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The Women's Institute...Do you know that...? Person 1: The author and origin of the Institute Ode are unknown. It has been reported that it was used by the "Sons of Tenperance" Lodge in Stroud, Simcoe County in the late 70's. Person 2: "We thank Thee Father for Thy Care Food, Friends, and kindliness we share. May we forever mindful be Of Hone and Country and of Thee." This grace was composed by Mrs. Clara Lintell of City View and Merivale Institute. The tune is "Old Hundred". It was submitted to the Provincial Board by the Ottawa Area for consideration at the Annual Meeting November 1950. The Board reconnended that this Grace by used at Wanen's Institute functions. Person 3: Mary Stewart, author of the Collect, was born in 1876, in the State of Ohio, and moved with her parents to Georgetown, Colorado when quite young. She wrote the Collect as a prayer for the day, and later in 1904 she offered it for publication. It was first printed in the "Delineator" a wanen's magazine nationally popular at the time. Miss Stewart called it a "Collect for Club deen" because she felt that wanen working togetha" with wide interests for large ends was a new thing. While visiting in England, she spent sane time with Mrs. Alfred Watt, president of the Associated Country Wonen of the World. In the studio of Robin Watt, the artist son of Mrs. Watt, Miss Stewart personally supervised his work of copying out the prayer. Person 4: In the early days of the organization, the Women's Institute conventions were held at Guelph known as the Royal City because Guelph was the fanily,nane of Queen Victoria. For this reason, purple and gold, the royal colours, symbolizing loyalty and royalty, were chosen for the Wonen's Institute. Through the years, it was found that the purple colour was difficult to obtain in ribbon or paper, so blue often had to be substituted and the purple was gradually replaced by blue. Now blue and gold are accepted as the official colours of the Women's Institutes in Ontario. The dark blue of the cornflower is considered the nearest shade in blue. Person 5: In Feburary, 1903, a cannittee was appointed to arrange for an anblanatic badge for Institutelnenbers. Again, Laura Rose Stephen provided the idea. She drew a sketch from a signet ring which she wore and said, "If we could have the initials of our institute, O.W.|., in the centre, it would be fine". The neple leaves were not included. This sketch was sent to Ryries, who wade.two or three designs. Frcnithese our badge was selected so we have our Institute pin, a small oval in blue and gold with a small maple leaf at each end and_ the words of our motto engraved on the oval banding. The National badge of the Federated Wonen's Institutes of Canada is a square badge with the design enanelled on it. The badge of the Associated Country Women of the World - the international organization has four points which represent the North, South, East and West. Person 6: At a convention held at Guelph, the subject of a motto was discussed and several nenbers were asked to subnit a suitable one. Mrs. Adelaide Hoodless and Miss Urie Watson, Dean of Macdonald Institute were chosen to be the judges. Laura Rose Stephen relates that, as she sat in the back of the parlor of her nother's hone, in Guelph, that evening, she penned four words "For Hone and Country". -Later it was the decision of the judges that these four words be our motto. This was in 1902. Speaking at a later tine, Mrs. Stephen said, "Do not stray too far fronlthe first phrase of our nptto - For Home- and devote too much time to the second phrase -and Country. The first is the foundation on which the second is built. Person 7: Fron 1923 to 1930, Annual Reports of Women's Institute work were printed and distributed to the Branches. Also News Bulletins and circulars were sent out. The first edition of Hone and Country appeared in May, 1933. It was a four page bulletin. With Volume 18, Sunner 1952, our official publication assuned "A New Look" and Miss Channan was welconed