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@Mmazal W rim Z/WrW m 80th anniversary cCelebratiOU .....Prince Edward District Women's Institue Thursday, Novem ber ID, 1988. CEollowing is the text of the History of Women's Institute,in the District of Prince Edward, as presented by District Curator, Mrs, Marion Calnan,«$he 8 0th Anniversary Celebration tvhmk was held in the Auditorium of Pinecrest School, Bloomfield. Madam President, District Officers, Branch Members, Canada World Youth and Guests: Thank you for inviting me as District Curator to b ring along the District Tweedsmuir History and tell you the History of our Institute. The book is so large that I have taken it apart in sections for your perusal this evening. It is truly a Treasure trove of Prince Edward County History, compiled so painstakingly through the years by all the Curators who have preceded me. If all Counties keep their Tweedsmuir History Books as meticulously as this copy, We can truthfully say that "History lives through Women's Institute". This year of 1988 marks the Centennial of the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food. Women's Institute over the years_has co«0perated with the Agricultural Ministry to accomplish their common goal, Which was â€"â€"â€""The consideration of any problem or the carrying on of any line of Werk which has as its object the uplift of the home or the betterment of conditions surrounding community life". The first Women's Institute in the world was organized in the village of Stoney Creekn Wentworth County, Ontario. on February 19th, 1897. B ecause of the foresight Of a Canadian man, Mr. Erland Lee and a Canadian Woman Mrs. Adelaide Hoodless, thousands of women are now banded together all over the world. The purpose of the Women's Institute then as now was to raise the standard of homemakingâ€" physically, intellectually and culturally. The Constitution and byâ€"lawe were.drafted with wisdom, vision and foresight, and the little Stoney Creek Society snowballed into an organization of world-wide proportions. Mr. Lee listed the support Of the Ontario Department of Agriculture and in 1899, several women were hired by the MlnlStrY as speakers and organizers to promote this flew movement. One woman hiredawas Laura Hose (Stephen), formerly a dairy instructor at the Agricultural College. fhej along with other women hired at the same time ...Miss Blanche Maddock, Mrs 3- KlHHEt, Miss J.L. Smith, and Miss A. Hollingsworth Were reSponeible for organizing lo of the first 50 Institutes. Women's Institutes have Often been referred to as the "Rural Women’s University". In 1 1 ted Women's Institutes of Ontario (FWID) and the Federated Women‘s” inatiiatggeoieggijda (FWIC) and in 1933 the Associated Country Women of the World(ACWW) wafiefounded. Membershi in the women's Institute is open to all women and girls over 16 years of age. In the cogduct 5f its affairs it is non-partisan, non-sectarian and nonâ€"racial. The W n ‘ te Motto "For Home and_Country"7 chosen in 1902 was the suggestion of LauraOEEQES ifisiégg she designed the Institute pin. The royal colours blue and gold were Chosen as the Wal. colours" In 17 w _ . s were given Legislative recognition within the Department of Agrizgitdomenii iggaétEggr handbooks were published With sample programmes and topics for stud;relh 1:02 theyfirst W.I. Convention was held at the Agricultural College in Guelph” " In I , _ H I ‘n the rovince got an annual grant of $ 10.00 but this had to be matched fromggieezizgldeniéipalit§ or Farmer's institute. A speaker's serVice was initiated too. The Department paid the fee, but the Institute provided accommodation and paid the travel exD®nses.... and AIHu usually ViSiLed in the summer“ , _ 7- A , , WNW” h A , .~..._ my 1905 Mai. news took up jab pages in the Canadian Home Journal. J.l members then might 3Hbscrlbe to tpg magazine for a reduced rate. I " . I '13 n r wr‘ *9UZHA« too branches had been F01mel»