The Story of the Alberta Women's Institute

              THE

STORY

OF

THE

ALBERTA

WOMEN'S

INSTITUTES

THE 1945 CONVENTION The 1945 Convention was held in the Macdonald Hotel, Edmonton, May 29, 30, and 31 with Mrs. M. L. Thompson presiding. It was a "victory convention" as hostilities had ceased in Europe and hearts were humbly thankful.
Mrs. E. E. Morton, Vegreville,

was elected Provincial President

at the 1945 convention and she and Mrs. Wm. MacFarlane, the A.W.l. representative, attended the F.W.I.C. Board meeting at Victoria, BC the same year. At this convention, the standing committees in Alberta iN.1. work were changed to Agriculture and Canadian Industries, Social Welfare Citizenship, Home Economics and Handicraft, and War Services. A He,,\" policy with regard to the A.W.I. Loan Collection. formerly under the supervision of Mrs. H. J. Montgomery, was made. Conveners of standing committees now handle the loan papers relating to their respective committees. Beginning in 1945, the Department of Extension offered a scholarship to the W.I. branch securing the greatest number of points in the Biennial Convention Handicraft display. The Banff School of Fine Arts provided the tuition in handicraft and the A.W.I. supplemented this with a $50.00 cash award towards the expenses of the scholarship winner, contingent upon the winner attending the school. During Mrs. Morton's term of office, she encouraged W.I. branches

to establish libraries for the use of their districts. Approximately 6,000
books were sent out at a nominal cost to the branches. The Lady Tweedsmuir Library was turned over to her in 1946, and these books along with others donated by public libraries. military camps and individuals were the books sent. These W.I. libraries will be ready to work with Regional Libraries when they are established by the municipalities. War services were encouraged and the response from A.W.I. branches was as great as during the war. Through Unitarian Services. since 1946, tons of clothing. especially baby clothes, have been sent to England, Holland, France, Czechoslovakia, and Greece. Projects for each month were outlined by the War Service Convener and printed in the "Home and Country". Alberta Institutes were highly honored when two of their women -Mrs. Fred Muzyka. Vegreville, and Mrs. F. Parlee, Minburn, were presented with their Canadian citizenship certificates at the Citizenship Ceremony. held in the Legislative buildings on January 10, 1947. They were the first women in Alberta to be so honored and they had been named bv Mrs. E. E. :VIorton. Provincia] President at the reouest . of the Secretary of State.' THE 1947 CONVENTION 28 to 30, with Mrs. E. E. Morton presiding.
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The 1947 convention was held in the Palliser Hotel, Calgary, May It celebrated the 50th