Fonds consists of textual records arranged in following series: Associated Country Women of the World (A.C.W.W.); Federated Women's Institutes of Canada; Northern Canada Women's Institutes; Subject files; Manuscripts; and Printed material.
The fonds also contains photographic material depicting life members of F.W.I.C., 1919-1977; conventions and members of F.W.I.C. and A.C.W.W.; activities of the F.W.I.C. in England, ca. 1918-1970; and Mrs. Haggerty, president, and Miss Eddie, field worker, in officers of Women's Institute of Nova Scotia.
The fonds also contains sound recordings including a speech at the Second Annual Convention of the Federated Women's Institutes of Canada, June 19, 1961; speeches at the presentation of a gift by the Federated Women's Institutes to the Confederation Centre in Charlottetown, P.E.I., [ca. 1965]; interviews with F. McPherson, Mrs. Ilorice and Fulton of FWIC about their trip to the North West Territories and Yukon; Mrs. Bretish, S. Simon and F. McPherson about the Bushman story; Mrs. Teslin; a recording at the Montreal Diet Dispensary; messages of, and for, FWIC; a speech by Mrs. Bieluk on the status of women; and speeches at Fort Norman and at Aklavik.
The fonds also contains medallic and other objects, ca. 1900-ca. 1981 of two Federated Women's Institutes of Canada pins, one Life Member pin, one Northern Canada Women's Institute for Home and Country pin, one Associated Country Women of the World pin; one Ottawa coat of arms pin, one Saskatchewan sheaf of wheat pin, one Adelaide Hunter Hoodless commemorative spoon, one U.S.A. Women's National Farm and Garden Association Grace E. Fuysinger International Fellowship Exchange plaque, one tea towel, n.d.
Fonds also contains philatelic records consisting of one 1959 private issue cacheted first day cover commemorating the issuance of "The Associated Country Women of the World" 5 cents Canada postage stamp. One set of 18 postage stamps; and one envelope with letterhead, n.d.
Federated Women's Institutes of Canada : The first Women's Institute was organized at Stoney Creek, Ontario, in February, 1897 by Mrs. Adelaide Hoodless (1857-1910). Similar Institutes were subsequently organized across Canada. Provincial representatives of these institutes met in Winnipeg in 1919 to form the Federated Women's Institutes of Canada. Judge Emily Murphy (1868-1933) was elected the first president.
The objectives of the FWIC are to co-ordinate programmes of the provincial units; to provide a medium of intercommunication among the units; to promote an appreciation of rural living; to develop better informed, more responsible citizens through the study of issues of National and International importance, and to initiate nation-wide programmes in accordance with the objectives of the Federation.
The Northern Canada Women's Institute began as a committee of the F.W.I.C. but by 1966 it had become large enough to hold its own convention and publish a magazine "Northern Lights Bulletin".
The F.W.I.C. is also affiliated with the Associated Country Women of the World (est. 1933) and fully participates in the A.C.W.W.'s conventions and programmes.
