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.y :1 , Was known aboutth ~ and children, she observed repeatedly, «argiiing that a ‘. she Was fauuliar with People of. . . @TAWQD ' ’ y C \ery/{Danuld Bicentennial: 1 784-1 984‘ "ADELAIDE ‘HoonLnss Major accomplishments often have their roots in trag- edy For example, millions of women and their families around the world have led happier lives because of the death of an 18- monthâ€"old boy in the summer of 1890. The child was John Harold Hoodless, and he died of ”summer complaint” after drinking contaminated milk. His grief-stricken mother, Adelaide Hunter Hoodless, blamed herself, and vowed to do everything in her. power to prevent anothertragedy. From that moment on, she devoted herself to improving home life for other women. Her efforts not only affected domestic life in Ontario, but in other provinces, and drastically altered the education of girls as well. Adelaide was born on a farm at St. George, near Brantford, on February 27, 1857, the youngest of 10 children. Her father David had died some months earâ€" lier, leaving her mother to raise the children who remained at home. Records of Adelaide’s education are sketchy, but she may have attended a Ladies’ School while living with a married sister Whatever her educa- tion, she has been described by contemporaries as intel- ligent and extremely charming. In 1881, she married John Hoodless, son of a prosper~ . ous furniture manufacturer. The young couple moved to the Hamilton area; where the first of four children were born the following summer , inAft‘Jer John Harold's death, Adelaide became involiied ublic life. Like many prominent women of the day, inc uding Judge Emily jMurphy, she never questioned that a woman’s place was anywhere but in the home. However, she did question many other facets of daily .life In her opinion, the educational system did not prepare women for their role as homemakers. More care of livestock than of women' specia‘l_ “domestic science’ program was therefore needed in schools to overcome this ignorance. Derided at first as a radical “new woman” she eyen- tually won many supporters Between 1893 and 1908. she Was responsible to introducing courses in 32 schools, and wro ‘ a domes science textbook for the courses as well 1an ed others, notably tobacco magnate Macdonald, to found schools for doniestic sc1e ‘e teachers. Her ac‘c' Ieghshments in the educational field might have satisfi another ’ an, but Adelaide HoodIeSS had houndiess ener Ha ng grown up in the country, . a1 conditions. “Life on a farm As‘one Area PRO stated: Courtesy Public Archives 0! Cam: can be pretty dull and lonely,”s she commented “I know, I was brought up on one ” She proposed an insti- tute for women similar to the Farmers Institute their husbands attended. The idea caught the attention of Erland Lee, a young farmer. So, at a meeting in Salt- fleet Township (Stoney Creek), on February 19,1397, the Women’s Institute was formed at Lee’s house. Along with providing a social fecal point for rural women, the Women 5 Institute taught domestic science, beekeeping and other skills they could use in their daily, lives The movement gradually spread throughout the British Commonwealth as the Association of Country Women of the World. In addition, Adelaide was involved in the formation 0f the Victorian Order of Nurses and the Hamilton YWCA. ‘ She lectured, raised funds for her various projects, and served as an American government adviSor on indus- trial schools. And yet, one daughter recalled {‘As a homemaker, Mother was an inspiration Eastcnurt'ithe Hoodless home) was always o‘pe‘n‘ h ” e and she was the gracious centre about whom everything revolvedf.‘ .She was beautiful, ha travelled widely .our beau’x flocked to Sunda . . if Mother was hprne, even if Muriel and I w ' She seemed tireless. On February 26,1910 she travâ€" ‘ elled to Toronto, despite a painful headache, to speak to ’ . the Federation of Women’s Clubs. 0n the mucus she ‘ pled eloquently for money to establish the Lilliam Mas- sey School of Domestic Science, later the Household Science Departm t of the Uniye ty of Toronto Half- way through her sp h, the audience broke ‘into applause. Adelaide sipped some water then collapsed on the platform, She died within seconds. Tributes and glowin‘ eul gies woman who had done the condition of. homés d in, praising the to edge education and ‘ ica But the most . , lasting memorials to 1161' Won re the organizationsrshe founded. Today, or. as after her death, ‘ they have all s 9 1984 Ca‘nodo W a Feature, Service Limited “Remember, the Women’ s Institute continues to succeed not because it is big, or because it is long established but because there are people in it who live it, sleep it dream it E and build future plans for it.” .