WOMEN’S INSTITUTES

Radio Record, Volume I, Issue 6, 26 August 1927, Page 6

WOMEN’S INSTITUTES

A very interesting and instructive talk on women’s institutes was given recently by Mrs. EK. D. Dorman from 1YA. The movement is a comparatively new one in New Zealard, the first institute being formed in clawke’s Bay in 1921, but the idea originated ‘in Ontario, Canada, as far back as 1897, for the purpose of educating and brightening the lives of lonely country woment. What is a women's institute? It is an association or gathering of country women of all classes, who meet to-| gether at least once a month to discusg

matters of interest to them all. It is non-party political, undenominational, and democratic-not merely a social club, but part of a great whole, which extends almost all over the British Empire. The aim of the institute is one of mutual service and public duty for all women, whetlfer rich or poor-all come together with the one idea of helping each other, All have the same rights and responsibilities, "If you know a good thing, pass it on." is their slogan. Through the institutes every country woman can emerge from provincialism into the broader outlook of national welfare, and her ambitions and needs have at last found both power and opportunity of utterance, City dwellers have a thousand opportunities of picking up scraps of information, but the

country woman knows none of these. She is spared the jostling of the crowd, but she loses the chance of hearing of this and that. Institute meetings provide just the opportunity and stintulus ‘she requires. _Women’s institutes develop a sense of citizenship by basing citizenship on home life. Their great aim is to im‘rove the conditions of country life and to provide opportunities* for mutual help and entertainment. Their activities are many and varied. Members learn to make gloves, baskets, mats, toys, etc. Lectures are given on supiects of interest; demonstrations. competitions, games, discussions, mustcal items, all go to form their programmes. In some cases in England village industries have been well established, but in the first instance mem-. bers work, not to make money, but with the object of beautifying and imvroving their homes. The proof that the movement meets a real need lies: in its growth-for: instance, the first institute in England was started in September, 1915, and there are now no less than 3850 in existence. Country women know what. they want and what they do not want, and these numbers speak for themselves. We feel sure that the move-. ment will grow in New Zealand, and will be a real help to our women. Any member of the radio family may get further information of -women’s insti tutes by writing to Mrs. Dorman at her home in Henderson,