Fonds consists of textual records generated by the Whaletown Women's Institute organized into seven series: Minutes, Financial Records, Administrative Records, Reports, Projects, Correspondence and Notes.
The Whaletown Women's Institute (WWI) began in 1920 as the Friendship Circle. In 1923 it became a branch of the Women's Institute, a community service organization for women with the goals of fostering the skills of rural women, improving their lives and works, and celebrating their achievements. During its years of activity, the WWI was very active in working for local improvement. Some of their projects included initiating a library service, donating books to the school, arranging for regular visits of a doctor and dentist, hosting an annual Christmas party and providing gifts for all the Whaletown children, maintaining the cemetery, fund-raising for a school playground, financing firefighting equipment and installing an emergency telephone network. The WWI was disbanded in 1963.
Custodial History
These records of the Whaletown Women's Institute were held by Gilean Douglas, a past officer in the WWI and author of a history of the Women's Institutes in Canada. Upon her death, they went into the possession of her literary executer, Gillian Milton, who turned them over to the Cortes Island Women's Institute. They were subsequently returned to her custody, and donated to CIMAS.
Scope and Content
Fonds consists of textual records generated by the Whaletown Women's Institute organized into seven series: Minutes, Financial Records, Administrative Records, Reports, Projects, Correspondence and Notes.
Sub-series consists of printed copies and some carbon copies of Douglas's annual Christmas Letter, a two to four page letter sent yearly to over 200 friends and correspondents. The letters contain details of life at Channel Rock with observations of natural history and the garden; accounts of Douglas's community and political activities; records of her travels and philosophical musings.
Sub-series consists of printed copies and some carbon copies of Douglas's annual Christmas Letter, a two to four page letter sent yearly to over 200 friends and correspondents. The letters contain details of life at Channel Rock with observations of natural history and the garden; accounts of Douglas's community and political activities; records of her travels and philosophical musings.
Sub-series consists of typed manuscripts, including one bound typescript, of Douglas's books of nature writing ("River For My Sidewalk", "Silence Is My Homeland" and "The Protected Place") and a typed good copy of a book about mountain characters which was never published, "Our Guests Don't Stink".
Sub-series consists of typed manuscripts, including one bound typescript, of Douglas's books of nature writing ("River For My Sidewalk", "Silence Is My Homeland" and "The Protected Place") and a typed good copy of a book about mountain characters which was never published, "Our Guests Don't Stink".
Sub-series consists of typed copies of the "Whaletown Round-up", Douglas's column about social and community events on Cortes Island (primarily focused on the Whaletown area) which was published in the Campbell River Courier.
Sub-series consists of typed copies of the "Whaletown Round-up", Douglas's column about social and community events on Cortes Island (primarily focused on the Whaletown area) which was published in the Campbell River Courier.
Series consists of five folders containing information about Douglas's writing career, including resumés, reviews of published work, publicity releases, articles written about Douglas, and lists of prose and poetry.
Series consists of five folders containing information about Douglas's writing career, including resumés, reviews of published work, publicity releases, articles written about Douglas, and lists of prose and poetry.
Series consists of material generated and collected by Douglas during the course of her involvement with the Whaletown Women's Auxiliary, a group which provided support for the activities of the Columbia Coast Mission. From 1949 to 1961, the CCM maintained a station at Whaletown comprising a mission house, clinic building and church. Series includes correspondence, typed manuscripts of Douglas's annual World Day of Prayer talks, records of the Cortes Island Clinic Society and clippings.
Series consists of material generated and collected by Douglas during the course of her involvement with the Whaletown Women's Auxiliary, a group which provided support for the activities of the Columbia Coast Mission. From 1949 to 1961, the CCM maintained a station at Whaletown comprising a mission house, clinic building and church. Series includes correspondence, typed manuscripts of Douglas's annual World Day of Prayer talks, records of the Cortes Island Clinic Society and clippings.
