1938-1948

The ten years that followed proved to be a challenge for the Knutsford Women’s Institute. The Great Depression was over but the war once again was looming. However, the women continued to canvass door-to-door and would put the money raised toward worthy causes. The Red Cross, YMCA, Ambulance Fund, Legion War Service, Salvation Army, the Provincial Sanatorium in Charlottetown, library, cancer society, orphanage, and the Prince County Hospital all benefitted

from the hard work of the canvassers.

People must have cringed when the ladies appeared at their doors asking for money, but every little bit counted. And today, everyone can see how and where their hard-to- come-by dollars or

pennies helped so many.

Tuberculosis was still a deadly disease and children would have to be immunized before going to school. A public health nurse inspected the school. Dr. Ben Tanton spoke there about scarlet

fever, measles and TB and the sanitary condition of all schools. The members of the institute took it upon themselves to wash the floors Saturday mornings.

Along with canvassing, they were sewing quilts and raising money to give to people whose

homes were destroyed by fire. Some were auctioned off, and others might be sold at the local store. Often, a quilt was given to a new bride, and many were put on display at conventions and exhibitions. A special autographed quilt was donated to the Red Cross. Handbooks were sent to the institutes from the Department of Agriculture. They offered a guide on how to hold meetings, the roles of the executive members and their duties, and a general how and what to do for a

successful institute.

The supervision of the health of school children has always been one of the institute’s main health projects. Every class in the community felt the advantages of the Provincial Sanatorium, and the hiring of a dentist to be at their service locally. If a hospital was out of reach, the

members frequently provided nursing to the best of their abilities.

Money was raised, as well, from the sale of ice-cream socials. The women had bought an ice- cream freezer for $13. Before buying a canner, they discussed it at length with Mr. Ben

Dumville, who owned and operated a canner in his lobster factory at West Point. Both were to be

93