The Women’s InstitutesLesson 2: The W.I.’s 5 core elements of Adult Education

Alison Parvin

ADED 380, Summer 2013

Institute work and methods

Legislation

Home economics

Agriculture

Health

The W.I.’s 5 Core elements:

Their minute books included ‘detailed instructions for use, forms to follow and copies of the Institutes rules and regulations’ (Dennison, 1970 p57)

Institute work and methods

To overcome their lack of knowledge in the law’ (Dennison, 1970 p57)

Legislation

‘Homemaking as a science’ with demonstrations of crafts and skills such as canning fruits and vegetables, food values etc.

Home economics

Included dairying, gardening, poultry care

Agriculture

Topics included such things as the proper sanitation of the home.

Health

‘The Women’s Institute Quarterly, Agriculture Journal and other institute publications’ (Dennison 1970 p57).

These carry(ied) edifying articles based on the 5 core teaching elements of the W.I.

Institute Publications

British Columbia’s Women’s Institutes, Notes on BCWI’s motto (n.d.) Retrieved from http://www.bcwi.ca/

Dennison, C. 1970, Houskeepers of the Community – The BC Women’s Institutes 1909 – 1946. In Welton, M. R., Knowledge for the People: The Struggle for Adult Learning in English Speaking Canada 1828-1973

Stamper, Anne, Voluntary action History Society Seminar – Voluntary action of a membership organisation – countrywomen organise their own education, 2000 (Hon. Archivist, National Federation of Women’s Institutes (NFWI) UK) Retrieved from: http://www.thewi.org.uk/__documents/about-the-wi/for-archivists/voluntary-action-of-a-membership-organisation-countrywomen-organise-their-own-education.pdf

The WI, About the W.I. (n.d.) Retrieved from: http://www.thewi.org.uk/about-the-wi

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