Cercle des fermières (rural women’s association)

Cercle de Saint-Pierre-les-Becquets

A periodical (the Almanach du Peuple?) published in 1948-49 carried an account of Saint-Pierre-les-Becquets. After a brief history (the parish was then 111 years old), it praised « ce village bâti sur un cap élevé qui avance dans le fleuve et occupe un des plus beaux sites de la province de Québec ; on y jouit d’un coup d’œil magnifique. Les arbres nombreux et les fleurs qui ornent les parterres en font un endroit idéal pour y passer la belle saison » [this village built on a high cape jutting out into the river, one of the finest sites in the province of Québec, where the view is magnificent, and where the many trees and the flowers in the gardens make it an ideal place to spend the fine season]

It then described « l’église et son architecture magnifique, son clocher gracieux et élancé, ses sculptures et décorations qui la place au rang des belles églises de la province » [the church and its magnificent architecture, its graceful, slender steeple, its carvings and decorations, which rank it among the fine churches of the province].

The article mentions a fire insurance company, which was very prosperous, and speaks of a factory canning tomatoes and other vegetables, acknowledging the contribution of Jean-Baptiste Lelaidier, who came from Normandy in 1848 and introduced into the parish first the growing of melons and then that of tomatoes.

The title of the article alludes to the Cercle des Fermières (the rural women’s association). It is said to be one of the oldest, founded in 1920 with 29 members, at the request of the parish priest, Father Gladu. In 1949 the circle numbered 96 members, « intéressés, pleins d’entrain et de bonne volonté » [interested, full of spirit and goodwill]

The honorary president and founder was Mme Oscar Beauchemin.

In 1949 the executive was made up as follows:

The meetings were held once a month, on a Saturday, and every member had to bring a pencil, a notebook, a needle and thread. From time to time there was a film screening, « de films éducatifs qui enrichissent le bagage intellectuel, élargissent l’horizon dans tous les domaines » [educational films that enrich the mind and broaden horizons in every field]. Lasting 45 minutes, the showing was followed by a discussion forum.

These Saturday meetings were the occasion for preparing the annual local exhibition, a varied affair covering, for instance, handiwork:

• Kitchen apron, style of the maker’s choice
• Trousers for a boy or a man
• Wool dress for a baby, knitting pattern of the maker’s choice
• Dress for a girl of 5 to 10, remade from old cloth
• Clothing for children of 3 to 6, made from a cotton sack
• Golf stockings for a boy, homespun wool
• Patterned mittens for men, homespun wool
• Braided rug, 7 strands, 22 by 36
• A toy for a child, in wood or cloth as preferred.

Or else cooking:

• White bread
• 6 All-Bran bran muffins
• Economical white cake, unfrosted
• Canned local tomatoes
• Canned baby carrots and beets
• Marble cake, unfrosted
• Raw vegetable salad

And the whole vegetable section: corn, cauliflower, summer cabbage, cucumber, butter beans, parsnips, leeks, salsify, melons and so on.

These activities reflect their motto well, « Rêve grand. Travaille ferme » [Dream big. Work hard], and their watchword, « Soyons charitables » [Let us be charitable].

Every parish had women of this stamp: hardworking, active and proud.

We offer them our gratitude.

Jocelyne Lafond