1924 - Annual Convention Report

              • 12 ALBKRTA W O M E N ' S I N S T I T U T ES
1. W r i t e p l a i n l y , and i n ease of names, where a t y p e w r i t e r i s not used, p r i nt
tlitm.
2. In u s i n g names, use M i s s or M r s . w i t h i n i t i a l s . In case of M r s . use h u s b a n d ' s
i n i t i a l s as that is t h e name used i n t h e c o m m u n i t y .
3. M a k e copy b r i e f as possible b u t t o the p o i n t , w r i t i n g as y o u w o u l d t e l l the
s t o r y of the meeting t o one who was not there.
4. W r i t e the most i m p o r t a n t t h i n g first.
5. S t u d y good newspapers for s t y l e ; compare p r i n t e d a r t i c l e s w i t h w h a t y ou
h a v e w r i t t e n a n d keep a s c r a p book of y o u r c l i p p i n g s.
6. Get ' personally a c q u a i n t e d w i t h your editors. F i n d out what t h e y want
a n d give it to them.
7. D o not send s p e c i a l W o m e n ' s I n s t i t u t e s stories t o t h e four papers t h a t p u b l i sh
our weekly news r e g u l a r l y . Please send t h em t o me, t h e n our w o r k is n o t d u p l i c a t ed
a n d these papers d o not waste space.
S. T h e earlier y o u r report is i n the better y o u r l o c a l e d i t o r w i l l be pleased—
a n d also the quicker y o u r reports are i n t o t h e D e p a r t m e n t t h e earlier I get t h e m.
9. Above a l l be accurate.
B e l o w are a few d o n ' t s gleaned from r e a d i n g the m a n y hundreds of reports
that are s u b m i t t e d d u r i n g t h e year.
1. D o n ' t send i n a b l a n k sheet. Surely y o u d i d s o m e t h i n g w h e n y o u met.
2. D o n ' t just put • ' R e g u l a r business d o n e " — t e l l w h a t was done.
3. D o n ' t refer to ' ' O n e of the members s p o k e " or " T h e P r e s i d e n t gave an
a d d r e s s , " or " W e a p p o i n t e d a delegate to the C o n v e n t i o n , " o r " W e presented our
s e c r e t a r y , " or " W e h a d a r e c e p t i o n for a member l e a v i n g the d i s t r i c t . " In e a c h of
the above t e l l the names of members, president, secretary, etc.
A s the m a j o r i t y of t h e stories t h a t come i n are o n t h e f o l l o w i n g subjects I am
giving a few headings for reference.
C O M M U N I T Y H A L L S . — T e l l cost, h o w m o n e y was r a i s e d , a d e s c r i p t i o n o f h a l l,
number of rooms, stage, k i t c h e n , f u r n i t u r e , etc., a n d s e n d P I C T U R E .
P R E S E N T A T I O N S TO M E M B E R S . — N a m e s of members, gift, details of W o m e n ' s
I n s t i t u t e work, where going.
C L E A N - U P D A Y .— D e s c r i b e c a m p a i g n , what y o u i n t e n d d o i n g a n d p l a n of w o r k ,
p r i z e s offered a n d a b o v e a l l r e s u l t s.
C E M E T E R Y W O R K . — I f y o u h a v e bought a lot, t e l l its cost, l o c a t i o n a n d plans
of b e a u t i f y i n g.
H O T L U N C H S T O R Y .— N u m b e r of c h i l d r e n served, menu, equipment and cost
a n d its benefit.
D E B A T E S . — N a m e of subject, names of those who t o o k p a r t and the w i n n e r s.
B A Z A A R S AND S A L E S .— A b o v e a l l t h e amount r a i s e d a n d h o w i t is expended.
A N N I V E R S A R I E S .— P r o g r a m m e s and the n u m b e r of anniversar}^.
SWIMMING POOLS A N D R I N K S .— C o s t , how money was raised, h o w t h e y are
e n j o y e d a n d p i c t u r e s.
G I R L S ' C L U B C A M P S .— D e s c r i p t i o n of camps, p r e p a r a t i o n s , l o c a t i o n , d i v i s i on
of work and pictures.
B A B Y C L I N K S .— N u m b e r of babies e x a m i n e d , t h e name of d o c t o r s a n d nurses
i n charge, general d e s c r i p t i o n , a n y concrete cases of benefits a n d p i c t u r e s of a ny
s p e c i a l babies o r c l i n i c i n o p e r a t i o n.
R E S O L U T I O N S .— R e p o r t discussion.
S C H O O L F A I R S .— W h e T e it is h e l d , p r i z e l i s t , cost, general d e s c r i p t i o n.
P L A Y G R O U N D E Q U I P M E N T .— D e s c r i p t i o n s of i t . cost a n d pictures of c h i l d r en
e n j o y i n g i t.
R E L I E F W O R K .— S t o r y a n d p i c t u r e o f a n y c h i l d helped, t h e cost of i t , h o w m o n ey
was raised a n d result.
L O C A L H I S T O R Y ,— L o c a l h i s t o r y papers are always welcome a n d w o u l d be
t h r i c e welcome if p i c t u r e s a c c o m p a n i e d these. Most pioneers do n o t care t o part
w i t h o r i g i n a l photographs but these c a n be copied at the cost of one d o l l a r each
a n d the picture c o u l d be r e t u r n e d . I w o u l d g l a d l y get t h a t done for a n v b r a n ch
w i s h i n g i l . T h e S o u t h e r n part of t h e P r o v i n c e has been d o i n g n o b l y o n t h e h i s t o ry
but i n a l l o u r t w o y e a r s of e n d e a v o r t h e n o r t h a n d c e n t r a l as y e t h a v e done n o t h i n g.
However it is never too l a t e t o s t a r t.
Last year I offered a p r i z e t o the G i r l s ' C l u b s for a n e a r l y h i s t o r y contest. I