Dear Editor and Friends: Letters from Rural Women of the North-West, 1900-1920

by Norah L. Lewis (Editor)

How did women in the early twentieth century, newly arrived in North-West Canada, cope with their strange new lives ― so very different from the lives they used to lead? How did they see themselves and their role in frontier life? In the early twentieth century, drawn west by the promise of free land, economic success or religious and political freedom, women moved from eastern Canada and overseas to farms and ranches in North-West Canada. They discovered that it was not the utopia touted by government propaganda or land agents. They also discovered that there was a select but diverse group of rural women who shared their common experiences of isolation, of hard work and duty, of poverty and neglect. But, more importantly, they shared knowledge of independence and self-reliance and of pride in what they had accomplished. Through letters written to the women’s pages in agricultural newspapers, they forged a vital network that supported, encouraged and educated women in ways to improve their rural lives. Their letters show how these rural women made significant and vital contributions to the settlement and development of the Canadian North-West.

Genres: History

184 pages, Paperback

First published April 28, 1998

Reviews

[Lise Mayne · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the reviewers on GR called this a "pleasant, charming" little book. I find it quite the opposite: heart-wrenching, tragic and often, shocking. A woman states that she got her doctor to perform FGM on her daughter, for her own good! Most of the women are begging for physical help, contraceptive advice, how to feed and manage up to a dozen children, property rights...They speak of abusive husbands and the horrors of working as a teacher or a maid. The abuse, despair, loneliness and desperation these women suffered! It's astounding how well they articulated their pain, couched in cautious language, trying not to sound whiny or ungrateful for any help they might receive. A few search for a silver lining, and some celebrate their luck in finding a good husband. One woman wishes she lived in the Southern States, where wives are treated gently, since there are slaves to do all the work! She believes the men there were taught to treat their wives and daughters in a genteel manner, as opposed to the way most men look at women, as a work horse.

This book of pioneer history is much more revelatory than many others I've read. The letters are written from the heart, by women living through hardships most of us can barely imagine, without running water, modern appliances, health care, and even basic human rights. Anyone interested in the truth about "the good old days" should read it.

[Patricia · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a very pleasant, charming little book that I enjoyed reading. It consists of actual letters to newspapers in Canada in the early part of the 20th century. They write of all things related to their lives as farm wives, teacher, mothers etc. These newspapers each had a columnist with a following, almost like a club. We learn of their daily lives, joys, trials and tribulations. We learn of their mostly sharing natures, always ready to help those in need. We learn of their often isolation, both physical and emotional. It was a hard life and we are so fortunate although modern life has problems they didn't have then.