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hanks to Tweedsrnuir History -‘ Curators. Women's Institutes have preserved local history forhalfacenturyinOntario. In some communities they re main the only individuals mindful of this need. Unlike communities in a number of Euro- pean countries where archives have existed for centuries, the preservation oflocalhistory in Canada has attracted little public interest The general public is notparticularly aware of their local community archives, if one exists, or of their use. It is not until they require information or documents to help celebrate a community armiversary, fight a legal battle, discover the history of their house, or find their long lost relatives, that the worth of the historical records held in a local archives becomes apparent. There is a good network of national and provincial archives in this country, and interâ€" ting developments are taking place in the ea of university, corporate and religious archives, but the area of municipal and loaal archives remains relatively undeveloped. The Ontario Municipal Act requires mu- nicipalities to safeguard certain kinds of records, such as minutes, bylaws and finan- cial documents. These records, alone, do not provide a very descriptive interpretation of how a municipality has grown and devel- oped. Some municipalities have seen the value of records management and archives, and have broadened the scope of their records set aside for permanent retention. Because they appreâ€" ciate the historic value of their records, they can provide a more accurate portrayal of the social and economic history of their rrnrnici- parity. Most municipalities, however, have not yet realized the value of establishing a records management and archival system. In the past, some municipal clerks kept all of the munici- pal records, only to have the next clerk throw them out. Other municipalities simply gave eir records away. And of the municipal . ords that have been kept, many are stored By Joyce Pettigrew as unorganized boxes of files in attics, base- ments or damp vaults. Fortunate is the Ontario community whose nuuiicipal records have survived clerks, fires or floods. Even more fortunate are those municipalities whose records are preserved by the Archives of Ontario. But the Archives of Ontario does not have the resources or the space to continue this service to all Ontario municipalities; it encourages the estab- lishment of local archives. If such records are to be available to us and to our descendants, they must by collected, organized, preserved and made accessible. Records worthy of keeping need to be preâ€" served in a clean, dry, safe place, and professionally organized for ease of access. And they should be preserved within or near the community which created them. The provincial government must be en- couraged to assist in the development of a municipal/conununity archival system. In Support Needed to Preserve Our Heritage areas where there are no established ar- chives, this might mean funding new archives or using county/regional archives to preserve municipal records that might other- wise be lost. Neither the provincial or municipal gov- ernments will act on a municipal/local archives system unless they know that people wish it to happen. Please write to your MPP and your municipal officials and tell them that you Wish to see the development of a local archival system in Ontario. Let them know thatmunicipal and local records should be preserved as part of a community’s col- lective memory for the benefit of future generations. Your letter will help - send it today! Joyce Pedigrew is the Viceâ€"President of the Ontario Association of Archivists, a retired Arch ivirt from the Norwich & Dirtrict Archive: and a member of the Springfard Women’s Institute. Area Presidents Are “Called to Order” By Margaret Atkins he fourth in the series of "Train the Trainer” Workshops was held in Guelph in January, with 27 Area Presi- dents attending. This year's theme was “Call to Order.” Lively discussion on “how to” apply themselves prevailed throughout the workshop. The group leamed all aspects of their position. By conducting interâ€" views, they experienced first-hand the importance of knowing the facts when faced with a TV interview. The group participated in plenary ses- sions on “How to Work a Room" and the “FW'IO Structure," and also acquired knowledge of “Parliamentary Ptoce- dures” and “Time Management" With modules designed to inform, in- struct and prepare the individual for leadership roles within the Women’s In- stitute, the workshop stressed the importance of the role of President and her direct responsibility to the members and the organization. Upâ€"to-date inform ation on current op- portunities - “Pass-ILOn” courses, Heritage Days at the Lee. and Personal Growth and Renewal programs - brought forth many questions, some concerns and a host of innovative ideas. Enthusiasm filled the two-day work- shop and all left in a great frame of mind, carrying home Peggy Knapp’s special thought; “Like a ship, our organization is one entity made up of all its parts. As a Federation each level is 'mistress in her own house,’ but working together as a larger voice to make a difference for its members, their communities, our country and other women around the world.” Margaret Atkins is the Public Relations Qfficzrfor the FWIO. Home 8. Country, Spring 1993 11