1924 - Annual Convention Report

              1 A L H E R T A W O M E N ' S I N S T I T U T ES
E d u c a t i o n a l work of t h i s k i n d is of great v a l u e to m a n y homes i n t h e P r o v i n ce
as it gives our women a n o p p o r t u n i t y of s t u d y i n g b e t t e r methods of c a r r y i n g o n t h e ir
work! D i r e c t l y a n d i n d i r e c t l y it s t i m u l a t e s interest i n d o m e s t i c subjects w h i ch
is a v e r v i m p o r t a n t point. If the service has done a n y t h i n g t o l i g h t e n t h e domestic
burden a n d to break the m o n o t o n y w h i c h so often k i l l s a n y i n c e n t i v e t o fresh i n t e r ­est,
ihc Women's E x t e n s i o n S e r v i c e has a c c o m p l i s h e d a n i m p o r t a n t piece of w o r k.
F o r some time it has been felt t h a t the w o r k of t h i s B r a n c h might be c a r r i ed
mi more successfully if c e r t a i n changes were made. It has become evident t h a t a
b e l t e r s y s t em of w o r k c o u l d be o r g a n i z e d b y c o n s u l t i n g o r g a n i z a t i o n s as t o the subject
matter they w o u l d l i k e presented to t h e i r o r g a n i z a t i o n a n d the t i m e of y e a r at w h i ch
I h e y c o u l d do the best w o r k i n t h e i r d i s t r i c t . To h e l p i n t h i s m a t t e r a q u e s t i o n n a i re
was prepared i n w h i c h we asked o r g a n i z a t i o n s for r e t u r n s o n subject, a n d the t i m e of
year for lecture, d e m o n s t r a t i o n - l e c t u r e or short course.
T h e returns sent in reply to this q u e s t i o n n a i r e have brought out the fact,
thai ihc work s h o u l d be continuous throughout the year, A l l s u b j e c t s s u b m i t t ed
i o choose from have been asked for b y some o r g a n i z a t i o n . It is h o p e d that as a
result of the experiment we m a y be able to make the service more v a l u a b l e to our
people.
A l l sound and l a s t i n g e d u c a t i o n a l w o r k is of slow g r o w t h . It is not possible
i o tabulate results i n figures and s a y t h a t c e r t a i n things h a v e b e e n done i n a specific
d i s t r i ' - l and 11 g i v e n time, therefore these people are now efficient o n a c e r t a i n point
or subject. We o n l y get a glimpse here a n d there of some of the things that are
a c c o m p l i s h e d . The b i n d i n g u p of c o m m u n i t y i n t e r e s t s , the i m p r o v e m e n t i n methods
used, the f a d that once a p e r s o n has been i n t e r e s t e d i n w o r k i n g on a subject it is
always easier to make the effort a second time. Quotations f r om letters received
from various o r g a n i z a t i o n s w i l l show to some extent h o w m u c h the w o r k is appre­c
i a t e d . From a C o m m u n i t y C l u b : " I want to t e l l y o u h ow m u c h everyone enjoyed
i h c lectures. It was s o m e t h i n g so new to m a n y of o u r people here a n d the l e c t u r er
made o v e r y l h i n g so p l a i n and s i m p l e for us, that I ' m sure we a l l got a great deal
of help from the lectures."
F r o m a C . F . W . A . : " D u r i n g August we had the sewing d e m o n s t r a t o r with
us. Tiie pleasure and profit d e r i v e d from her five- day course exceeded all ex-p
c i ' t : i t i o n s . The large a t t e n d a n c e a n d good interest a n d a t t e n t i o n must have been
g r a t i f y i n g to the demonstrator. We were a l l b u s y c o u n t r y women, m a n y with
babies and s m a l l c h i l d r e n but we c o n t r i v e d t o leave our homes for s e v e n hours or
more a day for five days, w i t h some, w a l k i n g a d i s t a n c e of four miles a n d m a ny
r i d i n g horseback or d r i v i n g distances of s i x a n d seven m i l e s t o get t h e course. N o t h ­i
n g could exceed the interest and general f e e l i n g o f good c o m r a d e s h i p engendered
by our c a p a c i t y - f i l l e d h a l l of women b u s i l y sewing a n d r e c e i v i n g e x p e r t i n s t r u c t i o n.
Our course was not e x c e p t i o n a l I k n o w , as n e i g h b o r i n g c l u b s s p e a k as e n t h u s i a s t i c a l ly
of their course."
F r o m a W o m e n ' s I n s t i t u t e : " I do wish I could express to y o u the good we
isolate d i s t r i c t s get out of these d e m o n s t r a t i o n s , but mere words cannot begin to
express the help a n d a p p r e c i a t i o n that is d e r i v e d f r om the d e m o n s t r a t o r ' s person­a
l i t y alone. Home of us have been i n here f r om six to t e n years, w i t h o u t a b r e a th
of c i v i l i z a t i o n . We a l l l o o k f o r w a r d to t h e one b r i g h t spot i n t h e year, w h e n we
have our demonstrator. All the g i r l s have been so k i n d , good and h e l p f u l ."
Due of our demonstrators reported v e r b a l l y o n the f o l l o w i n g case: A girl
l i v i n g about t h i r t y - f i v e m i l e s f r om the r a i l w a y h a d been w a n t i n g a s i l k dress so that
she would have s o m e t h i n g nice to wear at dances a n d parties. N a t u r a l l y she w a n t ed
to look as well as possible. Ready money was conspicuous b y its absence a n d she
spent m a n y hours p l a n n i n g ways and means. At last she decided that she w o u ld
l a k e charge of the m i l k i n g a n d the m i l k . She got up at 5 a. m. i n o r d e r to m i l k the
cows at 5.30. She sold all the cream possible a n d s a v e d the money she received
for it. Then when she h a d enough money she bought the s i l k ( not a v e r y good
q u a l i t y of s i l k — b u t s i l k ) a n d s t i l l the q u e s t i o n h a d to be faced of m a k i n g t h e dress,
as she was a f r a i d to cut the m a t e r i a l herself. She t h e n h e a r d t h a t a d e m o n s t r a t i on
in d r e s s m a k i n g was g o i n g to be h e l d i n her d i s t r i c t a n d she k n e w t h a t her difficulties
were s o l v e d . The d e m o n s t r a t o r showed the g i r l h ow to cut. a dress f r om her m a t e r i al
a n d helped her to make it. This year ( he same demonstrator was back i n that
d i s t r i c t and this g i r l spoke to her over the telephone and t o l d her she h a d enjoyed
her parties so m u c h a n d h a d w o r n her s i l k dress to a l l of t h e m . The g i r l c o u l d not
a t t e n d the classes t h i s y e a r because the r i v e r was not frozen a n d the f e r r y h a d been
r e m o v e d some weeks e a r l i e r a n d the f o r d was too dangerous to cross. That girl
w i l l never feel helpless a g a i n i n the same way, h a v i n g once w i t h assistance made a
dress herself.