The Story of the Alberta Women's Institute

              r HE

S TOR Y 0 F THE

A L B E R TAW

0 ~[ EN'S

I:--JS TIT UTE S

Federated W.I. Organized In this year also, the Federated Women's Institutes of Canada was organized with Mrs. Arthur Murphy, of Edmonton, as its first president. While Miss MacIsaac and Miss Noble were attending this organization meeting, Miss McDermand, at the request of the Minister of Agricblture, Hon Duncan Marshall, called an emergency meeting of the Advisory Board of the A.W.I. to consider what could be done to alleviate the suffering of those situated in the drought stricken area in Southern Alberta. As an outcome of the meeting, a Women's Institute Relief Depot was opened in Calgary with Miss Evelyn Murphy in charge. The branches in the more fortunate areas rallied to the assistance of the sufferers so gallantly that through their efforts 2,252 persons were helped; 30,000 garments were made and distributed and

$6,942 was spent on shoes and materials to be made up by the recipi-

ents-all this in addition to many bales of second-hand clothing. V oluntary and unsolicited contributions came from institutes in British Columbia and Ontario and many private citizens outside the W.I. Every application for help was carefully considered and approved by a W.I. member, or reliable person known to the W.I. There was no ostentation, a minimum of publicity, no suggestion of charity, just one good neighbor helping another.
The 1920 Convention The 1920 convention held in the First Baptist Church, Edmonton. was memorable due to the large number of Girls' Club members present. Here they formed their first provincial organization with Miss McDermand still their supervisor and Edna Francisco, Cavendish, their president. Other officers were: First Vice-President, Alice Gates, Stony Plain; Second Vice-President, Minnie Page, Elnora; SecretaryTreasurer, Daisy Hummel, Milk River. Directors: Evelyn Joachim. Milk River; Marjory Anderson, Stony Plain; Maimie Johnson, Provost; Clara Smith, Alliance. At the convention, Mrs. Rose Le V. Morgan, of Columbia University, New York, song leader and lecturer, made her first visit to Alberta. Due to severe storms, many delegates did not arrive until the last day of the convention. It was therefore agreed that the 1921 convention should be held in the summer and as the Federated Women's Institutes of Canada was to hold the biennial meeting in Edmonton the last week in June, it was agreed to hold the provincial convention in Edmonton immediately after the Federated meeting. Voluntary contributions towards a Provincial Fund out of which the allotment to the F.W.I.C. might be paid, \vere asked from the institutes. In the following year by resolution of the convention, the Provincial Fund was formally established on the basis of an annual levy of $5.00 per institute to be paid to the Provincial Secretary-Treasurer of the Alberta Women's Institutes. In March, 1921, successful district conferences were held at Taber, -12-