The Women's Institute was founded in 1897 in Stoney Creek, Ontario, by Adelaide Hoodless. By 1913, institutes had been established in every Canadian province. In 1919, provincial representatives met in Winnipeg to form the Federated Women's Institute of Canada. The Women's Institute was designed to promote quality of life in rural Canada and to foster the advancement of rural women. The first Women's Institute in Manitoba was organized in 1910, in Morris, Manitoba. The Crocus Women's Institute was created in the fall of 1946. The charter for the group was issued on November 25, 1946. One of the first projects of the group included sending food parcels to Britain until war rationing was discontinued. The main focus of the Institute was the local school: the Institute sponsored essay contests and provided furniture for the school. The Institute also sponsored a garden club and held a garden show for many years. Finally, the group had an annual Christmas Cheer project. The Crocus WI disbanded in 1984.
Custodial History
This fonds was accessioned in 2002 by the McKee Archives. Prior custodial history is unknown.
Scope and Content
Fonds contains member lists in the form of roll calls from 1946-1984. There are also Women's Institute Programs from the years 1946-1984. Fonds also includes the organization's minutes, financial records and annual reports from 1946-84, a scrapbook for the years 1946-1984, and the Certificate of Organization for the Crocus Women's Institute, dated September 5, 1950.
Related women's institute collections in the McKee Archives include:
Manitoba Women's Institute; Minnedosa Women's Institute; Cordova Women's Institute; Clanwilliam Women's Institute; Rathwell Women's Institute; Strathclair Women's Institute; Crocus Women's Institute; Southwest A Region - Manitoba Women's Institute; Douglas Women's Institute
Arborg Co-operative Elevator Association Limited Organizational papers: 1940 - 1967 First General shareholders meeting, 18 May 1940 First Permanent Board of Directors meeting, 18 May 1940 Minutes of the adjourned meeting of shareholders, 18 May 1940 Agreement between Arborg CEA and MPE, 15 December 1966 By-law no. 12, 7 March 1967 Minutes of Executive Board meetings, volume 1, 23 May 1940 - volume 8, 22 September 1968 Minutes of Shareholders Annual meetings, 1940 - 1970 (31 reports). Financial records and statistics Statement of surplus, 1942 - 1955 (14 reports) Final statements, 1940 - 1952 (16 reports) Financial Statement July 31, 1973. Detail of grain earnings, 1963 - 1968 (5 reports) Analysis of Operating Results, 1951 - 1963 (10 reports) Review of Operating Results, 1965 - 1966 Correspondence, 13 November 1943 (1 letter) Miscellaneous Directors' attendance lists, 1953 - 1954 (1 report). Corporate Name: Rural Municipality of Bifrost Valley Broad Co-operative Elevator Association Limited Note: Sub division 805 includes Fisher Branch, Riverton, Broad Valley, See Arborg