UNDER OF QUEEN ELIZABETH INSTITUTE The President of Federated Women's Institute of Ontario, Mrs. Leonard Trivers, gives a neighbor much of the credit for the position she holds today. It was Mrs. Purdy Weir who organized the branch in which Mrs. Trivers held office and received her training in parliamentary procedure conducive to well ordered meetings. It all began in 1939 when Mrs. Weir decided it was about time a branch of the Women's Institute was organized in her community. She became interested in the organization by reading Edna Powell's column in the Farmer's Advocate and her writings on W.I. work. "How nice it would be to be a W.I. member and do all those interesting things," Mrs. Weir thought. Her desire prompted her to write to Mrs. Powell asking her for guidance in forming a branch. She received a prompt reply to her letter and was instructed that a Mrs. Tait of Dryden would be contacting her. Disappointed that Mrs. Tait was so far away but not discouraged, Mrs. Weir waited patiently for Mrs. Tait to get in touch with her. The fact that farm women travelled little back in 1939 was exemplified when Mrs. Weir received a letter from the neighboring community of Dayton and learned that it was here that Mrs. Tait lived and not in Dryden. She was the district secretary of Algoma East Women's Institute, It was in Dayton where the Bright Women's Institute was located and arrangements were made to form a branch in North Livingston where Mrs. Weir resided, Mrs. Weir was asked to contact fifteen people she thought would be interested in the organization. She was also asked to submit a name for the branch. She had no trouble getting the required number of members and decided to ask Mrs. Tait to name the new branch "Royal" because King George VI and Queen Elizabeth were touring Canada at that time. A data was set and Mrs. William Tait and Mrs. William Smith met with the members at Mrs. Weir's home and organized the Royal branch of the W.I. Mrs. Weir enjoyed institute work. Her enthusiasm for the work spread until she had six other branches to her credit. She encouraged short courses, offering her home for demonstrations and promoted 4 - H work in the community.