April 22, 2008
(Red Deer, Alberta) – The Red Deer and District Archives are pleased to announce that the records of 18 different Women's Institute branches from across Central Alberta are now processed and available for public research.
The Women’s Institute was founded in 1897 in Stony Creek, Ontario, by Mrs. Hoodless. It was originally formed as a way to educate rural women in domestic sciences, which would benefit women and their families, and to play a charitable role in the community and the world. Their aim was the betterment of life individually and nationally, leading to their motto “For Home and Country.” The Women’s Institute (also known as W. I.) grew dramatically across Ontario and in 1909 Alberta women organized their first Women’s Institute in Lea Park, Alberta.
More than 100 years after the first Women’s Institute was formed in Canada, these women’s mark remains imprinted on Canadian history and was instrumental in the foundation of modern-day opinions and practices.
These collections will be of great interest to individuals interested in women's organizations, family life, and the histories of many communities around Red Deer. Please call Archives at (403) 309-8403 for more information, visit the Archives at 4525 47A Avenue or visit www.reddeer.ca under Archives.
Funding for this project was made available through the Archives Society of Alberta.
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For more information, please contact:
Shelley Respondek
Red Deer and District Archives
(403)-356-8902
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