BOOKS FOR CANADIAN COUNTRY WOMEN'S CLUBS.
[To ran MIME. or Tat ..SFECUTOX.1
SIR,—I should be greatly obliged if you would allow me to appeal through your columns, which I know reach a largo circle of readers, for help in forming a small library in con- nexion with our "Country Women's Club." The kindness of Mr. Carnegie has provided many of our large towns with books, but people in the Old Country, amidst the plethora of books,. newspapers, and magazines by which they are surrounded, cannot possibly imagine the absolute dearth of reading matter among the farm folk of these vast country districts. You may travel from homestead to homestead through many miles of country and find nothing more elevating in the way of litera- ture than a T. Eaton Co.'s store catalogue, or perhaps some, cheap, lurid American paper, dealing principally with details of the Divorce Courts, police news, and patent medicines. What wonder if these people, naturally intelligent, become starved in mind and wanting in ideals, or that the young people break away from the deadly monotony of farm life and rush off to swell the ranks of unemployed in the big town centres!
"Back to the land I" is a cry that is already beginning to be heard in Canada, and will be heard still more urgently in the near future, if life in the country is not made more attractive for the wife and children on the small outlying farms. The men on these farms work hard—hours and labour that would amase the English working man—but the women work every inch as hard, and the mother with a family of young children a great deal harder, for her work is never ended. To help these women, the Alberta Government, realizing the necessity of arresting in time the drift to the towns, and knowing that the welfare of this Western country depends, net on the booster," or real estate agent, but on a prosperous and contented farming community, has organized a system of " Women's Clubs" or institutes, throughout the province, under a special section of the Agricultural Department, and hopes by their means to bring the women on the farms into closer intercourse for social, educational, and co-operative purposes. It is above all to these women on the farms that Canada looks to rear up a sturdy and virile race, to carry on her great destiny in the future, and any movement that may help to uplift and ameliorate their often isolated and overworked lives should have the support and sympathy of every thinking person. We have lately organized one of these clubs in our district, and have already a membership of nearly fifty women, many of whom come eight miles and more to our monthly meetings, at which we read papers on various subjects in connexion with efficiency in the home, co-operative buying and selling, current events of the month, or anything else of interest, and also have music and singing, with afternoon tea provided by the members. Although our meetings have been few at present, they have aroused immense interest and enthusiasm, and have, I hope, brought something more of cheer and happi. nese into many otherwise dreary lives. We are now moat anxious to start a library in connexion with this club, but of course the funds (which only consist of an annual shilling subscription from the members) will not allow of the purchase of books ; but we have been promised two or three dozen to start with, and a few periodicals, and I am hoping that some kind people who may read this, and have books or magazines that have been read and are no longer wanted, may feel prompted to send them to us. If everyone who read this letter sent us only one or two books, they would give more pleasure and happiness than they, with their lives so full of interest in the Old Country, could possibly realize.—I am, Sir,
IRENE PARLEY.
Dartmoor Ranch, Aliz, Alberta.
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