1928-1938

On November 28, 1928, 13 women of the farming community of Knutsford, Prince Edward Island, stood together in the local schoolhouse. They waited for Representative Miss Mona Saunders of the Department of Agriculture to arrive from Charlottetown to officially welcome them as a branch of the Women’s Institute. In her speech, Saunders told women how important

it was to have Women’s Institute in the rural communities.

Present at the first meeting were Miss Mona Saunders, Miss Gladys Wright, organizer district /teacher, Mrs. William Dyment, Miss Pearle Shaw, Mrs. James Smallman, (Sr.), Mrs. Harry Harris, Mrs. Harvey Adams, Mrs. Thomas R. Harris, Mrs. Robert Woodside, Mrs. Beecher Smallman, Mrs. John Yeo, Mrs. Raeburn MacNeill, and Mrs. Addison Raynor.

When the meeting concluded, the Knutsford Women’s Institute was formed.

In the years to follow many ancestors of the founding members would also join the Knutsford

Women’s Institute.

A month later, on the second Wednesday (this meeting of date still remains) the first organized meeting was held at the home of Mrs. Beecher Smallman. The first executive positions were: President, Miss Gladys Wright, Vice President, Mrs. William Dyment, and Secretary/Treasurer, Miss Pearl Shaw.

Other positions filled were auditors, Mrs. James Smallman, Mrs. Harry Harris, directors, Mrs. Thomas J. Harris, Mrs. Thomas R. Harris, programs, Mrs. Beecher Smallman, Mrs. John Yeo and Mrs. T. Harris, lunch committee, Mrs. Raeburn MacNeill, Mrs. Thomas Harris and Mrs.

James Smallman.

Although some institutes disbanded, the Knutsford Women’s Institute continues to aid and

contribute to its community, province and country 92 years later.

In 1928 there were over 100 branches of the Women’s Institute in P.E.I. Yearly fees were 25 cents, compared to today: $10. The first major fundraising project initiated by the Knutsford Women’s Institute was in 1931. They joined forces with all the P.E.I. branch institutes and

began the task of helping to provide funding for the Provincial Sanatorium in Charlottetown.

They also helped to furnish it. Prince Edward Island was the only province without a facility for

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