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During Lord Tweedsmuir's term as Governor-General of Canada, Lady Tweedsmuir, who was a Women's Institute member in England, took a great interest in the Women's Institutes of Canada. At a meeting of Athens Women's Institute, now of Leeds East District, Lady Tweedsmuir stressed the need for preserving the interesting history of our Canadian people, the places, customs and activities of our developing land. This was in 1936. In 1940, the Provincial Board with Mrs. L. Reesor, Provincial Convener, proposed that Branches begin “Village History Books". This was the official launching of the "Tweedsmuir Histories“ for local communities and it has become one of the most outstanding and valuable projects of the Women's Institute and its contribution to the welfare and development of the community: general community history including the geography and topography of the locale, municipal government, farming in all its aspects, homes, education, trade and commerce, and recreatiOn; complete histories of individual farms and families, the churches and their organizations, schools, libraries industries past and present, war records of the community, as well as many other historical facts. Altogether the community history is a comprehensive, factual collection of historical data and treaSured pictures of a local community. It is the recognized responsibility of each Women's Institute Branch to record this history, and to prevent our individual identity from being lost. This Manual is the 3rd Edition to be used by Curators and their committees to help in the recording of LOCAL COMMUNITY HISTORIES throughout the Province of Ontario in a more uniform way. / 54>