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1897-1947 ; Ontario Women's Institutes 1 Celebrate 50th Anniversary ‘ . In ColorfulAssembly One of the highlights of the celebration of the Fiftieth‘ Anniversary of the Women’s Institutes of Ontario on June 18 was the message of congratulations and good wishes by Her Majesty the Queen, which appears on this page. Congratulations and every best wish are extended by the staff ofvThe Ottawa Farm Journal to the Women’s Institute: of Ontario on this momentous occasion marking a milestone m the history of an organization which has seen a half century of progress for beyond the highest expectations of the little'band of women of vision who, gathered at Stoney . Creek on February 18, 1897, saw the blossoming forth of‘ ‘ the first Women’s Institute of the world. . “We Treasure the Pastâ€"We Face the Future”â€"â€"In keeping with this anniversary theme of the Golden Jubilee of the Wom- en's Institutes of Ontario, the momentous gathering assembled on the Campus of the OAC on Wednesday last paid tribute to leaders of the pas’q 50 years. and voiced a me sage of encourage- ment and st mulus to the insti- tutes of the future. Upwards of 8,000 institute mem- bers from all parts of Ontario, many prominent leaders in public life and visitors from practically every province of the Dominion joined in paying tribute to those who 50 years ago formed the first: . institute at Stoney Creek. ‘ « Although given, on this page ‘ recently, it would seem fitting 1 to repeat here the names of the ' first Executive: Hon. presidentâ€"Mrs... Adelaide Hoodless, Hamilton. . Presidentâ€"Mrs. E. D. Smith, Winona. Vice-presidentâ€"Mrs. S. Nelson, Stoney Creek. Secretaryâ€"Mrs. M. Nash, Stoney Creek. ' Treasurerâ€"Mrs. J. McNeilly, stoney Creek. Greetings’ware extended item the Dominion Government, from Premier George A. Drew of, Onâ€" tario}, Hon. Thomas L. Kennedy. Minister of Agriculture; W. R. Beck, acting president of the ‘OAC, and Miss Anna F. Lewis, superintendent of Ontario Won-l4 en's Institutes. Mrs. Hugh Summers, president Federated Women’s Institutes ‘of Ontario, was chairman for the official program. Representatives were present from Federated Women’s Instiv tutes of Canada and all provinces of the Dominion. Mrs. A. E. Walker, past president of the FWIC and FWIC, brought greetâ€" .ings from the mother institute at Stoney Creek. Miss Laura Rose Stephens, first Government lee-J turer appointed for Women’s 1n- stitutes, addressed the gathering. Mrs. Spencer Ewing represented the Associated Countrywomen of the World. A magnificent climax to a gala' day in the annals of institute work and development was the histori- cal pag nt “Let There Be Light". This cc orful scene depicted the 50 years of history of the Wom- en's Institutes. Members of the institutes and junior branches of Ontario took part in the many episodes which reveal the growth and achievements of the institute movement in Canada and through- out the world down the years. Next issue will give more de- tailed account of this great event. Once azaln congratulations and heartfelt wlshee. ' were I”? u . , . . ‘ ‘r :‘I’W is at 'rreal pleasure to me to; send greetings and q”. _ . ,_ , ‘r' [ations to the members of the Federate-d'Women's . “liffirgmfiles of Ontario on the occasion of thpin‘FlftlBth Ann:- yersarzv celebration, with all find hoflpy future. 2 “The opemg oi Stones: and Rhodesia, enjoying and service, mutual help, education and fun which membership . .b‘rings “13d ‘9’ years ago. "Mar tho,‘ lbts' are with you on {his Jrqal day, and I wish ‘ W Mp'plness‘ and -fi'osoc'rity A " ‘7 . '7 , W A , welt, 03m 1 , Creole Women’s Institute in 1897 is a landmark in the history of rural life, and I am glad to send this message because I know of the thankfulness o my fallow-members for their institutes. Besides those in it‘fli’lt’Britain, I hays,lat8l;v seen members in South Africa we owe to the Stoney Creek women. 50 . l I my good wishes for a useful) valuing the opportunities for, :st sierra a.” Gala Day at Sytoney Creek On Wl’s Fittie This being Golden Jubilee year for the Women‘s Institute of Canâ€" ada we find a great deal of pleaâ€" sure in referring frequently on thi§ page devoted to women’s lnâ€" ter'ests to their various plans and celebrations. Our issue of Feb- ruary 21 carried adairly com- pletclgr‘evicw of the progress-of . the Institute from its inceptlon in 18th to the present day and a brief report of some of the main features-of the program emoyed by the distinctive gathering at the celebration of the 50th birth- day at Stoney Creek on February 19. ' > We feel ' further reference to the highlights of the banquet. featuring» this Golden Jubilee would be of much interest to readers of the Ottawa Farm flour- Ila], the majorityof whom, li_ not all, are interested in Institute work. . . ' This banquet was unique 1“ many ways. Eleven of the charâ€" ier members of the first Institute formed on that historic day, FQb' ruary 19, 1897, were present. ‘SEVEH past presidents reviewed events of their tenure‘ 05.0mm- Mrs. J. E. Goodswan 0f Norwmh, Norfolk County, Eng, brought greetings from England and Wales. Miss Muriel Bostwmk, Hamilton, granddaughter of Mrs. Adelaide Hoodless, founder of Women’s Institutes, was one of the special guests. The principal speaker was Mrs. Gordon? D. Co- nant, daughter of the: first ~P1'95‘ ident of the first Institute Di the world, Mrs. E. D. Smith; Daughâ€" ters of other, former presidents spoke on behalf of their 'mothers. A portrait of Mrs. Smith oc- 'cupied a prominent place above the charter members’ table and underneath it a bouquet of flowers, sent by Senator E. Smith, as a tribute to the mem- ‘ 013’ of his late wife. . Mrs_ Angus Jackson, the PMS" ident now of Stoney Creek branch presided. The walls of the banâ€" . quet hall were decorated With telegrams, letters and greeting cards, 2.179 messages‘in all. 0°?“ gratulating the Institute on Its 50th hirthda'y.‘Practically every- CDURW in the world in which‘ there are Women's Institutes to- day 5 nt greetings. Mr ‘ Goodswan, representing the Institute at Great. Britain, presented lop their :‘behalf 3 at. of flo‘yvers tied with Kids, ‘ 'e rlb'ons 0 ~ WM: danish; njg' A Challenge. l Miss Anna F, Lewis, director of . the Women’s Institute Branch and ‘ Home Economics Service, in bringing greetings from the Deâ€"‘ Dartment of Agriculture, said that l the achievements of the past con- I stituted a challenge to the woman , of today and tomorrow to build a livllng memorial of hundreds of thousands of institute members the world over to work in the cause of rural women. The charter members, present as honored guests, were Mrs. H. ‘P. Van Wagner, Mrs. McKinley Morden, Mrs. J. B. Davis, Mrs: Walter Ptolemy, Mrs. E. 14. Thompson, Mrs. Murray Neil, Mrs. John Budge. Mrs. J. B. Smith. Mrs. George Milieu, land Mrs. sqlby Cornan. th Birthday all, I was quite young". she good. “But I do remember in later-ye“ars 1 my mother, Mrs. E. D. Smith, telling me she wormed 313:“ neglecting her famlly {7f “ho children, my brother, Brig. Ar: mand Smith, who is present) and’ myself, but Mrs. Headless. who was her personal friend, perâ€"1 suaded her to be the first Pitâ€"'5}; 1 dent.\ She held that office in 1891: 1898 and 1900." From that Stoney Creek organâ€" ization of farm women the Insti- tute movement had spread 1“ Canada, where there are now» 3,000 branches, and to the United States, as well as to manY- other countries of the world. . l Distress in Eur0pe. Telling of a trip she made to Europe last. year, Mrs. Conant spoke of the distress she saw‘ there. and graphically told stones Y of the misery of the displacedl persons and the children who were without homes or hope. Canadian women, Mrs. Conant said, could help relieve the d15- tress in- Europe by pressing for admission to this country of Euro- ' pean girls‘and women to work as domestics and hospital assistants. ”Canadian homes at present are suffering from lack of domestlc help, one outcome of which is our shortage of voluntary Workers and , leaders in all our organizations”, she said. ”Our young mothersl are so tied with housework that small families will result, and more P0PU1ation is a crying need of Canada. Europe is full of de- sirable fe“mile persons who would make good Canadian citizens and who W°U1d be grateful for the, work Canadian women can pro-I, vide. This action would aid in“ Europe’s displaced persons’ prob- l lem and extend a hand/of lriend- ; ship to those in need," The WDmEn of Britain, Mrs.l .Gooclswan said, could never re-‘ pay the Institutes of Canada for their hall) and support; in the war years, citing‘ specially the" SquIies of vegetable and flower seeds and of clothing sent over- seas. She also thanked those Canadian women who had opened their homes and hearts to Engâ€" llsh children during the wan. Early Recollections. Mrs. G. D. Conant. the principal weaker, was introduced by Mrs._ A. B. Walker. Mrs. Conant gave ‘ her recollections of the early days of the stoney Creek Insti- tute. As a child sheI had lived 4 miles from the pa were . was a anlzqd.- "l a a“ re- :Jllmlm- marsh mee. m