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r ,i by BILL CODD Cambrid e District Re orter he omen's nstitute movement Canada is ded- icated to the education of rural women in homemaking and family life skills. And that dedication has been renewed with a new teaching program that will get under way within the organization this coming fall and winter. Maxine Innes Halborough, one of two leadership workshop organizers under the new pro- gram, says two courses will be offered during the winter months -- bread baking, and landscaping a home. surer. "We've always been dedicated to teaching women life skills. It's . just that we got aWay from the grass roots subjects." As with earlier educational workshops -- then organized through the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food -- the new workshops, sponsored by the institute, will help rural women to become more skilled in the support roles they play on the farm. . Manuals are currently in pro- duction for the courses, she said, and leadership workshops should begin in September to Drenare local instructors, who will conduct the actual member workshops. "It's a two-year pilot project, and unlike the earlier courses when OMAF paid for the material, there will be a $3 charge per course for materi» als." The fee will cover the cost of producing the manual, as well as incidental supplies con- sumed in the instruction. Geraldine Campbell of Ridgetown, public relations co- ordinator for the Federated Women's Institutes of Ontario, the provincial umbrella organi- zation, said when OMAF stopped organizing the old courses, the institute ended up dropping all but the organizatio- nal courses -- for things like how to run a successful meet- ing, or how to be a good trea"We've always been ded- icated to teaching women life skills. It's just that we got away from the grass roots subjects." The pilot project is to deter- mine how well the membership takes to the idea of paying for a course, she said. The pilot will also start the process of produc- ing formal course material for future. "Our goal is to not just offer one or two courses each year, like we did in the past," said Campbell. "What we want to be able to do is ask the women in a group what course they would like to have, and to supply that course. " The new course material -- similar to the old OMAF material -- is being prepared by former OMAF home econo- mists, Maxine Innes Holbo-- rough of Mount Forest, and Barb Klages of Hanover. The courses at the local group level will be based on a one-day workshop on each subject, al- though some groups could opt to teach over two or three eve-- nings. Campbell said the courses, which are open to anyone, not only W.I. members, are de- signed to also attract non-mem- bers into joining. "But there's no pressure on anyone to join. "In fact, we could even offer to train leaders from other or-- ganizations to teach their own groups. Our main objective is to teach the life skills. "If we gain members, that's great as well." Educational support isn't the only area of help offered by the Women's Institute. ' Campbell said the Canadian organization is in the midst of compiling a survey of rural child care needs for all areas of the country. "They've conducted surveys in individual provinces before," she said, "but this is the first time the whole country has been surveyed. " When completed, Campbell said some local groups could dedicate themselves to lobbying other local organizations to pro- vide child care services. Other institutes could actually con- duct a program, themselves. The motivation» behind the child care thrust is a report by OMAF Rural Organization Spe» cialist Marlene Werry from Durham West. "In the 10 years from 1977 to 1986," said Werry, "80 children under the age of 15 were killed in Ontario farm accidents. "Thirty-nine were under the age of five. "Why? Because a farmer's workplace is not a safe play- ground for children. In 1987, Barbara Evans and Corine Croxall, members of the Bethesda-Reach Women's Insti~ tute in Durham West, began re- searching child care needs rwi--W mmaamr-eqv: a.» ;. Basic among local farm families. And the survey showed that there wasaneed. The program was launched early in 1989. "The Women's Institute places emphasis on marketing the service, and on the concept of on--farm child care," said Werry. "Some farm families still believe accidents 'can't happen to us. "' "With increasing mechaniza- tion and stress levels, the farm is not a safe playground for children." ampbell said about a dozen institute-sponsored child care programs are currently in operation around the province, and the survey could result in others being started. Other courses of action could be to assist other groups in or- ganizing child care programs, or in setting up drop--in centres, such as one recently started in Waterloo County, north of Cam- bridge. . A report on the national sur- vey is to be out shortly. From it's fledgling begin- nings in Stoney Creek, a Hamil- ton suburb, in 1897, the Wom- en's Institute has grown to include some 20,000 women in Ontario, and 43,000 throughout Canada. Anyone wanting more infor- mation should contact their lo-- cal office of the Ontario Min- istry of Agriculture and Food.