The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

At Lee Homestead , km? . ~. ; UnVeiling Ceremony Honors Women's' Institute Founder Yesterday the wind bent heavy boughs'of over-- head pines low over a rugged boulder in front' of the Lee Homestead, Ridge Road, Stoney Creek. Inset in the boulder was a plaque honOring Mr. and Mrs Erland Lee, who, in 1897, pioneered the 'fls tute of Saltfleet Township". As other groups were organ- ized, the name was again changed to "Stoney Creek Women's Institute" as it has remained, with the identifying "affix Lennard. MP, (who had arrived the week before in errerjor the occasion, and related his. mistake with good humor) and Mrs. L. G. Lymburner otfgiBort first Women' s Institute. THE MEMORIAL was un- veiled by Mrs. W. J. McEvoy of Woodburn, who instigated the plan for the monument, and Miss Alison Lee, grand- daughter of the WI founders. Mr. Frank Lee, who pres- ently resides with his family in the house constructed of virgin pine cut from the prop- erty, and carved by hand, ex- pressed his appreciation to the South Wentworth District of Women's Institutes for their tribute to his parents. ' "I have a letter in the house, written to my father, from the Department of Agriculture, advising him to go easy in organizing a ladies' group as such groups usually fold up," said Mr._Lee. "It has \been proven that this organization was founded on solid constitution and wise .by-laws written and drawn up by my mother and father, aided by theexcellent' coun- sel of "ED." as he was re- spectfully known, and Mrs. E. D. Smith, and also Mr. F. M. Carpenter." . MR. LEE SAID it was the power and' ability of women that had spread the WI to the, four corners of the world in a relatively short time. r Mrs. Gordon Conant of Osh- awa, daughter of Senator and Mrs. E. D. Smith whose mother was the first WI president spoke to the many gathered to witness the ceremony. ' "From the beginning the WI's have flourished .and_ ex- panded and benefits have ac- crued for the good of mankind around the world " said Mrs. Conant. 1 "There might never have been a WI had not the ener- getic public-spirited secretary- treasurer of the South Went- worth Farmer's Institute, Mr. Erland Lee, journied to the Agricultural College, Guelph, to attend ,a meeting, in the autumn. of,1896," said Mrs. Conant.' - IT WAS at this meeting Mr. Lee met Adelaide Hoodless, -' and heard her speak on the need to educate girls for the sphere of life for which they were destined -- homemaking. When Mrs. Hoodless later than 100 women were on hand . - . Mrs. Conant addressed a Farmer's Insti-v tute meeting at which Mr. Lee was chairman, he asked how many women would like to form an organization similar to the men' s group. "There being no telephones Mr. and Mrs. Lee took. it upon themselves though cold the weather, to visit -women throughout the county", alert- ing and inviting them to at- tend the meeting," Mrs. Con- Ant said. Through their efforts more. and Mrs. the son, to greet Mrs. Hoodless the\fo lowing week. ' ' THE GROUP was named "The Women's Department' of th r ' Institute of South W rt " ame'was changed to "Women's Insti- wood, B.C., "Mother Institute" "THIS MQST BE a proud day for the children of Mr. Erland Lee daughter, Marjorie, and Frank, still living in the, homestead of his ancestors which is permeated with deeds and legends of the past. "The plague On this boulder' will rémind those who look upon it, that the world pro- gresses through human inter- est and continual hard. work of ' those who still haste the endur- ing pioneer spirit coursing through their characters," Mrs. Conant said in conclusion. AI special guest, [was Mrs. E. J. Roylance, president of the Federated WI's of Canada, who spoke briefly. Also participating ceremony were Mr. Frank E. Colborne, FWIO president , Mrs. Lymburner said it w , a good thing {to recognize those who not only made a fine contribution locally, but one that spread to a greater sphere. "Mr. and Mrs. L5}. 1 ewere extraordinary peoplgi with imagination and vision, who lent their energies and talents as leadersrin their com- munity," said Mrs. Lymburner. Canon John Lake Anderson of Stoney Creek officiated at the invocation and dedication. At the reception that fol» lowed the ceremony members of the Saltfleet Branch of the WI were hostesses. INSIDE the fine old. home, guests signed the special book that rested on the walnut table in the Lee dining room, at Which Mrs. Erlarid Lee. m, " in her own handwriting. the constitution and by-laws of the Women's Institute. said their of Green- in the Women didnt do zt all says W1 charter member . Mrs. G. A. Gliddon can look back to the very beginning of the Women's Institutes in Canada. She was a teenager when the W1 was first formed 60 years ago ' in the village near Hamilton. Now she is a spry 75 and a charter member of the WI, but she says she carrt take any credit for get- ting the first institute established. At 15, the former Maude Harper m too young to attend the even- hig meetings; although her niother unable to attend hadpaidforherdaflghtarsmem'- bershirg But in the years that followed, . Mrs. Gliddon took an active part in histit'ute work. She was a keen debater and also served as panid at meetings. And this year the institute at think about when she took the floor to say that not all thecredit for the first WI should go to the ' acknowledged founder, Adelaide Hoodless. There would not have been any WI at all, if it had not ' been 'for the hard' work of its 'first officers and members, she said. Anyone 'glancing through +the history of the Women's Institutes .1 would note that founding honors . must go to Stoney Creek farmer. Erladd Lee, she explained He was a Farmer' s Institute member ' who first asked Mrs. Hoodless to speak at the iarmer's group . Lee and his wife were '191g 'time before wo- gmdapendent institute"