February 19, 1897 - Adelaide Hoodless

Human Rights a Day

First university for rural women opened by “domestic science” advocate Adelaide Hoodless. When one of her four sons died at 18 months from drinking impure milk, a young Ontario mother named Adelaide Hunter became an advocate for pasteurizing milk. For Hunter, who was born near St. George in 1857 and married John Hoodless in 1881, this grew into a campaign to educate women about child-rearing and household management. Hoodless’ passion for “domestic science” led her to other significant pursuits. As Hamilton’s first president of the YWCA, she was instrumental in the creation of YWCA chapters all across Canada. A tireless public speaker, Hoodless was inspired one night in 1897, while speaking to farmers’ wives in Stoney Creek, Ontario, to create a rural university for women. On February 19, 1897, she spoke at the founding meeting of the Women’s Institute. Ten years later, more than 500 Women’s Institutes operated across Canada. Today more than 18,000 members are found in Canada’s 10 provinces in which they address issues ranging from “agricultural awareness” to “violence against women”. Her work also led to the creation of home economics courses in universities throughout Canada. Hoodless died of a heart attack in Toronto one day before her 53rd birthday on February 26, 1910.

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