patients with the crippling and sometime deadly prognosis of Tuberculosis and other long-term 
     
    
   
   
    
     illnesses. 
     
    
   
   
    
     In the early years, their efforts were directed mainly at improving conditions within the local 
     
     school. Maps, globes, brooms, chalkboard and chalk, rat poison, soap, basins and a fountain were 
     
     purchased with the help of, and after consulting with, the school trustees. A Junior Red Cross 
     
    
   
   
    
     was organized, and prizes were awarded to students with high academic standing. 
     
    
   
   
    
     Anyone thinking the members of the Knutsford Women’s Institute sat around drinking tea and 
     
     gossiping would be sadly mistaken. It was a busy, vibrant group of women who had the health 
     
    
   
   
    
     and well-being of the community first and foremost in their minds. 
     
    
   
   
    
     The Knutsford Women’s Institute has had its hands in such causes as the Red Cross, the 
     
     Ambulance Fund, Y.M.C.A., Cancer Society, visits to shut-ins and the sick, bringing fruit and 
     
     help within their homes. At one time, there was also aid given to a local family who lost their 
     
     house to fire. They even reached beyond their own community. In 1934, Mr. Jelly and Mr. 
     
     Stetson addressed the institute about supporting the Carnegie Library, the provincial library in 
     
     Charlottetown. The institute donated $7.10. 
     
    
   
   
    
     Some meetings had entertainment such as demonstrations, monologues, music and recitations. At 
     
     one meeting, Mrs. Dyment gave a crochet demonstration; at another, Mrs. John Morrell 
     
     demonstrated how to make home-made donuts, a household favourite. That same evening, 
     
     Myrtle Morrell and Doug Adams presented recitations. The list goes on-and-on, event after 
     
    
   
   
    
     event. 
     
    
   
   
    
     The women hardly had time to see their neighbors except at church or important occasions — 
     
     such as weddings and funerals. The Women’s Institutes gave women an outlet to visit their 
     
     friends and neighbours, while helping the community and learning unfamiliar tasks, such as fund 
     
     raising, leadership development, public relations, handicrafts skills such as quilting, knitting, 
     
     sewing, drama, music, recipes, which would later become cookbooks to raise funds, community 
     
     and rural school improvements. There wasn’t time in the day for socializing over a cup of coffee 
     
     as there was too much work be done, families to care for, farm work, cooking and all the 
     
     household chores. Once a month they could organize themselves to meet and make decisions 
     
    
   
   
    
     together for the betterment of themselves, as well as their community, province and country. 
     
    
   
   
    
     90