivuliiii: Wllll plunsu It is l'l‘plll'll‘ll that “11‘ cost of the liiillilini; will Ln- ;irniiiui ti-n lluulsiuul (llillltl'h'. Eucli lusti1ulc in thc (‘nuuty lllilfll' plans in curry out \i‘imi' niuni'v-ri’ilsinu ])l'l)j('l'l tllii‘iiii: Illi- wu'ili-r Wllh the Ul)jl'l'l]\'l' (if huvuii: l'rrini lhr-ll‘ jnliil I-l'fui'ls at least nni- tluiuiuuirl ileil» lure l'iv spring In Juin- the lii::liluti-.; Will start, a ciunpiumi tn iviinviiss :ill the rural I'I'le (lljlllw 0r tln- (futility fur contributions and townsâ€"[won]:- Will also lu- mvr-u -'lll appur- tuiiily lulu-1p. lt shuulrl l'u- mi-iitiiinml [hut llt‘lUH‘ llii-y :icluully linini-hcrl thi- founding of :i museum the Wonicn's lnslillllci; rii‘ Elgiii County iiiid (trim.- a lot of educational Wul'k such as setting up displays of local museum articles in store windows. during centennial celebrations, to arouse the public interest. 25