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% WI today: Women Involved! ‘Bad’ press sparked good experience Being a newspaper columnist is not an easy job â€" but it sure can by .‘In Comments Br STEPHANIE ROBSO.\' of The Observer A Canadian Press report this \t'cek says the Women’s Institutes ofOtttario. unable to attract younger women. are apparently on the way out as several branches with predominantly older women disband. Many of the same sentiments were ex- pressed in a column appearing in the spring edition of Today's Country Woman. a relatively new magazine featuring articles on women who are active in agriculture as well as l'arm safety and business. The column is a new addition to the magazine and is called Grunts A Views From A Male Chauvinist. written by Jim Romahn. and although he is somewhat chauvinistic in his appraisal of the situation. his conclusions are quite accurate. Both Mr. Romahn and the news service article point to failed attempts to attract younger women into their groups as the major cause of the downfall. Said Marcie Johnston. of Liston-cl. Ont. provincial secretary of the Federated Women‘s Institutes of Ontario: “Certain branches have not changed with the times to include modern progmms like com- puters. women‘s pensions and wills. They don't keep current and haven‘t been pro- gressive enough to invite new programs and members." The mull-based organization was founded in l897 by Agnes Hunter Hoodless. of Stoney Creek. Ont.. with the purpose of raising levels of homemakng abilities. creating knowledgeable citizens and pro- moting good family living. From what i can recall of my reading about Ms. Hoodless. she was quite lib- erated for her time and l‘m sure would approve of modern changes being made to keep the organization she founded alive and viable. Mrs, Johnston atimates the members of Institutes across the province range from 30 years to older than 90. And while the Chaner of Rights and Freedoms prohibits discrimination based on age. it must be con- ceded that someone who is 90 is not as up-to-date on matters of family life and the needs of the modern rural woman as someone in their 305. There is room for both groups within the organization but concessions are nccssary on both sides. If the organization is to survive. senior members must open the door to their younger counterparts; it is the only way the organization will survive. But same younger members must not forget the past and the feelings and concerns of the aging members. They've built the organization to what it is today and provided the necessary foundation to continue that grewth into tomorrow. educational one! Just ask Stephanie Robson. who writes a column entitled Commlmi” Comments as part of her duties as Famtly Edttor at The Observer- in siull‘m.‘ Until last summer. the Women's Institutes meant little to Mrs. Rois ‘ll'l. Although she had edited numerous accounts of branch meetings sent i. by WI members over the years. Mrs. Robson says she was not fully aw“. n'l- the group‘s activities. ‘ I As so often happens. there was a bit of an image problem, "I have to admit.“ Mrs. Robson told Home & Country reeently, had a somewhat distorted picture of the WI. From what I was read: thought everyone sat around drinking tea and socializing for most t' meeting, It was not until I attended a meeting that I realized just hon . goes on when WI members aSSemble â€" that there are lecal. provincial sometimes national, achievements in the making.“ The circumstances surrounding Mrs. Robson‘s decision to attend meeting in her community are interesting, and both she and the t Enniskillen wt in Lambton District learned much from the cxpericnt Communications between the Central Enniskillen branch and Mrs. K. were not at their high point when the journalist published a column June 8. I985 edition of The Observer in which she cited two press reports stated the Federated Women‘s Institutes of Ontario are dying out, due [i failure to attract younger members. Specifically. Mrs. Robson referred to a CP wire story in which secretary Marcie Johnston as saying that certain branches “have not (it with the times to include modern programs like computers. women‘s pt and wills." "They don't keep current and haven't been progressive enough to new programs and members.” Mrs. Johnston was quoted as saying The second press report referred to in Mrs. Robson's column u “GRUNTS” column by Jim Romahn in the Spring l985 issue of 1 Country Woman. In the column (which features a male chauvinist pig seated before . writer). Mr. Romahn accused some Women's Institutes of acting “lit timonious stuffed blouses. reducing their chapters to knowâ€"it-all encl critics sniping from the do-nothing sidelines. They busy themselves \and trivia. leaving their beleaguered brethren little choice but to see; tions elsewhere." Mr. Romahn suggested that young farm women should “join and rejut their Women‘s Institute “rather than balkanizing their institutional resor In her Community Comments column. Mrs. Robson also urged sen members to open their doors to their younger counterparts. saying. "i only way the organization will survive." (A copy of her column appears on this page â€" and. by the way. don't Mrs. Robson for calling Mrs. Hunter Hoodless “Agnes” instmd of "Adr- The CP story. from which Mrs Robson was quoting. clearly stated the l3 of WI was “Agnes” Hunter Hoodless.) Anyway. the story might have ended there for readers of The Obsert it not been for Clara Powers, president of Lambton Centre District. it quick to pick up her phone and invite Mrs. Robson to 3 WI meetiit The result was the article, on the facing page. which appeared in the 26. 1985 edition of The Observer. As you will soon discover. the exp of actually watching a branch in action greatly improved the will knowledge and understanding of FWIO. The branch was also wise enough to ask thejournalist. who edits at or “"3” meetings- for suggestions as to how the organization could it‘ its image locally. “I told them to toot their own horn a little more â€" to let the DUN“ about all the things they are doing that are relevant to society 1‘ Mrs. Robson told Home & Country. .[ | . I the alt .‘ltl \‘i ill in llL‘ tlt ll] ad lls llt‘ it 1 llt' nc let ind LN itcc \i [11* .HL‘ t0“ ,. 4V.