History

The Women's Institutes is an organization whose roots are in rural Ontario. The first branch was formed in 1897, at a time when rural women lived in isolation an often in ignorance. Farmers has organized as the Farmers' Institute to help them learn the most recent innovations and scientific methods of planting crops and looking after their animals, but there was nothing similar for their wives.

Shortly after Adelaide Hoodless' eighteen month old son died as a result of drinking impure milk, she started a campaign to provide an educational forum for women. They could meet to learn modern methods of looking after their families and keeping house, to become more responsible citizens and community leaders and to have opportunities for cultural and social activities.

PHOTO: Adelaide Hunter Hoodless, founder of the Women's Institutes.

After an information meeting attended by one hundred and one women and one man from the area around Hamilton, thirty five women met on a cold night in February to form the Women's Institute of Saltfleet Township (later Stoney Creek WI). Adelaide Hoodless, Janet Lee and Erland Lee wrote the first constitution for the new organization. Erland Lee used his influence to obtain a government grant for the group and from that time it became associated with the Ontario Department of Agriculture.

Women's Institutes comes to Nova Scotia...

In 1906, the idea of Women's Institute`s began to crop up in other provinces. A few years later, the Maritimes were eager to try this wonderful idea of cooperation of government and homemakers.

The beginnings of Women's Institutes in Nova Scotia are also due to the influence of a man, Dr. Melville Cumming. In 1911, Dr. Cumming, then principal of the Nova Scotia Agricultural College and Secretary of Agriculture for the province, visited Ontario. Upon returning to Nova Scotia, he recommended to the provincial government that this organization be established here.

In 1913, Miss Jennie Fraser of New Glasgow and a graduate of MacDonald College, was appointed superintendent of the Women's Institutes of Nova Scotia. With the assistance of Mrs. Laura (Rose) Stephen of Ontario, the first Institute was organized in Salt Springs, Pictou County on July 17, 1913. In 1919, Miss Helen J. MacDougall, took over the position of superintendent and remained with the organization for the next 26 years.

Also in 1919, the Federated Women's Institutes of Canada (FWIC) was formed to coordinate the work of the provinces and became the national voice for rural women in Canada.

The movement spread rapidly throughout the United Kingdom in the early 1930's due to the work of a British Columbia woman who had moved to England. Madge Watt was aware of similar organizations in Europe and it was her dream that women around the world work together for the common good of the family, so she proposed a world-wide association of rural women.

In 1933, the dream of Madge Watt was realized. The Associated Country Women of the World (ACWW) was formed with representation from 26 countries in Europe, Asia, Africa and North America.

Today, ACWW has over 7 million members in approximately 70 countries. It has seven representatives in the specialized agencies of the United Nations. Consequently, each member of the Women's Institutes of Nova Scotia has not only provincial voice, but an international voice as well.