Adelaide Hoodless

Adelaide Hoodless née Hunter (February 27, 1858 – February 26, 1910) was a Canadian educational reformer who founded the international women’s organization known as the Women's Institute.

She was born on a farm in St George, Canada West (now Ontario), the youngest of 13 children. Her father died a few months after her birth. Her mother, Jane Hamilton Hunter was left to manage the farm and a large household. Perhaps the hard work and isolation of her youth inspired Adelaide to take up the cause of domestic reform years later.

After her years in a one-room schoolhouse, she stayed with her sister Lizzie while attending 'Ladies College'. While there, she met John Hoodless. He was the only surviving son of a successful Hamilton furniture manufacturer. She married John Hoodless and moved to Hamilton, Ontario.

When they married, she exchanged the name ‘Addie’ for ‘Adelaide’. She also exchanged her life as a hard-working girl in a full and busy rural farmhouse for the life of a Victorian lady. Supported by servants in the upkeep of a fine home, Adelaide and John had four children.

Then personal tragedy struck: in 1889, her infant son John Harold died at age 14 months – from what was called “summer complaint”. He probably drank contaminated milk. Adelaide was devastated.

It was after John Harold’s death that Adelaide’s public life began. She wanted to ensure that women had the knowledge to prevent deaths like those of her beloved John, and she devoted herself to the betterment of education for new mothers. .

She became the second president of the Hamilton branch of the Young Women's Christian Association (YWCA), a role she used to work towards the establishment of domestic science education, and taught classes in domestic science (home economics).

In January of 1897, the Minister of Education asked Adelaide to write a textbook for Domestic Science courses. In 1898 she published a book Public School Domestic Science. This became known as the ‘Little Red Book’. It stressed the importance of hygiene, cleanliness and frugality.

In addition to these projects, Adelaide was travelling all over the province, speaking on behalf of the Ministry of Education. She was a lively and engaging speaker: “Is it of greater importance that a farmer should know more about the scientific care of his sheep and cattle, than a farmer’s wife should know how to care for her family?”

Mr. Erland Lee, of Stoney Creek, heard Adelaide speak, and her message resonated with him. He asked Adelaide to speak at his Farmer’s Institute Ladies Night meeting, on Feb 12th 1897. When she spoke that night, she suggested forming a group with a purpose to broaden the knowledge of domestic science and agriculture as well as to socialize. Adelaide returned one week later to find 101 women in attendance. This group was to become the first branch of the Women's Institute, with Adelaide as honourary president. Within a decade more than 500 brances been organized across Canada!

Adelaide had met Lady Aberdeen through her work with the National Council for Women. Now concerned about families living in isolated surroundings with little or no access to medical care, Lady Aberdeen sought Adelaide’s support. Her own campaign merged nicely with this goal. Adelaide worked with Lady Aberdeen to found the National Council of Women of Canada, the Victorian Order of Nurses and the National Association of the YWCA.

By Oct of 1902, the Ministry of Education was about to make domestic science a regular part of curriculum in Ontario schools. But Adelaide already had her sights on the next step. She wanted Domestic Science to be offered at the university level. She knew she needed a wealthy patron to finance the project. She approached Sir William MacDonald, a wealthy Montreal non-smoker, who had made his money in tobacco. She persuaded him to fund two programs – one in Ontario and one in Quebec.

In 1907, the Women’s Institute marked its 10th anniversary by commissioning Toronto artist John Wycliffe Lowes Forster to paint her portrait. The artist captures her determination and charm.

On February 26, 1910, Adelaide travelled by train to Toronto to speak at St. Margaret’s College on “Women and Industrial Life”. Ten minutes after she began speaking, her voice faltered. She was given some water. She took a sip, said 4 more words and collapsed on the floor. She was buried in Hamilton, March 1, 1910.