When the first Women’s Institute (W.I.) branch was organized in Saltfleet in 1897, many male members in Farmers’ Institutes scoffed. They believed that a woman’s group without a man at the helm simply wouldn’t survive! Farmers’ Institutes expired decades ago. The Federated Women’s Institutes of Ontario
(FWIO) organization, sans men, has thrived for 118 years. There are 3,500 members in 290 branches across Ontario, including local branches in Crumlin, South Lobo, Thorndale, Mount Brydges and Harrietsville.
One South Lobo member who played a key role making the Institute such a success was Mrs. George Edwards of Komoka. Mrs. Edwards served as president of the provincial organization and
for years, was a keynote speaker at W.I. conferences around Ontario.
Alice Catherine Edwards (same maiden name as married name) married George Edwards when she was just seventeen, although she and her sisters had sworn they would never “marry a farmer.” A tomboy, star athlete, and talented pianist, Mrs. Edwards admitted years later that she “knew beans about housekeeping” when she married. Happily, her mother-in-law and W.I. courses were both excellent teachers, so George Edwards didn’t starve.
As well as joining the Institute at age 17, Alice Catherine’s was also a very involved member of First Lobo Baptist Church. A congregation stalwart, she was church organist, led the choir and taught Sunday School there for years.
Women’s Institutes proved a lifeline for women, developing leadership skills among its members while breaking down the isolation of rural Ontario. Members came to be a powerful lobbying force in advocating for change - both provincially and nationally. Mrs. Edwards, with her excellent judgement and fine sense of humor, thrived in the Institute, rising quickly in the ranks. Her training began as president of the South Lobo branch – and then she became president of the district branches. With that role behind her, she moved on to serve as president of the Western Ontario groups and then for three terms as head of the provincial organization. Eighteen-hour days were common for Mrs. Edwards during
that period as she traveled hundreds of miles annually, visiting branches around Ontario. During those years, she also faithfully answered mountains of correspondence.
Mrs. Edwards also served on the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair Board and on the Social Hygiene Council. Following the First World War, she represented area Institutes on the group overseeing construction of the War Memorial Children’s Hospital in London. Her personal hobbies involved improving the lives of
delinquent boys and welcoming new Canadians to the community.
Asked if she would consider running for political office when her FWIO term ended, Alice Catherine laughed. “I have spent the past three years running around for things – trains and street cars and meetings. I might make a good run politically.”
