67 



ruilos awny who aiv interpstod. and, if tlioy wish, thoy arc allowed to organize a 

 itraiK'h. lioldinj; iiu'('tiu.!j;s at the different lioiucs. They have a local fee of 25 

 cents a year. This is for advertisiiii: or for rent of a hall. 



'JMie round-up at Gueli)h is a gvc:\t feature of our work. It conies at the time 

 of the winter fair and the experimental union and the reunion of the students of 

 the college. We have a week of it. For the last three years we have had a 

 deputation or a delegate from each institute in the Province sent to the round-up. 

 They como with reports. We aim to have speakers not only from Canada, but 

 from different parts of the ITnited States. 



lUit what are the women's institutes doing? Are they here to stay? Is the 

 life of the farmer's wife happier and more social, are they better housekeepers 

 and cooks than before this organization was formed? What are the practical 

 results? 



Four years ago, when attending a farmers' institute meeting for the purpose 

 of organizing a women's institute meeting, I found in many instances the women 

 had to be introduced to each other. I have heard this remark over and over 

 again : " I know your husband and your sons, because they come to see my 

 husband and sons," and then, in a tone of apology, " You know we women 

 haven't time to get acquainted." Then, in other sections, I have found that 

 certain women would not join because members were not in their class or set. 

 In other sections women in a certain church or denomination seemed to clique 

 together; one denomination seemed to be oblivious of the existence of any 

 other denonnnation. Four years later, visiting in different parts of the Prov- 

 ince, I find a marked change and improvement. I have found that women of 

 all circles and denominations are drawn together, that they are one in dis- 

 cussing anything that will benefit the home or make the home work easier or 

 pleasanter, introducing new ideas, and making the home life happier and 

 brighter. That the home life is brighter is easily proven. Women, earnest, 

 thoughtful women, worried and tired by their duties at home, after attending 

 a meeting of the women's institute, go home soothed in thought and mind ; they 

 go home with the idea of putting in pi-aetice some of the sugggestions which 

 they have heard at the institute meeting; they go home with new ideas and tho 

 retlex inttuence of sunshine and gladness is felt upon every member of the home. 



But are they better cooks and housekeepers? By better cooks I do not mean 

 whether they are able to put a greater variety and a greater quantity on the 

 tables. Rather the re\erse. In fact, one object of our institute is to do away 

 with the tables we sometimes see, and rather than have two or three kinds of 

 meat, pies galore, and cakes which vie with each other in fancy coloring and 

 design, we may find a made-over dish or a relish, and well-made bread and 

 butter. 



Four years ago, when introducing the principles of nutrition, trying to teach 

 the foods that are suitable for different seasons of the year and for different 

 members of the family, we had to go very slowly and carefully. At first simply 

 the rudiments of the sul)ject were discussed. But now I find that by the dis- 

 cussion entered into this subject is almost as familiar to the members of the 

 institutes as to the Department. This is due to the literature that has been 

 sent out. The Department sends literature, and some of the grant money is 

 expended in literature; and in some cases we have a separate library with 

 books relating to this subject; or where there is a library already established 

 in a village or town, certain books relating to the subject have been placed in 

 those libraries. The members are allowed to draw these out and they prepare 

 papers on various subjects along that line. 



In that way o!H' members are becoming conversant with subjects that two or 

 three years ago they considered altogether too technical. Our women's insti- 



