PH25335 - Large Crowd Attends Institute's Anniversary

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Community : Bradford West Gwillimbury
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Description : Bradford Women's Institute celebrated its Golden Anniversary, Wednesday July 2 with a key Institute personality, Mrs. Austin Zoeller as guest speaker. Mrs. Zoeller is editor of "Home and Country" the official W.I. magazine and immediate past president of the Federated Women's Institutes of Ontario.

More than 100 W.I. members, representing 12 branches, attended the giant birthday party held at the new Marie of Incarnation Separate School in Bradford.

Mrs. Jack Camplin of Beeton had the distinction of being the only lady attending that was present when the branch was organized on July 2, 1925 by the late Kate Aiken. Mrs. Camplin drove Mrs. Aiken (later nationally known on radio) to the meeting. Mrs. Camplin remembers every lady wore a hat and Mrs. Aiken stirred enthusiasm for Institute work with a stirring speech.

A surprise visitor at Bradford's anniversary was Mrs. Janet Barlow of Surrey, England. Mrs. Barlow is one of 10,000 English W.I. members. She belongs to the 150-member Nork afternoon branch that has an active choir, won drama awards and, like other English Institutes, raises money by selling baking, vegetables, flowers and plants at W.I. markets. Mrs. Barlow is visiting her son and daughter-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. David Barlow of Fountain Villa, R.R. 2, Bradford.

Members of Bradford W.I. were honoured for 25 years of service in Institute work with presentations of pins and plates. They were: Mrs. C.A. Dimock, Mrs. Alex Spence, Mrs. H.W. Curry, Mrs. H.L. Blackwell, Mrs. A.M. Dow and Mrs. Jack Rumble. Bradford W.I. Secretary Mrs. Gordon Church, made the presentations.

Mrs. H.W. Curry, who presented each guest with a history of Bradford Women's Institute read the minutes of the first branch meeting. There were 55 members by the end of 1925 and by 1927 membership grew to 96.

Institute colors of blue and gold predominated in the flowers and decorations; piano solos by prize-winning Bradford students Karen and Jimmy Brinkos and paintings on display by Pauline Kulha added to the evening celebration.

Bradford Deputy-Reeve Ken Wood extended congratulations on behalf of Mayor Joe Magani and the town council. Bringing greetings were W.I. leaders: Mrs. Norman Tuck, Barrie, provincial board director; Mrs. R.W. Margurie, Minesing, area president (Simcoe County) and Mrs. Paul Tipping, Tottenham, vice president of South Simcoe District.

Mrs. H.L. Blackwell cut the anniversary cake fashioned in the shape of the figure 50 and Mrs. A.W. Spence and Mrs. Ted Dow poured tea.

Convening the celebration were Mrs. Alfred Tizzard, Mrs. Howard Tizzard, Mrs. Jim Church and Mrs. Jack Rumble with the latter being co-chairman with president Mrs. Dan Clements.

This newspaper article is from the Bradford Womens Institute Scrapbooks.