The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

HOME AND COUNTRY GARRISON LANE NURSERY SCHOOL in. will recall that through the Federated Women’s Institutes of Ontario [‘ itral Fund, $1,000.00 was given to the British Children's War Service fund (see Fall 1042 Home and Countmn . Since that time you have received n luttel‘ from Miss Eleanor Hamilton telling of the work which is being AID T0 RUSSIA AND CHINA I‘hc Central Fund has contributed 5100.00 to the Russian'Relief Fund and a similar sum to the Chinese Re In i‘ Fund. This is, of course, in ad- .Iniun to the many cash contributions n do by Institutes themselves, and a i many gifts of clothing. i'nur Provincial President had the I |>'ul'e of meeting Mme. Gusev the 1- .n- nf the Russian consul to Canada, li‘ 'l‘oronto. Mme. Gusev expressed nnl only by words of Ithnnks'but by low sincerity and genuine feeling, the nimrcciation of the Russian people for Tint - istance being given then}. It i your generous contributions to x v Central Fund which make it pos- ‘i’llt‘ to help our hard-pressed allies. CENTRAL FUND HIGHLIGHTS 1942 'l'he auditor’s report of the Central l nml, F.W.I.O., for the year 1942' has .nst been received. Every Institute .. vinber will be proud of the work .m-mnplished when she sees it. A copy of the statement will be sent to each luditute secretary. Following are a My highlights of the report. K Receipts totalled $11,291.39, includ- i ‘L’ $2,163.66 in the Sugar Fund. 0ut~ iuling contributions were made ing- 1942 to special war charity i . These included $1,000 to the lilltISh Children’s War Service Fund l or pictures in this issue). $1,402.57 to the Canadian Red Cross Societv, ‘ to the Navy League, $510.00 in Chinese War Relief Fund. 9410.00 to the Mrs. Winston Churchill Fund for British Service Women. To the Women’s Institutes of Eng- land the Fund contributed $500 for their War Distress Fund. hand sealing machines valued at $291.98 for use in their fruit preservation project. and l't‘ll't‘table seeds valued at $758.10. Then there was the contribution from the South Renfre‘v District of $522.30 101‘ the Spitfire Fund which was sent to the Minister of Aircraft Production, England, through the Central Fund. H. MCKERCHER IN W.R.C.N.S. Miss Helen McKercher. County Home Economics Coach for Middlesex, Iferth, Wellington and Dufl’erin Coun- ties, who is very well known in VVest~ crn Ontario, has resigned to join the Women‘s Royal Canadian Naval Ser- vice. Women’s Institute and Home- “mklllg Club members will regret this temporary loss of Miss McKercher’s services but will wish her every suc- cess and happiness in her active ser- vice duties and will look forward to we“mining her back after the war. done at the Garrison Lane Nursew School. The above pictures of the school will interest you. Left to right: Children learn health habitsilow basins make this possible; Miss Eleanor Hamilton of Toronto; an activity group shows the value of constructive toys. THIS YEAR OF CONSERVATION This will be a conservation year. True, We are convinced that Institute women have practised conservation for many yearsâ€"but now we see it as a form of national service. The co»operative programme in Home Economics has always empha- sized conservation. Through it mem- bers have considered such questions as how to conserve the food value of Vegetables, how to use materials on hand to make a pleasant and con- venient home. how to buy, create and care for clothing or how to conserve health. For 1943-44 the services olfcr- ed in the Co-operative Programme are all geared to wartime needs. We hope that your Institute is planning to hold a short course, or to participate in the district project, or both,â€"that you may study and increase your efficiency in the field in which you are most iii- tcrested. The department will appre- ciate suggestions for service. Rationing is part of the national conservation programme. We have learned to use limited quantities of gasoline, sugar, tea, coffee and butter. Now we will have to learn to use less meat. Do you think the new ration small? If so, just think of Britain with only 26 ounces per person per week; Russia with 16 ounces; Ger- many 12 ounces; France 3 ounces; and Norway and Greece practically meatless. A little care in purchasinz and cooking, a little ingenuity, will still give every family satisfying meals. The country depends on groups of organized women like the Women’s Institutes to show the way in creating public opinion. Your liaison officer to the Wartime Prices and Trade Board should take the lead in this. The work done by the Women‘s In- stitutes in clothing conservation was recognized recent] I when the National Film Board, Otta va, asked to film a group of Institute women engaged in remodelling clothing. Fortunately the Newmarket W.I. was holding a short course on remodelling at the time and the members were willing to co-ouer» ate. The Junior Homemaking Club girls near Newmarket rallied round, too, to demonstrate the care of clothâ€" ing. These pictures are to be used with others in a special Clothing Con- servation film, and we hope that you may have the opportunity to see it when it is ready for distribution. While clothing has not been rationed in Canada we begin to realize the need for special care when we read of the miles of cloth required for the armed services and when we find that certain types of clothing can not be replaced. Conservation is world-wide today. The Scottish Home and Country for March devotes a column to a “Make Do and Mend" campaign. Short cour- ses will be held and advice centres will be opened. Mending clubs will be encouraged. But each country has its own prob- lems. Here there is no shortage of bread or cereals. Indeed, we will de- pend more and more on whole grain cereals to supplement our other foods. But in Scotland, where they realize that much of the wheat for bread is brought to them across the ocean at great risk, the Government has ap- pealed for a reduction in bread used. The editor of the Scottish Home and Country says: “Would it not be pos~ sible for Institutes to serve Woolton suppers rather than tea and scones? St. Anne’s Church, Corstorphine, at a recent annual congregational meeting, sensibly and patriotically, server] po- tato soup instead of tea, and oatcnkes instead of bread and sandwiches.” The conservation of such obvious necessities as food, clothing, housing and money are not, however, the only phases to be considered. The conserâ€" vation of health is just as important. Today we were reminded of how the Institutes assist in this, when Miss Edna Moore, Chief Public Health Nurse for Ontario, told us that in one community, where the W.I, has been very actively working for a public health nurse, plans are now being made to secure one. Remember, too, that the conservation of health de- pends not only on doctors and nurses but on good living conditions, pleasant recreation and mental health. A song, a joke. a pleasure shared may be the best thing possible for health. The conservation of youth is a re» sponsibility of Institute women, too. Mr. Carroll in his article on “The Agricultural Battle, 1943,“ mentions this. Can you help in your own com- munity? Is it possible to sponsor a honiemaking club, or to help the school children? There is the conservation of culture, too. Of course we look to the churches and schools for leadership. hereâ€"but to the Women’s Institutes, too. You are proud when you review what has been done in the past to foster crafts, music, libraries or art in your cam» inunities. What needs to be done now. even in wartime, especiallv when you think of those young people whom we have just mentioned? We know what the attitude of W.I. members will be towards necessary conservation, for we have heard it ex- pressed ever since 1940 from Kenora to Ottawaâ€"“If it will help win the war, we'll do it". Besides that many of them will enjoy meeting this chal- lenge to their ingenuity. Note interest of children. THE LOAN LIBRARY -Would you like to get the most out of your loan library”! The object of the loan collection is to assist Institute women who may not have access to a library or special speakers, and who wish to prepare papers of interest and value to pre- sent at their meetings. Our aim is not to send prepared papers to be read but material from which you may prepare your own papers and thus derive the greatest educational value from your effort. During the past Ins 'tute year op» proxnnately 4100 articles have been sent out on loan from this office. We are grateful for the notes of thanks and constructive suggestions which accompany these articles on their return Mateiial should be returned prompt. Iy within the two week limit. We can be more generous in the number of bulletins sent if we are sure the borrower is a prompt returner. May we remind you that clippings cannot be replaced for there are seldom extra copies, and these are too precious to lose. For best service we suggest: 1. That our address :isâ€"Loan Library, Women’s Institute Branch, Ilepartment of Agriculture, Parliaâ€" mcnt Buildings, Toronto. 2. That you state the date of the meeting and the name of the Institute for which you require material. Re- quests should be made at least two weeks in advance of the date on which the subject is to be presented. 3. That you tell us approximater how long you wish to talk. 4. That you give us an idea of the aspect of the subject which you wiin to consider. What phase will most in- terest your group? 5. That you sign your name legibly, for material has failed to reach the borrower because of misinterpretation of names. 6. Return postage is to be paid by the borrower. We do not keep 9. supply of plays on file as there are too many dif- ficulties with reference to royalties. casts, types, etc. For this material we would refer you to:â€" S. French Ltd, 480 University Ave, Toronto. Robinson Plays, 128 Burgess Ave, Toronto. Miss Jarvis, Provincial Dramatic Library, King, Ont. Extension Department, University, Kingston. (Contributed by Mrs. A. E. Barber, Loan Librarian). Queen’s i