The Book of Ideas

              With the longer life expectancy of men and women and because of today's mechanization, age is often a problem that requires a carefully considered solution. The Women's Institutes are meeting this challenge in various ways, by entertaining Senior Citizens periodically, sparking the interest of Service Clubs and other organizations to provide Club Rooms where aged persons may meet to work at a hobby in company with others, read or play chess, etc. In some centres, a nourishing meal is provided at a nominal cost, thus assuring people who live alone, of at least one nutritious meal per day. W.I. Members shop for people who are not able to do their own, take them for drives or short walks and read to others who cannot go

out. The opportunitiesfor service are numberless.

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Gift Coupon No. 367 is a plan to raise funds for Canadians by Canadians to promote a Women's Institute program in the Northwest Territories and the Yukon. The program offers something special to Indians, Eskimos and others, which no other group, organization or Department of Government is giving them, in order to try to meet the basic needs of Homemakers in the North. It is the First Coupon Plan of its kind, let us keep the idea alive and active. National Conventions came into being in 1957, with the first one being held in Ottawa in celebration of the 60th Anniversary of the Founding of the Women's Institutes. These Tri-ennial Conventions have added greatly to the understanding and national interest in the F.W.I.C. More and more, the individual Members are taking an active part in the programs of the Conventions. There they meet and become acquainted with women from other Provinces, which stimulates national thinking and working together on common projects and making for Unity. Observers are welcomed, adding greatly to the interest of the Members as they hear of programs and problems of other Institutes and view the samples of handicraft, as well as have individual talks with them on their homes, children, way of living and interests. A capable Committee has set up a Study Project of the National Organization and Study Kits are offered to Members. Let us use these and leam more of our F.W.I.C. If an extra day were added to the F.W.I.C. Board Meetings, allowing discussion and exchange of activities, problems and their solutions, etc., Board Members would be more prepared to carry practical ideas back to their respective Provinces. Safety is a natural part of almost every woman's being, safety in the home, on the farm, in the water, on the highways and wherever there is danger. The Women's Institutes, Homemaker Clubs and Guilds are well known nationally by their participation in the Carol Lane Safety Competitions. Their ingenuity and activities have been recognized by the awards they have won in Highway and Community Safety Projects. Safety Education must be increased and projects and care must continue unceasingly and the F.W.I.C. must assume their responsibility. Not all of the work of the Women's Institutes is spectacular nor reaches the headlines. We need not go out of our own neighborhood to find a place for our ideas, which will come to mind to fit the case as it arises. Our Members have been seeking out this kind of work for years. This powerful and mighty force for good-the F.W.I.C.-has grown from ideas of clever and understanding women until its influence is felt, not only across this great Canada of ours, but in countries around the world. Ideas spring up in the hearts and minds of women everywherebut if kept only in the hearts and minds, they stagnate and die. If they are shared with others and put to work, they bring forth much fruit and become a force in the world. They multiply into great strength and become 18