Cooperation with the United Nations
Quoted from the book “Madge Watt and the Power of Women Working Together”, Chapter 8
“Although she passed away in 1948, Madge left behind a host of eager, conscientious and dedicated leaders and members that were prepared to lead on and continue to address the issues that impacted women and families around the world. She also left behind a set of guidelines to help them steer the ship straight and remain true to the high principles the early leaders had established.
When Madge was in Canada and the United States during the Second World War, she asked Dr. Ruby Green Smith of Cornell University to re-word the ACWW goals set in 1933:
To cultivate international understanding and friendship; to create appreciation of talents and achievements of people in all countries; to study their varied contributions to culture and to the beauty and wealth of One World.
To maintain the highest ideals of home life; to share growing knowledge of homemaking at its best; to place service above comfort; to let loyalty to high purposes silence discordant notes. To be discouraged, never; to let international neighborliness supplant hattreds.
So to guide children that their minds may be clear; their spirits happy; their characters generous and their goodwill so generous that Peace on Earth, for which people yearn, will come to pass.
To pledge allegiance to righteousness in relations between countries and to build a better civilization, through fidelity to the United Nations, with abiding faith in the promise of more abundant life to all Peoples.”
Personally I found these guidelines to be both moving and motivating.- and I am sure I am not alone. While there have been numerous conflicts and localized wars since 1945, none have involved the numbers of countries that World Wars 1 and 2 have. If, through these thoughts, and the sharing of them around the world, they have influenced some of the actions of the peacemakers of the world to find more peaceful solutions to the many international confrontations, we should all give thanks for these guidelines which are the legacy of Madge Watt and Ruby Green Smith to peace loving people everywhere!
While I know this was included in the book which Helen Geissinger and I wrote about Mrs. Watt, I believe it bears repeating and I challenge each Women's Institute that may read this to have it read and studied at a future meeting of your group.
The world needs PEACE ON EARTH in twelve months of every year - may we all do our part to make that happen.
Yours For Home and Country,
Ruth Fenner, Provincial Historian, British Columbia Women's Institute
