1930 - Annual Convention Report

              S I X T E E N T H A N N U A L C O N V E N T I ON 49
the Flag, Canadian H i s t o r y and Canadian Literature. One Institute is reading
at their meetings two books by Canadian authors, " Black Creek Stopping
House," by Nellie McCIung, and " M a k i n g of a Nation," by Vincent Massey.
One Institute studied the dress of the women of different countries, and
a member dressed in Ukrainian costume gave a history of its people and
customs.
Many Branches have held patriotic picnics and pageants, and had prom­inent
speakers address these community events in an endeavor to stimulate
interest in our laws and customs.
Essays have been written on many interesting topics, and prizes given;
one Institute reported giving a prize to one pupil in each of . three schools.
Many Branches formed " Links of Empire" with whom they exchanged
programmes and photographs of their members and homes.
Another Institute reports a " Pollyanna" group. Names of people l i v i ng
i n the community are placed in a hat and drawn ' by the members of the
Institute; then neighborly acts are performed without the recipient knowing
who is doing them. Often the name of some one whom you are not fond of
is drawn, and the kindness is performed as if it were your dearest friend. In
this way prejudices are overcome and lasting friendships formed. The act
of being k i n d is what this old world needs.
Interviews with school boards to have the Union Jack displayed on school
days and national holidays, have ' brought desired results in many districts.
Among the national holidays observed, Empire Day still leads, Dominion
Day coming next.
Several Institutes have made valuable contributions to art, assisting in
the purchase of suitable pictures for schools and museums. Music and litera­ture
have not been overlooked and are now receiving greater attention.
May I quote the way in which national holidays were observed in East­ern
Canada: " Almost every school child had a flag and marched to the
picnic grounds, where a platform had been built; here the children sang p a t r i ­otic
songs, gave recitations and prominent speakers gave talks on the topics
of the da. y. Thus old and young were instructed. The orators may have been
tiresome and long- winded, but they made us proud to be ' citizens of no mean
c o u n t r y . '"
Today we have men and women who could help in telling our new Canad­ians
the national story. Perhaps these new Canadians have come from down
trodden countries where they have lived on the verge of war; they have
heard of Canada as a land of peace and plenty, a land of opportunity; they
come eagerly hoping for a chance, and they are not afraid, of toil. Here
they can build their homes, churches, schools, and make their contribution to
the building up of Canada. It is our duty to point out the privileges they
enjoy in this great new land, and to assist them in their desire to assume the
full rights of citizenship. Let us consider the neighborly way of making a
good Canadian: Our children and the children of those from other lands
attend school together, picnics and parties follow the school days. So it
behooves us to instil into them Canadian ideals and encourage Canadian cus­toms
among the parents. Consider the handicap of our new neighbors from
the old land on a r r i v a l : Their dress makes them conspicuous; they do not
understand our language, and adults do not acquire a new language readily;
they do not understand our money values, and become suspicious of us after
they have made a few deals. Our household equipment is strange to them.
Notice that the men who go about more become Canadianized much more