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stouffihue suntribune thursday sept 18 2003 7 roaming around with jim thomas institute was a rock for 93 years in altona in its 93 years of operation i didnt attend a single meeting of the altona womens institute yet at its final gathering its swan song so to speak i was there feelinglike an onion in a petunia patch this definitive gettogether was held saturday first at the altona mennonite meeting house just east of stouffville where an engraved stone was unveiled and later in the lower auditorium of stouffville united church where members offi cially concluded a near century of service resident peggy hood explained how memberships had dwindled to a mere 14 making it no longer practical to carry on the inscription on the memorial stone read simply in recognition of altonas womens institute for their work in the community the boulder was appropriately placed under a young maple tree also an institute gift while much has changed in 90plus years it was the pend ing encroachment of the nowinfamous pickering airport that ripped the altona community apart scattering residents to the four winds only two remaining members live in the area answering the toll of the final bell saturday were peggy hood stouffville doris macaloney stouffville marjorie fretz stouffville edna carruthers good wood ruth anne cowan stouffville kim cowan stouffville lillian byer stouffville jean white stouffville blanche lindall altona luella lewis mt albert merle dickinson woodville bernice andrews cannington irene slack stouffville and audrey feasby stouffville others in attendance included barbara evans district president port perry jackie lockie district secretary zephyr winn harris sunderland marie white stouffville doris williams stouffville lena barkey stouffville dorothy reesor stouffville marion jensen stouffville louise hope etobicoke annabell jones sandford eleanor bunker minden and dorothy risebrough sandford kim cowan of stouffville was unique being a fourth gener ation member from the same family including greatgrand mother bertie carruthers grandmother edna carruthers and mother ruthanne cowan ms cowan was presented with an engraved institute gavel lillian byer 93 of stouffville is as admired as the institute itself shes been a member 73 years joining the organization in 1930 edna carruthers association dates back 58 years the insitute held its first meeting june 18 1910twentysix attended but by years end membership had grown to 42 a group of men calling themselves the farmers institute actu ally preceded the women but didnt last to their credit how ever ifs been said they had a hand in establishing the organi zations distaff side in its heyday the altona institute was extremely active sponsoring short courses in hat and lampshademaking as well as sewing it also catered hundreds of dinners and ban quets as well as promoting 4h club work murray wagg a member of richardson masonic lodge in stouffville told of the bountiful meals provided the lodgeby the institute on some of the coldest winter nights til never forget edna carruthers- awesome elderberry pie he said the two organizations working together was a rewarding relationship hone of us will ever forget joe nighswander a longtime altona resident remem bered a spelling bee sponsored by the institute between stu dents of altona and glasgow schools v i was given a really difficult word he recalled prompting me to take off my coat everybody laughed but i eventually spelled it correctly and went on to win the match lillian byers recollections prompted impromptu applause she likened institute accreditation to in her words obtaining a college education in home economics she recalled how the institute purchased a vacuum cleaner when they first came outmembers were permitted to borrow and take it home it was better than putting carpets out on the clothesline and beating the dust out with broom handles she said through various events the institute supported many worthwhile initiative both locally and far afield mrsbyersaid including the sick childrens hospital war efforts and the canadian cancer society it was an afternoon filled with mixed emotions joy and laughter sadness and sorrow but the good works of the altona womens institute will live on through visible accomplish ments initiated 93 years ago jim thomas is a stouffville resident who has written for area newspapers for more than 50 years theatres of uxbr1dge call 852roxy 7699 for shows times urusi uiwitrescom 8526711 6425111 skteml loose rugs rvjl br0adl00m clezinincr uph0lstery 3m scotchquard please recycle this newspaper puerto vallarta mexico grand marival nuevo vallarta 7 nights fridays oct 31 dec 5 03 all inclusive supersaver room slgnature vacations puerto plata dominican republic varadero cuba casa marina beach s reef resort so sirenascoral 7 nights january 10 17 a 04 7 nights january 4 11 04 all inclusive standard garrjenview room all inclusive standard room 1339 toronto departures unless otherwise stated mzw air 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