Develop an annotated bibliography and resource binder documenting the historical and contemporary roles of individual women and womens organizations in defining, preserving and challenging notions of social cohesion in the rural community, and the development of women entrepreneurs and their role in earning off-farm income and their contribution to social cohesion. (women as homemakers providing sustainability to the farm through both paid and unpaid labour.)

Cohesion: people united by strong bonds, local identity and loyalties and mutual obligations; and a deep commitment to shared values.

Community: characterized by values such as centrality of kinship ties, solidarity as a community, and attachment to the locality.

Idea of community: 1) as a type of relationship, a sense of identity, commonality, or spirit among a group of people, 2) refers to a local social system or set of social relations in a particular bonded area.

**Members of community are not defined only by their locale but also by their participation in regional and national contexts. Further, people belong to many different communities, many of which are defined by human, not spatial relations.

Analyze womens early narratives of community building including, memoirs, family histories, minutes of community organizations and complete oral histories. Determine nature and range of womens community involvement. Specifically, search the following:

• Special Collections University of Regina;

• Prairie History Room - Regina Public Library; and

• Saskatchewan Archives.

Research should focus on the following:

4) Pioneer Questionnaires - study questionnaires on homesteaders.

5) Royal Commission (1952) - study on agricultural and rural life.

6) Provincial Government Papers

.

First Commission Meeting (October 7-10, 1952) (1 folder)

• Provides a definition of community and suggests that the commission hold special interest days for organizations to send representatives. Suggestion to have a womens day.

• Interviews were held in Gravelbourg. Women reported problems concerning finances, distances to a doctor and lack of water.

• More women than men indicated that they liked to work together in joint projects and social organizations (14).

• In these forums people were divided into discussion groups according to age. This meant that the discussion groups contained both men and women thereby making it difficult to assess what the women in particular were concerned with. Concerns that came forth from these forums included rural health (shortage of doctors), education, lack of libraries and movement of people to urban populations.

• Summary of problems listed at a farmers meeting held in the town of Eston. Problems outlined by women included lack of community life, shortage of labour on the farm, high cost of land and spraying from the air.

This file provides some interesting insights into the problems that rural women saw affecting rural populations. It is also interesting to note that women were not just asking for changes pertaining to the home but were also discussing the need for changes with regards to labour prices, farm equipment and the cost of land. Shows the extent of their involvement and knowledge in all farm matters.

• Contains a Summary by the Royal Commission of problems raised during discussion meetings of 26 different Homemakers Clubs throughout the province and forwarded to the Royal Commission. (photocopied attachment Appendix A and B)

The originals "Problem Listing Sheets" sent out by the Commission are not in the folder. Contains only summaries of the discussion sheets.

• Discussion of school closures and the subsequent movement of people off of the farms (10). Being that the school is often the center of the community the people saw these closures as a first step towards losing their communities (12).
• Letter to the Royal Commission from the Saskatchewan Homemakers Clubs. Outlines their mission statement and aims. The first page has a small paragraph about how these clubs, through their activities, build better communities. The rest of the letter outlines 13 problems that they see affecting rural people and solutions to these problems. (photocopied attachment appendix C)
• Many original letters sent by various Homemakers Clubs stating their interest and willingness to help in the work of the Royal Commission.

Terris Note: Many of the women who belonged to the Homemakers clubs signed their name twice once using their first and last name, the other using their husbands initials.

Contains data on 66 town forums. This data includes problems and solutions summaries arising from these town forums. Again, discussion groups were divided into categories of age, not sex and it is therefore hard to separate womens concerns. But what it does show is that women were extensively involved in these forums. As well, some of these groups contained more women than men (Bigger township, Craik township).

These boxes contain briefs that were submitted to the Royal Commission from various Saskatchewan towns and villages. Some briefs state who attended the meetings and helped in the preparation of the briefs. These show that women both went to and actively participated in the meetings and preparations of the briefs.

• Contains lists of organizations that submitted briefs and the commissioners who were to analyze them. Womens organizations that submitted briefs included Provincial Council of Women, Saskatchewan Homemakers Clubs, and Womens Missionary Society.

• Contains information on conferences held with various organizations. These conferences were an attempt to outline the problems that organizations saw affecting rural Saskatchewan. The number of females who attended the Saskatoon conference was 19 compared to 106 men. After these conferences, the commission identified major problem areas in rural populations and asked these organizations to submit provincial briefs. Also contains a list of the organizations that attended the provincial problems conferences and the people who represented them. Womens organizations and organizations that sent women to the conference included the Provincial Council of Women, Saskatchewan Library Association, Saskatchewan Registered Nurses Association, College of Home Economics--University of Saskatchewan, Saskatchewan Farmers Union, Provincial Library, Catholic Womens League of Canada, Womens Co-operative Guild, and Saskatchewan Homemakers Clubs.

Contains policy and progress reports, invitations to submit provincial briefs, guide on how to prepare a provincial brief. Also contains community briefs submitted to the Royal Commission. Gives a good idea of the problems rural people saw affecting rural Saskatchewan.

Contains volumes 2, 3 and 4 of the community briefs

Contains volume 5 of the community briefs. Also contains the community hearings reports. The Commission summarized the information at these hearings and organized them under topical headings such as rural homes, land tenure, and movement of the people.

This box contains volumes 1,2 and 3 of the original briefs organizations sent to the Royal Commission.

• This brief forwarded by the Provincial Council of Women expresses the need for highly trained and qualified teachers and the extension of educational facilities. They were also concerned with the lack of public libraries throughout the province.

• Gives a brief history of how the Saskatchewan Womens Co-operative Guild was formed and the aims of their organization. Discusses how this brief was put together so that it represented the views of 400 guildwomen. They identified five basic problems existing in rural Saskatchewan. The problems they identified included, the need for greater stability in the agricultural industry, lack of long term credit policy for young people wishing to enter the agriculture industry, better education, lack of all weather roads, and shortage of health personnel.

• Discusses the aims of the Homemakers Clubs and state that these clubs carry on many activities that lead to better communities. They identify 13 problems affecting peoples in rural Saskatchewan. They also offer proposed solutions to these problems. Some of the problems they identify include the need for more medical personnel, cost of electrification, and lack of independent income for farmwomen. (photocopied attachment- appendix C)

Contains volume 4 of the original briefs organizations sent to the Royal Commission.

• They identified a variety of problems affecting rural Saskatchewan and offered solutions. Some of these problems included the breakdown of family oneness, the drift of young people and the stabilization of community life breaking down due to increased mechanization.

• Discusses the Saskatchewan Farmers Union and co-operatives.

Contains a book of press releases. News release # 22 states that the Saskatchewan Homemakers Clubs will send in a provincial brief which was put together by over 5000 women working through 363 clubs. Also states that commissioner Nancy Adams asked for more representation of women. (photocopied attachment appendix D)

Contains scrapbooks of newspaper articles dealing with the Royal Commission.

(photocopied attachment appendix E)

This box also contains scrapbooks of newspaper articles dealing with the Royal Commission. As well, contains a couple of folders of loose articles taken from small town newspapers.

• Contains a research report discussing rural home and family life. The information contained in the report was gathered from provincial briefs and hearings. Provides details about problems pertaining to home and family in rural Saskatchewan and gives the names of organizations and consultants who forwarded this information.

• Contains three large booklets (reports) outlining the commissions findings on home and family. The amount of information found here far exceeds the amount of information published in the final report (Publication #10 Home and Family in Rural Saskatchewan).

• These reports cover topics such as; problems of the rural family as seen by rural people, levels of living of farm families through the years, amenities of families living today, family relationships in the rural family, roles of the rural homemaker.

• Contains a sample copy of the questions that were given to the Homemakers Clubs. Contains the interview questions that researchers asked 140 rural housewives. The information that these women provided was then analyzed by the Royal Commission. Some of the questions dealt with the amount of community work women were engaging in. (photocopied attachment appendix F, G, H)

Note: The actual completed questionnaires, by both the housewives and homemakers, were not found. Therefore, the attachments provided are uncompleted questionnaires and the Commissions analysis of the information that was gathered through these interviews.

These boxes contain audograph records of Commission meetings. Meetings with womens groups that were recorded include Saskatchewan Homemakers Clubs, United Church Womens Missionary Society, and Saskatchewan Womens Co-op Guild.

(Found on 2^nd floor library, government publications)

• After completing their investigation, the Royal Commission published 14 reports of their findings and proposed solutions. Below, I have included a list of the reports that I think are relevant to the intended research.

Chapter 1: purpose and plan of the commission's report.

Chapter 2: the Commission's assignment, historical role of Royal Commissions, and the main features of a Royal Commission.

Chapter 3: principles of rural improvement. Rural improvement 'defined'.

Chapter 4: sources of information. 2 main sources; 1) Public (interviews, forums), 2) Technical (consultants, census etc.)

Chapter 5: communication and the role of the press.

Chapter 6: sources of information. Community hearings and briefs were used to gain information and garner participation by local peoples. Commission felt that both the knowledge and experience provided from the communities would provide a valuable source of information on the problems affecting rural life.

Commission used

• Community Forums: where rural townships would meet to discuss and identify the main problems they saw affecting rural life. Once problems were identified, solutions were proposed.

• Community Briefs: at the end of the community forums, committees were appointed to prepare briefs for the purpose of recording the thoughts and opinions expressed in the forum. A standard outline, provided by the Commission, was used for these briefs.

• Community Hearings: these hearings gave people a chance to express their opinions directly to the Commission. Men to women ratio at these hearings were 2:1.

• Women's organizations submitted five briefs:

III. Field Interviews and Questionnaires:

• Field Interviews: a total of 239 people being interviewed. 160 were farmwives and 79 were males and females from town. In these interviews two major requirements had to be satisfied. The person being interviewed had to be a housewife with a minimum of at least one child that was between the ages of six and eighteen years of age (60). The purpose of these interviews was to gain information on family organization and responsibilities and how these related to farm and other environmental characteristics (60).

• Questionnaires on Rural Homes and Family Life: in June 1953 at a convention of the Homemakers' club, questionnaires were handed out to the delegates. 125 homemakers submitted completed questionnaires, containing data on a wide range of questions regarding home management, amenities and use of services in rural areas.

Outlines the purpose and plan of this report, which is to examine various aspects of rural homes and families in the changing environment of rural Saskatchewan. These aspects include problems affecting the rural family, material level of living, the amenities of family living today, the changing roles of farm women and the services available to aid the rural home and family (4). Also contains a short summary on the importance of the family. The rural family is seen as the foundation of rural life and the ways of living of rural families' shape the course of rural social movements since the family is not isolated but interacts with the community around it (1).

• Methods of Analysis: the commission undertook three surveys for this report,

1. questionnaire filled out by 125 delegates of the Homemakers' Clubs
2. sample survey of 160 farmwives (part of the field interviews)
3. questionnaire sent out to 30 groups. These groups were comprised of governmental, voluntary, and commercial organizations.

The Commission also used various statistics (provided by the Dominion Bureau of Statistics). Data on the level of farm families in the past was compiled from historical and literary sources (4).

Impact of changing environment on the rural family. Changes in family organization. Levels of living of farm families. Home management. Summary.

• Impact of changing environment: looks at economic conditions, mechanization, movement of farm peoples and education as forces which impacts the rural family. There are some interesting quotes found here and also some interesting blurbs on how change in the family changes the community (e.g. under mechanization "we may be able to harvest with the combine more economically but we have lost touch with our neighbors" (8).)

• Changes in Family Organization: discusses how rural families are changing and that there is less of "families enjoying things together (11). Also looks at how the church in rural areas affects family relationships and social life.

• Level of Living of Farm Families: determined by their income. Many farm homes are lacking conveniences essential for health and comfort. Believe that the level of living of farm families was generally lower than those families living in urban areas but some felt that family relations were more satisfying in rural areas (19)

• Home Management: is agreed upon that rural homemakers have a hard task !!!! (19).

This chapter gives a historical sketch of 4 different periods of farm families. The pioneer family (1880-1914), the farm family in World War I and the postwar years (1915-29), the farm family in the depression (1930-38), and the farm family in the period of mechanization and urbanization (1939-1955). The description of these periods is confined to material aspects of living--housing, home conveniences, fuel, food and water supplies, and means of transportation and communication (21).

Provides a comparison with other provinces, variation in farm homes within the province and provides rural and urban contrasts and the material effects of moving to town.

Looks at family relationships in the past and provides summary of the Commissions survey of family relationships. This summary was based on the interviews given to 160 farmwives and therefore provides a female perspective on the areas assessed. Areas looked at included family integration, family labour, father-centered decision making, income allocation, kinship's contacts, and family continuity in farming. Discussion on the emerging farm family.

Outlines six major roles of the homemaker, which are identified as the manager, the housewife, the family member, the mother, the wife, the "individual" and the farm helper (90). The "homemaker's own capacity and skill to play her roles are related to the opportunities she has to learn from others and to participate in the larger community" (89).

• Survey of Members of Homemakers' Clubs: in 1953 at a homemakers convention, 125 delegates filled out an 18-page questionnaire providing information on home management practices, social participation and leisure activities of farmwomen. Includes characteristics of the sample, findings of the survey and a short summary of community activities (106).

• Changing Roles of Farmwomen: provides a short discussion on the changing roles of farmwomen. Finds that the roles of the rural women are changing because of change in the organization of agricultural production and modern means of communication.

Looks at the services provided by the Federal Government, the Provincial Government, the University of Saskatchewan Women's Service Division (was the only extension agency in the province with a broad range of services for the rural family. The services were limited primarily to the skills of homemaking), Commercial Organizations, Press, Radio, Television and Libraries and Voluntary Organizations.

Note: Volunteer Organizations are acknowledged by the Royal Commission as playing an important role in spreading information on homemaking and problems of the family (114). Listed in this report are the Canadian Association of Consumers, the Saskatchewan Homemakers' Clubs, the Women's Co-operative Guild, and the Women's Sections of the Farmers Union as all being concerned with problems of the home.

**The Commission also notes that in Saskatchewan every rural community is highly organized and most women belong to several organizations (114).

Various communities, provincial organizations, consultants, and volunteer organizations gave proposals and recommendations. The areas in which these recommendations were made included family organization, level of living and home management. Some of these recommendations included "home service centers and district home economists" (132). Many consultants encouraged the provision of rural recreation centers (129).

40 conclusions with respect to the problems of the rural family.

13 recommendations forwarded by the Royal Commission that were designed to help the adjustment to the changing rural environment and strengthen the rural family.

Appendix V Supplementary Female Interview questionnaire (159).

Appendix VIII Homemaker Questionnaire (180).

Note: the respondents of the Homemakers questionnaire are not a truly representative sample as their socioeconomic status was considerably higher than that of the average rural farm family.

Table 1. Comparison of Homemakers Questionnaire Data, 1953, with Saskatchewan Rural Farm Census Data, 1951: provides a comparison for how much this group would differ from a truly random sample.

Appendix XI Questionnaire on Women's Services: provides a list of organizations and agencies that completed the Women's Services Questionnaire.

This report gives a review of the economic and social trends in Saskatchewan agriculture and rural life. It outlines the changes that are affecting rural peoples and Saskatchewans rural problems. Finally it outlines the Commissions policies and programs and gives a complete list of Commission recommendations.

Note: there is a discussion on changes in the rural community and its service centers (24-29). The first couple of paragraphs offer a nice discussion on the community as tied to farm identity (24).

• An Evaluation of Rural Planning in Saskatchewan: offers quite a nice discussion on local community and the importance of community "as it forms the environment of the day-today experiences of people" (71-72). Also states that it is a detriment of democracy that we have not yet recognized the essential contribution of the community to the entire process of self-government and how a vast area of "opportunity for improved human welfare lies within the control of communities themselves" (72). Further states that any community with vitality is teeming with the activities of voluntary associations of its citizens such as service clubs, church groups and co-operative associations (72).

• An Approach to Rural Planning and Development: ideas presented by the Commission for rural planning and development. The Commission proposed that a center for community studies be established at the University of Saskatchewan to give support to rural communities. Discusses why this support is needed. Looks at changes in the community with a comparison to earlier days (76-79).

Offers a complete list of Commission recommendations

A Review of P.F. Reins Thesis, These Changing Conditions: A Study of the Saskatchewan Royal Commission on Agriculture and Rural Life

Location: U of R library, Main, Basement Storage

Call #: HN 110 S2 R42 1994

Introduction: Provides a detailed look at why the government set up the Royal Commission. The government believed that as a result of the dirty thirties and increased mechanization in the 1940s, fundamental changes in farm economy and rural life were taking place (26). They appointed the Royal Commission to investigate and make recommendations "regarding the requirements for the maintenance of a sound farm economy and improvement of social conditions and amenities in rural Saskatchewan" (27). It was thought that the Commission make particular reference to "the further development of rural transportation, communication and community services" (27).

• Appointment of the members to the Commission. W.B Baker, Director of the School of Agriculture of University of Saskatchewan, was named Chairman. He was interested in problems of community and agricultural organization (29). Appointed Nancy Adams who was a farmwoman. She had a University degree as well as having attended Normal School. She quit teaching after marriage. Very active in community and public life. Was a past president of the Saskatchewan Homemakers Club 1948-51. At the time of her appointment to the Commission she was first vice-president of the Federated Womens Institutes of Canada (30). Except for Baker, Adams seems to have gathered more press coverage than any other commissioner. Responsibilities on the Commission included education, local government and rural homes.

• Work Committee B, February 4 1952: discussed the research the Secretariat had compiled on rural homes. It was noted that many families found discussing family problems difficult and believed the Commission had no business inquiring into this aspect of their lives (50). However, the Commission did examine many problems facing rural families. Many families expressed a concern that their children were being forced to leave the farm. As well, these families expressed their concern over the erosion of rural values as people moved into urban areas (50).

Rien notes that there was a contrast between the concern of farm families and provincial organizations. Provincial organizations highlighted four major areas of concern. Differences between these concerns were thought to be because of differences in socioeconomic status (with the provincial organizations being made up of people from the top socioeconomic status).

• Community Forums: purpose was for communities to get together to discuss the problems affecting their community (67). Farmwomen comprised 19.2 percent of the participants (71).

• Community Hearings: 57 in all, attended by at least two Royal Commissioners and a secretariat, gave public direct access to the Commission.

Information provided by the "gatekeepers." These groups represented the interests of the people as they extended beyond the communities. Saskatchewan gatekeepers were drawn from three main categories, one of which were voluntary organizations.

• Brief of the Provincial Council of Women: made two recommendations to the Commission. First, it called for improvements in rural education and second, the establishment of regional libraries throughout Saskatchewan (94).

Saskatchewan. Records of the Department of Agriculture. Lands Branch. 1943-1967 (SAB, R-264)

Saskatchewan. Records of the Department of Co-operation and Co-operative Affairs. 1913-1958. (SAB, R-236)

MacDonald, C. Historical Directory of Saskatchewan Newspapers, 1878-1983. Saskatchewan Archives Board, 1984

Voisey, Paul. Vulcan-The Making of a Prairie Community. Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1988.

Authors: Bitney, Ardath et al.

Publisher: Regina Public Library

Location: U of R library, Main

Call #: FC 3518 W87 1984 C.1 M

Summary: Told by four women, this book is an interesting collection of memoirs on growing up in the prairies. Ardath Bitney recounts her experience of growing up in Regina. Glenndoris Haggman paints a vivid portrait of her life during the dirty thirties in the small town of Bracken and recounts her experiences as a rural Saskatchewan teacher. Grace Motion talks about her childhood days living in Wynyard and her teenage years in Regina. She discusses her experiences teaching in small towns and her eventual job with the government. Some interesting little tidbits are her having to resign when she got married; as married women were not allowed to work for the government at this time (1937). Smelia Joorsity recounts her life as a Serbian immigrant to Regina and as a rural farmwife after her marriage in 1927.

Author: Edwards, Kate.

Title: Gaining Personal Control: Women in Saskatchewan 1880-1930

Thesis

Location: U of R library, Main, Basement

Call #: FC 3520 W6 E389

Summary: Uses a socialist feminist perspective to examine the position of women in the period of 1880-1930.

• Chapter 2: examines womens unpaid labour in the home and on the homestead. (Discusses the idea/use of maternal feminism, in this period, as a way to gain womens rights). Mentions that the letters of Violet McNaughton contain some homemade recipes for birth control (43).

• Chapter 3: discusses gaining personal control over birth control and child custody. The author notes that little information has been found on womens organized efforts to obtain access to birth control (47). Mentions that one woman who did undertake organizational work, with respect to sexual counseling, was Beatrice Brigden. Notes that in 1928, the Womens Section of the United Farmers of Canada (Saskatchewan Section) fought for womens rights to access information on birth control.

• Chapter 4: discusses gaining personal control in regards to women and property laws.

Includes a petition to the Governor General of Canada (which contained over ll, 000 signatures) which states that the Homestead Law discriminates against women and asks for this to change (148). It, I believe, shows how women saw themselves as integral to the building of home and community. The author cautions readers to be aware of the overt racism that exists in the petition, in that it asks for homestead rights for only women of British birth. (photocopied attachment I)

*A nice quote by Isabel Graham offers a good example of the contribution women made to the development of the Province of Saskatchewan and their communities. She stated, "in no country under the sun has women been more directly responsible for increased land values, than in Western Canada. Foremost among the farming settlements were the women taking the gravest bodily risks, exposure, neglect, over work and under feeding" (69).

• Chapter 5: looks at the Provincial Franchise. Acknowledged that in Saskatchewan the womens suffrage movement was primarily a movement of farm and small town women. Discusses different organizations as contributing to this movement. Interesting discussion on the ideology of maternal feminism, which was prevalent at this time and used as an argument for women to secure the vote.

• Chapter 6: offers a summary and conclusions. This thesis was about the efforts women made in the period between 1880 and 1930 to gain personal control of their lives. A large part of the efforts made took part in the form of womens organizations.

Grain Growers Guide (1909, 1910,1911)

Saskatchewan History, Volume 1, October 1948, no. 3, 1. Article "How Saskatchewan Women Got the Vote"

McNaughton Papers

Provincial Franchise, Scott Correspondence

Saskatchewan Grain Growers Association

Anderson, Ann Leger. "Archival Holdings in Saskatchewan Womens History: Preliminary Survey." Resources for Feminist Research, July, 1979

Binnie-Clark, Georgina. Wheat and Women. Toronto: Bell and Cockburn, 1914.

Prentice, Allison et al. Canadian Women, A History. Toronto, Orlando, San Diego, London, Sydney: Harcourt, Brace, Jovanovich, 1988.

Taylor, Georgina M. "Should I Drown Myself Now of Later?" In: Women: Isolation and Bonding. The Ecology of Gender. Ed: Kathleen Storrie, Toronto, New York, London, Sydney, Auckland: Methuen, 1987.

Author: Harvey, Janet Eliza Jane.

Title: The Regina Council of Women, 1895-1929.

Thesis

Location: U of R library, Main, Basement Storage

Call #: HQ 1460 R4 H368 1991

Summary: looks at the founding of the Regina Council of Women, who was part of it, their community services and reform activities. The author believes that examining the Regina Council of Women allows us to explore a broad spectrum of activities undertaken by organized women in a prairie community during the period of settlement and through the 1920s (16). Author points out that the early work of the RCW was focused primarily on community service and that community service was of great importance in a new community like Regina where established social services were few or non-existent (75).

Headon, Christopher. "Women and Organized Religion in Mid and Late Nineteenth Century Canada." Journal of Canadian Church History Society 20 (1978): 3-15

Sheehan, Nancy M. "The WCTU on the Prairies, 1886-1930: An Alberta-Saskatchewan Comparison." Prairie Forum, 1981, Vo. 6, No.1: 17-33

McGovern, Marcia A. "The Womans Christian Temperance Union Movement in Saskatchewan, 1886-1930: A Regional Perspective of the International White Ribbon Movement." MA thesis, University of Regina, 1977.

Authors: Jackel, Susan and Susan Armitage.

Title: The CRIAW Papers, Canadian Prairie Womens History: A Bibliographic Survey and Women and Men in Western American History.

Publisher: Canadian Research Institute for the Advancement of Women, Ottawa, Ontario 1987.

Location: U of R library, Main

Call #: HQ 1459 P7 J32 1987

Summary: The CRAIW Papers are a series of research papers that seek to advance the understanding of womens experience. The relevant paper in this booklet is Susan Jackels" Canadian Prairie Womens History: A Bibliographic Survey." She is analyzing published and archival material on prairie women. Although written in 1987 it points out some good resources for researching prairie womens experiences. Does not specifically focus on Saskatchewan women.

Author: Kelcey, Barbara E., and Angela E. Davis. (eds.).

Title: A Great Movement Underway: Women and The Grain Growers Guide 1908-1928

Publisher: The Manitoba Record Society, Winnipeg, 1997.

Location: U of R library, Main

Call #: HQ 1459 P6 G73 1997

***Summary: This book contains letters, written by female readers, to the womens page of The Grain Growers Guide. Topics range from the Dower Law, homesteads for women, the right to vote, personal income and womens work and womens organizations and clubs. One example of an editorial, written on February 10 1910, talks about the importance of clubs for a rural community. The author states "that to them [town people] the womens club rarely means what it will grow to mean in a rural community [as] a womans club may become a power for good, for social uplift, for intimate neighborhood relations that will be felt not only in a social sense but will further the proper spirit of fraternity that must be ripe in a community before business co-operation in any of its branches can be practically carried out" (7). These letters range from heartbreaking too hopeful and are almost always inspiring. They offer an intimate glimpse of what rural prairie women were concerned with and thinking in the period from 1908-1928. May want to look at some letters found on pages 27, 40,60, 83,84,86,112, 120 (photocopied attachment J), 161,192,242.

*"It is the women, not the men, who are making this great west a country of homes" (69).

Authors: Klimko, Olga, and Michael Taft.

Title: "Them Days": Memories of a Prairie Valley

Publisher: Fifth House Publishers, 1993

Location: U of R library, Main

Call #: FC 3545 S68 K44 1993

Summary: Is a collection of stories transcribed from interviews with Souris Valley residents. The stories include the memories of 21 residents on such topics as settling the land, family life, working the land and growing crops. This book contains lots of quotes of the various jobs women were doing on the farm. These jobs included planting and maintaining a garden, cooking, canning and as one woman put it "although herding and tending the crops might be thought of as "mans work, the women also had to help with these chores on the family farm" (36).

Author: Lutz, Otto.

Title: A Mother Braving A Wilderness

Location: U of R library, Main

Call #: FC 3522 L8 L87 1977

Summary: Told through the eyes of her son, this novel details the journey of the widowed Mrs. Lutz and her children from Nebraska to the Saskatchewan prairies where she was one of the first homesteaders of St. Peters Colony, Muenster, Saskatchewan. It is a captivating story of a womans courage, struggle and drive.

Author: Melnyk, Olenka.

Title: Whats Cooking in Womens History: An Introductory Guide to Preserving Archival Records About Women.

Publisher: Northern Alberta Womens Archives Association

Location: U of R library, Main

Call #: HQ 1453 M44 1993

Summary: is a manual that aims to facilitate the preservation of and easy access to womens archival records. Begins with a discussion on womens exclusion from written accounts of the past. In this discussion the author states how women have been "central, not marginal, to the creation of civilization through their child-rearing, work, cultural contributions, community involvement and struggles for change" (4). The author looks at women and archives and describes the important sources of womens material (personal

and organizational papers) and some of the problems finding these. Finally discusses how the preservation of womens archival material begins at the grass roots level.

Author: Pratt, Marjorie (Barr).

Title: Recollections of a Homesteaders Daughter

Publisher: Marjorie Pratt, 1997.

Location: U of R library, Main

Call #: FC 3549 Z49 1996

Summary: Tells the story of a young girl growing up in rural Saskatchewan in the twenties and thirties.

Authors: Rasmussen, Linda. et al.

Title: A Harvest Yet To Reap: A History of Prairie Women

Publisher: Canadian Womens Educational Press, Toronto, Canada, 1976.

Location: U of R Library, Main

Call #: HQ 1459 P7H37

***Summary: Under titles such as moving west, life on the prairies, rethinking the role, organizing for reform, changing the law, winning the vote, and the epilogue, there are many interesting tidbits to be found in this book. Aside from the interesting essays written by the women editors, this book contains many rich quotes by rural women themselves. There are also interesting little snippets from the propaganda pamphlets sent out at this time encouraging women to come to the prairies, for as both bachelors and the immigration officials agreed "a person couldnt establish a family farm without a farm family to help with the work" (13). "Volunteer womanpower pioneered many of the community services now provided by the state. In the course of mothering their communities, both farm and city women established services like libraries, hospitals, homes for the disabled, schools for retarded children and hostels for unwed mothers" (123). Many quotes on womens organizations (124-144) and how the work these organizations carried out built better communities. There are also many wonderful pictures, which fill this book with a visual story of its own.

• Interesting little discussion on how in conservative circles the home was recognized as a component of the state and hence homemakers were seen as nation builders (122).

Films: Great Grand Mother. Half-hour color documentary on the role women played in the settlement of the Canadian prairies. Available at any National Film Board distribution office.

Author: Riegert, P. W.

Title: 2005 Memories

Publisher: Dr. P. W. Riegert, 1979.

Location: U of R library, Main

Call #: FC 3545 H35 R44

Summary: A history of the Hamburg School District in Laird, Saskatchewan. This book outlines the lives of the first settlers of this area and the building and maintenance of their school. It does not offer much in the work of women except to provide a little detail of a few of the female teachers.

Author/Publisher: Saskatchewan Diamond Jubilee and Canada Centennial Corporation

Title: The Saskatchewanians

Location: U of R library, Main

Call #: FC 3505 S295

Summary: Put together in 1967, this book contains portraits of 100 prominent men and women whom the Saskatchewan Diamond Jubilee and Canada Centennial Corporation felt had significantly contributed to the building of the province. Contains 7 portraits of 'notable' women.

Elizabeth (Beckett) Matheson 1866-1958: physician and missionary to the Indians of northern Saskatchewan (6).

Jean Ethel MacLachlan: first woman Juvenile Court Judge and Justice of the Peace in Canada 1917. She was an active member of many service organizations (23).

Violet McNaughton, O.B.E: result of her efforts that "members of the distaff side" were admitted to the Grain Growers' Association in 1914. She was elected first president of the Women's Division and advocated tirelessly for medical aid for prairie mothers that led to the eventual establishment of municipal hospitals. In 1934 King George V honored her for her services to the welfare of rural women (24).

Kathleen Weldon: first lady telegraph operator on the Dominion telegraph in Humboldt (44).

Mrs. Magnus O. Ramsland (Sarah Katherine McEwen): Saskatchewan's first woman Member of the Legislative Assembly (63).

Myrtle Elizabeth Pierce: pioneer in a home care program for rural Saskatchewan. She was also a nurse and midwife (79).

Catherine Sheldon-Williams: organized the "Outpost Correspondence School" and served for 20 years on the Regina Collegiate Board. Regina Council of Women conferred a life membership upon her (87).

Edna Jaques: wrote volumes of poetry one of which was a war poem written in the twenties which raised one million dollars for war relief (92).

Author: Scarrow, Mary, and Mabel Charlton.

Title: Griffin Prairie Wool 1900-1967

Location: U of R library, Main

Call #: FC 3549 G7S3 C.2

Summary: A 'community history' of the town of Griffin. Contains letter from the first Griffin schoolteacher Ella Stewart. Plenty of information on community building that went on by both men and women. Family biographies note the tireless work of many pioneer women. Almost all the schoolteachers were women. Notes that there was a ladies aid group that had 36 enrolled members and raised money to help with the upkeep of the church and to pay missionary and maintenance (the church was a place of many social functions). Chapter IV deals with organizations and recreation in the past and talks about how visiting and socials were necessary and common to assuage the loneliness. The first womens organization in Griffin was called "Willing Workers" (29). The first C.G.I.T group was formed in 1919 and was comprised of twelve women. A Red Cross Society was formed in 1916 (made up of women) which did knitting, sewing, fund raising and helping the families who waited at home (58). Also a list of women in the community who went to the Second World War (59). List of women who were called on to help in homes when a new baby was born (160). What is prominent throughout this communitys history is that women were not on the periphery, rather they were integral or central to the building and maintenance of the community of Griffin.

Author: Wilson, Peter.

Title: The Good Land: Stories of Saskatchewan People

Publisher: Fifth House Ltd., 1998

Location: U of R library, Main

Call #: FC 3505 W54 1998

Summary: The author provides us with 51 different stories of people from all over Saskatchewan. Each excerpt (story) is one and a half to two pages long. While these stories dont go into great detail there are a couple of interesting women that are mentioned.

These include the story of 73 year old Pansy White, who runs her own ranch in maple creek (21). Dale Burechailo of Domremy, has painted her familys pioneer history on a huge boulder pulled out of the land by her father to mark the approach to the family farm (69). Finally, 83 year old Alice Walton from Rabbit Lake who grew up on a farm and with her two sisters did all of the "boys work." After their father died these sisters took over the farm to raise cattle and grow grain as they had always done (55).

Author: Ann Dixon

Title: Homesteading Highlights.

Publisher: Ann Dixon

Location: U of R library, main, special collections

Call #: FC 3522.1 D59 A3

Summary: Homesteading highlights as told and lived by Ann Dixon in the early 1900s. Small section outlines the formation of the Littletowns Ladies Circle and the projects they worked on to the benefit of the town and people (122-23).

Author: Blashill, Lorraine

Title: Anna

Publisher: Midwest Litho Ltd.

Location: U of R library, Main, Special Collections

Call #: FC 3549 M25 Z49

Summary: Details the life story of Anna McIntosh who lived most of her life in the town of Sutherland (now part of the city Saskatoon). She is noted for her tireless community work, or as in the words of her daughter "we kids had to be very independent as mother got more involved in the community" (11). Served on many associations such as the Womens Voluntary Service, Red Cross, Catholic Welfare Board, and St. Pauls Hospital Auxiliary. In 1949 she was the lone female member of Sutherlands town council where she continued to serve for 6 years. She pressed for a church, separated school and bank in the town of Sutherland. She was always interested in the promotion and growth of her community (26). In a speech listing her community accomplishments she finished by saying "these activities were part of my public endeavors for Sutherland in the local, provincial and public areas" (28). After the amalgamation with Saskatoon in 1955 she campaigned vigorously and was elected to the Saskatoon City council.

This is an interesting account Anna McIntoshs contribution to the development of the community of Sutherland from its beginning years in 1912 and after its amalgamation with Saskatoon in 1955.

Author: Canadian Publicity Company.

Title: Pioneers and Prominent People of Saskatchewan.

Publisher: Canadian Publicity Company, 1926.

Location: U or R library, Main, Special Collections

Call #: FC 3505 P55 1926

Summary: Out of the 470 persons named who contributed to the growth and development of Saskatchewan we find mention of only 11 women. Descriptions are generally short and with mention of the persons vocation and family. Some of the women are noted for their community work, welfare work and organizational work (79,80,83,100,98,) while others are noted for their journalism work (105), business savvy (161,188), medical practice (279), and politics (79).

Author: Homemakers Clubs of Saskatchewan

Title: Homemakers Clubs of Saskatchewan 1911-1961.

Publisher: The Saskatchewan Homemakers Club, 1961.

Location: U of R library, Main, Special Collections

Call #: HQ 1909 S3 W65

Summary: The first half of this small book carries greetings from the provincial presidents. It starts with Elizabeth Gow Cameron from Davidson in 1918 to Mrs. Shulver from Woodrow in 1961. There is also a greeting from Nancy Adams who was provincial president from 1948 to 1951 and a commissioner on the 1952 Royal Commission on Saskatchewan Agricultural and Rural Life. These are very nice personal page long letters discussing the importance of the Saskatchewan Homemakers Clubs and all the work they have done to "make communities a better place to live" (30). The second half outlines details of the first Homemakers convention January 31, 1911. Also outlined are the Clubs constitution which began "the object of the homemakers clubs of Saskatchewan shall be to promote the interests of the home and community" (33). Also talks about the need for an organization in which "all the women of the province can unite and work together without feeling a restraint on account of racial or religious differences" and to "meet on common ground...to promote the interests of the home and the community" (35). Earlier than 1910 there were a few groups called Prosperity Homekeepers Society (Rocanville district) and the Open Door Circle (Mair) all of which decided to change their names and affiliate with the Saskatchewan Homemakers. Discussion of the first years, home economics scholarships, the lean years (dirty 30s) work with rural girls, and new challenges. All in all a really good review of the Homemakers Clubs, their role in building the Province and their continuous building and support of many communities.

Author: Kennedy, C. E.

Title: Craiks Golden Jubilee Story.

Location: U of R library, Main, Special Collections

Call #: FC 3549 C7 K5

Summary: Short discussions on the organizations that existed in Craik. Those that were ran and organized by women (and the majority of the existing organizations) included the Red Cross (organized in 1917), the Womens Section United Grain Growers (organized in 1918 and maintained the town library), Homemakers Club and the Craik Hospital aid. What becomes apparent is that the necessities for making a strong, healthy community, such as the hospital, library, and schools were undertaken and maintained by women.

Author: Kirkwood, M. M.

Title: Women and the Machine Age.

Publisher: Social Service Council of Canada, 1935.

Location: U of R library, Main, Special Collections

Call #: HQ 1206 K4

Summary: This pamphlet, written in 1935, looks at women before and after the industrial revolution (machine age). It then provides a discussion on the gains and losses that the womens movement and higher education for women have brought. One of the gains the authors discuss is women "learning a sense of community" (10).

Author: Laskin, Richard.

Title: Voluntary Organizations in a Saskatchewan Town.

Publisher: Center for Community Studies, University of Saskatchewan.

Location: U of R library, Main, Special Collections

Call #: HN 110 B5L28 1963

Summary: Looks at the voluntary organizations in the town of Biggar in 1961. Biggar at this time had a population of 2,702. Defines voluntary organizations and outlines the reasons for studying them. They believe that if we want to understand how communities work and they change "we cannot overlook voluntary associations and organizations" (12). Give details on the number and types of organizations in Biggar, and the members themselves (age, sex). More women than men are part of volunteer organizations and womens memberships are with community service associations and auxiliaries where as men were attracted to predominantly economic and occupational type of associations (19). Divides the activities of the associations into seven major types of activities, two of which are community improvement and welfare to needy non-members.

Title: Legacy: A History of Saskatchewan Homemakers Clubs and Womens Institutes, 1911-1913.

Location: U of R library, Main, Special Collections

Call #: HQ 1909 S3 L44 1988

Summary: (not on shelf)

Author: The Local Council of Women of Regina.

Title: History of Regina Council of Women 1895-1965.

Publisher: The Local Council of Women of Regina.

Location: U of R library, Main, Special Collections

Call #: HQ 1460 R4 R44

Summary: This book chronicles the Regina Council of Women over seventy years. It outlines the major highlights, accomplishments and projects for every year. Provides any interesting look at early Regina and how formative these women were in building this city. They made possible the opening of the first hospital in the city of Regina in 1898, which was then furnished by the local church clubs (8). The local council organized the Womans Hospital Aid in 1900. They raised money, cooked food and did sewing for the hospital. In 1908, they also formed the Childrens Aid Society. Other accomplishments included the founding and funding of the Y.W.C.A in 1909 (10), and the opening and operation of evening English courses.

Author: The Local Council of Women.

Title: Golden Furrows: An Historical Chronicle of Swift Current

Publisher: The Local Council of Women, 1954.

Location: U of R library, Main, Special Collections

Summary: A history of the city of Swift Current. Offers a 3 page history of Swift Currents Womens Clubs and Organizations (32-34). As well, talks about the names connected with hospitalization, and the names mentioned are primarily women as they operated the first nursing homes and played an important part in financing the furnishings for the first hospital (37).

Author: National Council of Women of Canada

Title: Second Annual Report of the National Council of Women of Canada.

Publisher: Oxford Press, 1895.

Location: U of R library, Main, Special Collections

Call #: HQ 1907 N3

Summary: Took place in 1895. There are a few interesting things about this report. The first, is that these women came from all over Canada to form their own communities both locally and nationally and set aims to make these communities a better place to live. The second interesting thing about this report is finding out what women were concerned about in 1895. This report gives a list of local councils and their affiliated (federated) organizations

Author: National Council of Women of Canada.

Title: Women of Canada: Their Life and Work.

Publisher: National Council of Women of Canada, 1900.

Location: U of R library, Main, Special Collections

Call #: HQ 1452 N38

Summary: Provides an interesting look at what women were doing in 1900, the schools that allowed women to obtain degrees, names of some individual women artists, writers and lists of charitable organizations. Does not provide alot of detail and does not deal much with Saskatchewan.

Author: Olson, Joan. (ed.).

Title: Prairie Reflections: Pioneer Life 1900-1930.

Location: U of R library, Main, Special Collections

Call #: FC 3505 P73

Summary: The contents of this book are based on interviews done by members of the Pioneer Oral History Association. This book is divided into 3 sections consisting of information on family life, community life and family member stories. One interviewee says, "mother, especially, was regarded as the center of the home. In addition, the cohesiveness of the family bond helped each person to function as a more adequate and concerned member of the community" (3). There is a great deal of memory snippets about mothers being very active in the community. It is really plain in these reflections of how mother really did idealize the heart of both the family and the community.

Author: The Provincial Council of Women of Saskatchewan

Title: History of the Provincial Council of Women of Saskatchewan 1919-1954

Publisher: The Provincial Council of Women of Saskatchewan.

Location: U of R library, Main, Special Collections

Call #: HQ 1459 S3 H57 c.1

***Summary: The first National, Local and Provincial Councils of women, urged the co-operation of women "to preserve unity, to prevent want, to produce power" (4). Outlines the aims of the council which were to bring various organizations of women of Saskatchewan together into closer relations and through the Provincial Council of Women present their resolutions to the Provincial Cabinet (11).

This is a really interesting book. Goes through each years annual meetings, tells which organizations were present (homemakers, womens grain growers, 3 local council of women) and then discusses which projects they are working on. They were particularly concerned about improving areas such as legislation, child welfare, education, and public health. Really informative on how integral these women, and the organizations they represented, were in developing communities throughout the province.

Author: QuAppelle Historical Society.

Title: Qu Appelle Footprints to Progress: A History of Qu Appelle and District.

Publisher: Qu Appelle Historical Society

Location: U of R library, Main, Special Collections

Summary: Short discussion on the Hospital Auxiliary in Qu Appelle. It is noted that the hospital would seize to function without the assistance of this Auxiliary (129). Outlines the duties of the St. Peters Womens Guild who fundraised to pay for the church operations and ministers salaries. They also sponsored plays and dances (151). Mentions the Catholic Womens league, which cared for the church building and sponsored many of the various social activities. Presbyterian ladies aid. Discusses the Girl Guides and the Lioness Clubs.

Also looks at the towns of Edgely and McLean. Noted, under Mclean, that the Womens Club which was formed in 1949 with the objective of taking an active part in community projects. Acknowledged that this club has greatly benefited the McLean Community. They maintained and consistently improved the town community hall, gave money to the recreation board for community projects and sponsored many events for the Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities and the Saskatchewan Wheat Pool (411).

Author: Rutherford, Jane Mackay, and Margaret Rutherford Davidson

Title: I Came From Pictou County: The Recollections of Jane Mackay Rutherford.

Publisher: F. L. Dunbar, 1984.

Location: U of R library, Main, Special Collections

Call #: FC 3522.1 R88 A3 1984

Summary:

Jane Mackay Rutherford tells her story of coming by herself from Nova Scotia, as a young girl, to teach on the prairies.

Author: Saskatchewan Homemakers Clubs

Title: Retrospect and Prospect.

Publisher: Saskatchewan Homemakers Clubs, 1939.

Location: U of R library, Main, Special Collections

Call #: HQ 1909 S3 R48 1939 C.1

Summary: At the first homemakers convention it was decided that the objective was "the promotion of the interests of the home and community (13). This book offers a review of the Homemakers objectives through their past accomplishments and their aims for the future.

In 1929, the Federated Womens Institutes of Canada and the Homemakers Clubs of Saskatchewan held a joint convention at the University of Saskatchewan. At this convention it was decided that "if we allow our interest to go no further than the actual "home we occupy, we will be poor Homemakers indeed. Every influence that touches the life of that home either for good or for evil is ours to support or to resist. Social affairs, school, church, political activities, economic conditions, these and a hundred and one other interests must be make vital part of our thought life and must feel the impact of our attitude" (29).

Author: Savage, Candace.

Title: Foremothers: Personalities and Issues from the History of Women in Saskatchewan.

Location: U of R library, Main, Special Collections

Call #: FC 3505 S3 C.2

Summary: In her forward speaks of how womens work in the community, both paid and unpaid has been an extension of their role as wife and mother. She gives biographies of some individual women and as well outlines some of the activities of the Homemakers club and Women Grain Growers Association (60). Covers issues such as womens suffrage and birth control.

Prairie Forum

The Journal of the Canadian Plains Research Center

V.24, no.2 (fall 1999)

main ser

Call #: FC 3231 P73

Rollings-Magnusson, Sandra. "Hidden Homesteaders: Women, the State and Patriarch in the Saskatchewan Wheat Economy, 1870-1930" [photocopied attachment K]

Summary: An interesting article on how the federal and provincial government acted to support (by way of property rights, non access to birth control etc) "and enforce historical social standards that relegated women to a dependent subordinate position in relation to men" (179). Looks at Saskatchewan and gives dates which women received certain rights-right to vote before 1920, recognition as persons 1928 etc (180).

The Grain Growers Guide (March 1,pg 35, 1911)

The Grain Growers Guide (May 7, 1913)

The Grain Growers Guide (March 29, p. 30, 1911)

Binnie-Clark, Georgina. 1979. Wheat and Women. Toronto: University of Toronto Press.

Howard, Mrs. Fletcher. 1900. "Partners on the Farm." The Nor-West Farmer, 20 November, p.927.

Prentice, Alison et al. 1988. Canadian Women: A History. Toronto: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich.

Rasmussen, Linda, Lorna Rasmussen, Candace Savage and Anne Wheeler. 1976. A Harvest Yet to Reap. Willowdale: Canadian Womens Educational Press.

B. Broadfoot, The Pioneer Years, 1895-1914 (Toronto: Doubleday, 1976)

Jane L. Aberson, From the Prairies With Hope, 1991.

Edward Ahenakew, Voices of the Plains Cree, edited by Ruth M. Buck, 1995

Freda Ahenakew and H. C. Wolfard, (eds.), Our Grandmothers Lives As Told in their Own Words, 1998.

Jack C. Stabler, M.R. Olfert and Murray Fulton, The Changing Role of Rural Communities in an Urbanizing World: Saskatchewan 1961-1990, 1992.

Contains a small booklet called "Farm Family Living in Southeastern Saskatchewan." The information in this booklet was part of a study carried out by Dominion Department of Agriculture, Economics Division that attempted to gain a better understanding of the way of life of farm families in southern Saskatchewan (these studies were carried out in various areas in Canada). This particular study took place in 1948 in the Carlyle-Moosomin area of Saskatchewan and interviews were conducted with housewives. The housewives responded to answers regarding "the composition of the families, the expenditures for family living, the surroundings, structure and finish of the homes, the possession of numerous material of cultural acquisitions, the availability of community services, the use of spare time, the extent of participation in social organizations and the attitudes of the housewives toward farm life"(2). These answers are then summarized for the purpose of this booklet. 75 families were interviewed. Some interesting facts that were found out as a result of these interviews include the finding that farm-produced food was the most important of all the goods and services provided by the farm. Fruit, vegetables, meat, dairy and poultry products "accounted for 58 per cent of the value of all the food consumed" by the farm family (9). The cash value of this food amounted to approximately $502 per year (the total value of food per family/per year was $862). What I think is interesting about these findings is that women were generally responsible for these areas; gardening, milking, feeding chickens, and cooking. Therefore, the women were responsible for the most valued, in terms of cash value, area of the farm. Another interesting note is that women were more active in community organizations than were the men (25).

Note: there was also a study carried out in South-central Saskatchewan but I cannot find that report. The actual questionnaires are not in our archives and most likely reside in National archives if they were saved at all.

Was formed in 1910 and in 1911 changed their name to the Homemakers Club.

Box 1: Contains a scrapbook that starts in the year 1911. This scrapbook is full of glued and loose clippings on the activities of Saskatchewan and Pense Homemakers Clubs. Also contains programs of district conventions and club chants etc. To read through this book is very pleasurable. [photocopies attachment L]

Box 2: contains minutes of the meetings from November 10, 1949 to November 1984. Also contains the Tweedsmuir competition award, presented to Pense Homemakers, for community service. The regular meetings were conducted once a month. The minutes start with an account of the number of members present, the club ode repeated in unison, a reading of the previous meetings minutes and the treasurers report. Business for the day is then forwarded and voted on and any correspondence is read to the members. Each member then reports news, aims and objectives of their particular committee. The committees include agriculture, arts and crafts, public health, legislation, international relations, education and house and grounds. Often these committees read articles that pertained to their committee and the Homemakers Club and gave tips and suggestions to other members concerning a variety of things. Throughout these minutes are notes on the different community projects that they organized (yearly town carnival, baby clinics for all community residents) and as well the various organizations the they donated money to (red cross, institute for the blind). Often club members made crafts that would be raffled off to raise money for the club. In the minutes there is also mention of the Royal Commission on Agriculture and Rural Life and the Homemakers intent to meet with them. The Club often brought in a guest speaker to their meeting to give a talk on a variety of different topics.

***These are files containing official reports of conferences between the Government of Saskatchewan and a variety of different womens groups. I found these to be a really interesting collection to go through. These conferences were taking place in the 1920s when the Province of Saskatchewan was still young and building its communities. It is evident in these papers of the commitment of the women to make a better life and communities for rural peoples.

• Held at the Legislative Buildings in Regina on Saturday, January 16, 1926. The Provincial Council of Women came to the conference with seven resolutions: 1) building a school in the province for blind children, 2) increasing membership on school boards, 3) increased training of school teachers, 4) municipal units for school district organization, 5) devolution of Estates act, 6) municipal hospital and 7) household science teaching. This is a very interesting transcript of the conference between Premier Dunning and other members of the legislature and the Executive of the Provincial Council of Women. The government promised nothing in this conference, rather everything will be looked in to. At some points the government seemed very dismissive and other times very interested. What is especially evident in these transcripts is the womens efforts in improving the rural areas in Saskatchewan.

• Held at the Legislative Building, Regina on March 16, 1926. The Executive of the Womens Section of the Saskatchewan Grain Growers Association came to the conference with four resolutions. These were: 1) length of training of schoolteachers and better education in the rural districts, 2) larger administration units for schools, 3) continuing the open shelf library and references in rural Saskatchewan and 4) poultry pool educational work. When reading these transcripts we see women actively trying to make rural Saskatchewan a better community and place to live.

• Held at the Legislative Building, Regina on November 8, 1927. Representatives from organizations such as the Womens section of the United Farmers of Canada, Saskatchewan section, Provincial Council of Women, Womens Christian Temperance Union, and Local Council of Women met with members of the Government of Saskatchewan to speak about the need for Home Economics to be taught in both public school and University. These organizations felt that the work women do in the home should be recognized as having both economic and social value. They argued that women should be properly trained to work in the home and should also be given the same mechanical and up to date conveniences as men. They asked the government for funding for home economics experts to work among adult rural women, to have a clearinghouse for home economics information, and make home economics a compulsory subject for teachers certificates--for both women and men.

• Held at the Legislative Building, Regina, November 8th, 1928. The women came to discuss 10 resolutions. These ten resolutions included the proper treatment of mental defectives, minimum wage act (enforcement), minimum wage for boys, maximum six day work week for restaurant workers, salaries for women canvassers, child labour standards improved, formation of a provincial school for the deaf, formation of a country home for delinquent girls, that women be allowed to be jurors, and domiciliary provision.

Photocopied list of the activities and organizations the Hester L Shulver participated in.

Examples include:

1959 Elected 2nd term-Provincial Homemakers President

1960 Graham and Irene Spry with Libby (daughter) overnight guests

1961 Canadian Conference on Children Montreal

This diary contains the activities of both her and her husband. Both were very active in their local communities and the community of Saskatchewan. The Diary indicates that Hester was involved with the Ladies Aid Society (June 6, 1935). She also was heavily involved with the Homemakers Club in her area and participated in the local community club. Both Hester and her husband frequently attended agricultural meetings. Through these clubs she participated in organizing a yearly agricultural fair to raise money for the community, hot lunches for school children, and knitting for the war effort. Both Hester and Charlie were very social and entertained often. It is evident from these journals of the close ties between the neighbors and the willingness of everyone to give a helping hand. From 1939 and onwards she becomes increasingly involved in community work.

Papers of Mr. and Mrs. J. M. Telford Call # R-382

(Inventory of the papers GR 189)

• 1a: contains mostly correspondence between Gertrude Telford with an array of organizations and individuals. Some of these individuals/organizations include Louise Lucas, the Womens Institute, the Director of Nursing Services and the Homemakers. All of the correspondence in this file takes place in the 1930s and topics include the antiwar effort, the farm labour party and what the mission statement of the Homemakers Clubs (through her eyes). [Photocopy Attachment K]

• 1b: mainly correspondence between Gertrude Telford and others. Most correspondence takes place in the 1940s. Includes some letters regarding Gertrudes move to Ottawa and CCFs sadness at her departure.

• 1c: mostly correspondence dealing with the CCF. There is a letter by Louise Lucas announcing her decision to resign because of her battle with cancer. Interesting set of letters in which M.J Coldwell wrote to Gertrude Telford and asked her to talk to Louise Lucas about perhaps not running in the Melville constituency because of her sickness. She responds to his letter by saying that she cannot say anything to Mrs. Lucas for a number of reasons. One of the reasons being that Mrs. Strum (acting on the wish of the CCF executive) asked Gertrude Telford to go to Melville to straighten things out (definite hint of Gertrude running for the constituency). Coldwell (House of Commons) responds to this letter saying that he has seen Mrs. Strum and she gave him additional information. About a month later there is the letter from Louise Lucas to Gertrude stating that she plans on resigning. A few days later Gertrude wrote a letter to Dr. Carlyle King informing him that she may stand for nomination in Melville Constituency. The next day, Gertrude wrote a to Louise Lucas saying that it breaks her heart that she may be sitting in her place. [This could all be just nothing but it seems to me that Gertrude who was a good friend of Louise Lucas had plans to run for the Melville constituency before Louise planned on resigning. Or perhaps I am just looking for a bit of intrigue and am creating my own drama !!]

• 1d: many letters of correspondence between Louise Lucas and Gertrude Telford. As well correspondence between Gertrude and T.C. Douglas regarding the Telfords donation their house in Pelly to the Province of Saskatchewan. This was contingent upon it being used as a hospital. Also letters from womens clubs saying they would help support this hospital.

• File 1: contains the constitution of the CCG womens club, some newspaper clippings--not really useful

• File 2: article entitled "Women! Arise!" This seems to have been used to gain support for the C.C.F. Speaks about the special work of women, and the work that women should do for "every influence that touches the life of her child is part of her responsibility, whether that influence be social, economic, cultural or religious." (1) [Photocopy Attachment M]

Also contains an interesting article extolling the benefits of an arts education.

• File 3: contains W.W. II ration books

• File 4: contains a list of traditional remedies and a number of newspaper clippings

• File 5: contains letters about her husbands health, and Gertrude Telfords memories of living in Melville in the early twenties. Also contains a bit about the work done to assist destitute farmers in the community of Melville.

• File 6: contains invitations extended to Gertrude, one of which is a buffet luncheon honoring the visit of the World President of the Associated Countrywomen of the World on August 5, 1963. Newspaper clipping from December 1942 which contains a small biography of Gertrude Telford and calls her a "leader in community life." It also notes that she settled in Saskatchewan to become a leader in womens activities. As President of Provincial Homemakers Club she spent two years organizing Homemakers Clubs throughout Saskatchewan. She was also a member and worked on the educational committee of C.C.F.

• File 7: newspaper clipping of a short biography of Louise Lucas and a bit about her funeral.

• File 8: contains a script for a play that takes place in a Saskatchewan town in the 30s. Does not have a name on it, but seems to have been written by Gertrude Telford.

• File 8: contains family tree of John Telford

• File 9: lots of clippings on the death of John Telfords brother Lyle. Letters written between John, Gertrude, Mable and Lyle.

• File 10: contains a letter from the Ladies Aid and Missionary Society giving their regrets at the departure of Mrs. Telford and expressing their appreciation on Gertrudes tireless work for the Melville community (September 18, 1924). Letter from the Melville Union Sunday school thanking Gertrude for work she had done.

• File 11: contains "Memories" an unpublished manuscript by Gertrude Telford. These reminiscences were tape recorded in 1974 and then typed in the spring of 1976. Part of this manuscript details some of the community work she did.

File #6 History of the Womens Christian Temperance Union in Saskatchewan.

• This file is compiled of a few different written histories of the Womens Christian Temperance Union in Saskatchewan. The first womens organization in Western Canada, the W.C.T.U probably best known for its strong views against alcohol, was very much a service organization who believed that on the farms, rural villages and small towns women have made their voices heard and influences felt (2). They were active in the campaign to get the vote for women, formed the first kindergarten in North America, formed the travelers aid program for new immigrants, and formed the first Saskatchewan home for unwed mothers.

• This file contains a journal of handwritten minutes. Journal entry titled December 14/98 discusses the formation of a reading room for the use of the whole community. Some of the writing is a bit scratchy and hard to read.

• Gives some names of the people who attended the meetings and very generally states what they talked about. Lots of discussion centered on temperance. The women who attended the meetings always addressed the meetings with either short stories or short talks on such topics as "cause of the under-privileged (73) and "prohibition" (82). Some of the projects that they were working on included child welfare. Baby Clinics were held once of twice during the year. Sunday school temperance talks given during the year raised $60.70.

Author: Anderson, Barbara, 1874-1951

Title: Two White Oxen: A Perspective of Early Saskatoon

Location: U of R library, Main

Call #: FC 3547.4 A54

Author: Anderson, Fredrick Woodley

Title: Some Political Aspects of the Grain Growers Movement, 1915-1935: or Farmers in Politics, 1915-1935

Book

Location: U or R library

Call #: FC 3524.2 A54

Author: Banting, Meredith Black

Title: Prairie Pioneers, 1905-1965

Location: U of R library, Main, Special Collections

Call #: FC 3511.6 B35 1966

Author: Belisle, Olga

Title: Children of the Homesteaders

Location: U of R library, Education/Fine Arts Dewey

Call #: 971.24302 B 4315

Author: Buck, Ruth Matheson

Title: The Doctor Rode Side-Saddle

Location: U of R library, Main

Call #: R464 M37 B8

Author: Campbell, Marjorie.

Title: The Silent Songs of Mary Eleanor

Location: U of R library, Main

Call #: FC 3522.1 W54 C3 1983

Author: Caswell, Maryanne

Title: Pioneer Girl

Location: U of R library, Main

Call #: FC 3217.1 C37P56

Author: Cayford, E.H.

Title: Barefoot Days

Location: U of R library, Main

Call #: FC 3522.1 A1 C39

Authors: Clossar, Mary E., Jeal, Marion, and Runyan, Madeline B.

Title: Tale of the Touchwoods, from 1880-1953

Location: U of R library, Main, Special Collections

Call #: FC 3545 T6T34 1953

Author: Cohoon, William

Title: Jubilee Reminiscences

Location: U of R library, Main, Special Collections

Call #: FC 3545 m325 C64

Author: Davis, Evan

Title: Beyond the Old Bone Trail

Location: U of R library, Main

Call #: FC 3518 D385

Author: Freemantle, Elizabeth

Title: Comrades Two

Location: U of R library, Main, Special Collections

Call #: FC 3545 Q8F7 1900

Author: Gelder, Willen de

Title: A Dutch Homesteader on the Prairies

Location: U of R library, Luther

Call #: FC 3522.1 G44G4

Author: Hynd, Arleen W.

Title: Saskatchewan Women 73: Task Force Report or The Status of Women in Saskatchewan

Location: U of R library, Main, and (temporarily shelved at main)

Call #: HQ 1459 S3HP

Title: Immigrant Women of Saskatchewan Community

Location: U of R Main library, Government Publications

Call #: CA25A H.450 93158

Author: Kohl, Seena B.

Title: Working Together: Women and Family in Southwestern Saskatchewan

Location: U of R library, Main

Call #: HQ 560 K64

Author: Larmour, Jean B.D.

Title: University Womens Club of Regina: A History

Location: U of R library, Main, Special Collections

Call #: LE3 R4 L37 1985

Author: Macklon, William C.

Title: The Fledgling Years

Location: U of R library, Main

Call #: FC 3522.1 M33 A3 1990

Author: MacMillan, Anne

Title: Prince of the Plains

Location: U of R library, Main

Call #: FC 3518 M33

Author: Matheson, Elizabeth

Title: To See/Photographs by Elizabeth Mason

Location: U of R library, Education/Fine Arts

Call #: TR 647 M378 1991

Author: Maymont, Saskatchewan, Golden Jubilee Committee

Title: The Story of Maymont: 1905-1955

Location: U of R library, Main, Special Collections

Call #: FC 3545 M392 576

Author: McGill, A. Judson

Title: The Prairie Homesteader

Location: U of R library, Main

Call #: FC 3523 M223 A3 1970

Author: Mietz, Sharon

Title: Pioneers (Radio Program)

Location: U of R library, Main

Call #: FC 3217.4 M59

Author: Milnor, Andrew Johnson.

Title: Agrarian Protest in Saskatchewan, 1929-1948 A Study in Ethnic Politics

Thesis

Location: U of R Library, Main, Micro

Call #: FC 3524.2 M55 1963

Author: Parker, Samuel Smith

Title: My First Eighty Years: The Story of a Family That Came to Canada in a Covered Wagon

Location: U of R library, Main, Special Collections

Call #: FC 3527 P37 A35 1980

Author: Poop, Mary

Title: A Century in the West: Life of a Pioneer Women: Mary Popps Story

Location: U of R library, Main

Call #: FC 3549 L375 P66 1998

Author: Posnikoff, Lloyd

Other Authors: Saskatchewan School Trustees Association. Research Center

Title: An Analysis of Job Related Stress Factors as Perceived by Rural School Teachers

Location: U of R library, Education/Fine Arts

Call #: LB 1569 P66

Author: Rands, Stan.

Title: Stan Rands Fonds

Mixed material

Location: U of R library

Author: Regina Council of Women

Other Authors: Bennett, T.J.

Title: History of Regina Council of Women 1895-1965: Seventy years of Service to Regina, Commemorating Saskatchewans 60^th Jubilee

Location: U of R, Main, Special Collections

Call #: HQ 1460 R4R44

Author: Rempel, Karen

Title: Doing Things the Hard Way; A Case Study on the Experiences of a Rural Women in Pursuit of a University Education

Microfiche

Location: U of R, Education/Fine Arts, Micro

Call #: LB 2332.3 R43 1998

Author: Saskatchewan Action Committee, Status of Women

Title: Network of Saskatchewan Women 1983

Periodical

Location: U of R Library, Main, Serials

Call #: HQ 1459 S25 N4

Author: Saskatchewan Agriculture Development Fund

Other Authors: Canada Department of Agriculture, Research Branch

Saskatchewan Womens Institute

Title: Rural Family: Developing Skills for Change: Final Report

Leaflet

Series: Saskatchewan Agriculture Development Fund Erda Reports

Location: U of R library, Main, Government Publications

Call #: CA2SA DA.275 90A5227

Author: Saskatchewan Diamond Jubilee Corporation

Title: Notable Saskatchewan Women 1905-1980

Location: U of R library, Main, Reference

Call #: FC 3505 N68 1980

Author: Saskatchewan Womens Division

Title: Saskatchewan Women, 1905-1980/ Sask. Labour, Womens Division

Location: U of R library, Education/Fine Arts

Call #: FC 3520 W6 S3

Location: U of R library, Main, Government Publications

Call #: CA25AL 3080S18

Author: Saskatchewan Womens Institutes

Title: Report on Balancing Work and Family Focus Groups: Rosetown, Lanigan, Grenfall

Location: U of R library, Main, Government Publications (LY 311)

Call #: CA6. SWI. 99R21

Author: Saskatchewan Womens Secretariat

Title: Ordinary Lives-Extraordinary Women: Celebrating Rural and Farm Women in Saskatchewan

Location: U of R library, Main, Government Publications (LY 311)

Call #: CA2SA W5 98064

Author: Saskatoon Business and Professional Womens Club

Title: Some Outstanding Women: They Made Saskatoon a Better Community

Location: U of R Main library, Special CollectionsLY 408 ask at reference desk