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LET’S TALK A letter received voices the opinion of some Women's Institute members. “I personally worry about the future of the W I. and so do others that I have talked to from time to time. I don‘t think it can .urvive long as an organization that teaches handiâ€" ._rafts. yet that is how many outsiders see it. I‘m not .ure that it is fulfilling the vision of Adelaide Hood- ..55. whom I perceive as a true feministâ€"~free. loving rid responsible; but we need to talk about that. So tr. in Home and Country. [ see all kinds of anniver- iries being celebrated, but I also want to see the now celebrated. Adelaide Hoodless lived NOW. and er NOW was I897; ours is I979. In Home and Coun- .3: please.“ Mary E. James. Union Hall W I. LA. lARK NORTH DISTRICT. abruary I9. I979â€"The W l‘s 82nd Birthday! It is only through birthday celebrations that one in determine where we have been and even offer me thoughts about where we ought to be going. wrthdays are a beginning! At birth, are goals determined? Could Mrs. Hood- ss have foreseen where the W I would be 82 years war. or was her objective to tell the women of her day -.-r dilemma and help them through word of mouth to ike advantage of her experience? She urged educa- wrs to demand courses in household science. the VON vr better health care, the Council of Women for im- =roved life-styles. She spun out ideas for the women of ,ur day to capitalize on and work toward goals which wuld create a sense of purpose for women and fam- ‘ieS. Could Mrs. Hoodless's ideas ever have been acâ€" umplished without Erland Lee and those lOl women .lio were encouraged to organize the first Women’s 'tstitute'.’ Would her objective not have been to help those «:nmen in 1897? Was her dream for a lasting organiza- wm. or was she thinking ofher present day situation? When we look at those anniversary pictures. we now plenty of hard work. human kindness and wrhievements at community level have been accomâ€" lished. During this anniversary month, the W I will .luk back and reflect. The Institute are builders. makâ€" "lg a contribution to the communities, creating a betâ€" vr world, grasping opportunities for leadership. point- ng the way for better citizenship. The Women‘s institute is there in the hamlet and village helping burned out families. the blind girl with a piano. com- torting the upset and bereaved; doing the things in mall and intimate ways. caring and sharing. The W I has practiced volunteerism right through its existence. The world needs this type oforganization to-dayjust as much as it did at the turn of the century. Doubtless the projects we are carrying on to-day will be recorded in history as appropriate for our time. Our objective never was to be a professional group. Our total being was and is to develop. assist and guide women from all walks of life to create a wholesome community atmosphere. To provide the social contact and stimulus to the housewife. encouraging her to speak. serve on committees and chair meetings. Our questioner asks. what about the NOW and where are we going? At this point in time what are our goals? Along with our basic objectives we havejoined the rest ofthe world to do our small Share for the International Year of the Child. The FWIO have committed themselves to assist in a child immunization program throughout the province. Our Tweedsmuir Histories are without question one of the finest recordings of community history in the province. The books are used by stu- dents. school boards and historical societies. Many branches have taken the information and compiled it into book form for sale. Add to this the preservation of the Erland Lee Home and its artifacts. In a society having more and more leisure time. we have come to realize the importance ofcrafts. Just drop in at the Lee during W I week and see the interest in pioneer crafts and one suddenly realizes how important our heritage is and how lost some ofthe old crafts are to our gener- ation. The wide ranging interests of members are re- flected in the resolutions. Research affords the oppor- tunity to increase awareness of current problems. The W I provides a vehicle whereby members throughout rural Ontario have a mouthpiece in government and industry. and the satisfaction of knowing ideas will be heard and often set in motion. Our horizons are wide. As well as being federated with the national body we work with the 8% million member international organization. the ACWW. We lend our weight toward pennies for Friendship. inter- national scholarships and provide assistance to bring a third world member to council meetings. One thing is certain, the role ofthe Women‘s Insti- tute. with its vast diversification. its people oriented goals. its strength in the rural communities cannot be measured in dollars and cents. [Is Worth has a multi- plier effect. There will always be a need. regardless of the decade. to encourage women to have confidence in themselves and stand on their own feet, The W l's feet are firmly rooted in the province, working constantly as guardians of established values. nywafiflfiw