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editorial The Editorial for this issue of'Home and Country will take the form of a short biography of a woman who dedicated her hit: and talents to that part of Ontario where she was born and lived most of her ltfe. The womanâ€"Miss Kathryn Farmer of Combermere. Combermere is a yer small village tucked into a far corner of Renfrew County, Tall pine trees, silver barked bitches and the sparkling Madnwaska River give Combermere the right to be called one Of Ontario's beam)? spots. It is also well known as the headquarters for an order of Ccalttholic priests and lay people who devote their lives to the assistance of the poor of the worl . Kathryn Farmer was born in 1892. Her paternal grandparents came from Wales, settled first at Perth and later moved to Combermere. Her mother’s people were German The father built a small shop to make river drivers' boots, for the Madawaska was then filled with logs from the logging operations farther up the river. Miss Fat-me: tells that as a child she, too, wore heavy pegged boots, made in her father's shop â€" and she hated them. When the little girl was two years old her mother died, leaving an infant brother. She then went to live with her grandparents. “Those were happy days,“ said Miss Farmer, "my grandfather sang me to sleep every night. He was Welsh you know." At six, little Kathryn started school at Combermere but attended there only ten days because her father decided to take her to Arnprior where there were younger members of the family to care for her. Here she completed the early phase of her education. At sixteen, in 1908 Kathryn entered McMaster University in Toronto, and after graduation attended teachers' college. But she always longed for Comberrnere. Holidays were spent there and we_are_told that she was blissfully “happy when she could spend long sun-filled days at a favourtte fishing spot. Since her desire was to teach small children, Miss Farmer returned to Combermere when she completed her education. There she remained the rest of her life. She records that she taught in schools in and near Combermere for forty‘seven years, retiring in 1959. She died to January 1970 and is buried in Combermere Cemetery. _ ' ‘ _ A _ Along with her teaching duties, Kathryn Farmer was interested in all community activrttes. She lists these in this way: the Red Cross, U.N.I.C.E.F., Hospital Auxrltary, Ladtes' Legion, LionettEs, Ladies’ Guild of the Anglican Church, and the Women's Institute. - Women’s Institute members from the Combermere Branch are quick-to tell of .her devouon to the organization and to credit Miss Farmer for her unselfish servtce 1n promottng the work and objectives of the Women's Institutes. Throughout the years she was made a Branch hfe member, a District life member, and attended the A.C.W.W. Conference in Edinburgh on 1959. In 1953 she was awarded the Queen's Coronation Medal, and tn _1954 she was one of twelve delegates from Canada to attend a World Teachers’ Conference in Oslo, Norway. She also attended a similar Conference in 1957 in Franklordâ€"onâ€"Mam in Germany. ' In these days when the prevailing theme seems to be that each person should do hts (or her) own thing regardless of consequences, who can say that hathtyn Farmer dtd not do her own thing? With her talents and education she could well have left her home community to use her considerable energies in areas which might have brought her, fame and money. She chose to return to an obscure village and to give herself to the people In that Conlmuntty. Who can estimate her influence on the lives of the many, many children whom she taught? When a day was held to honour her in Conficrmere, hundreds of people came They came ‘ love for this stoutâ€"heart woman. . Wlfllnmlsgdef E31303)“ made of an intgrview vaith her in which she tells of her ltie and of ' ' mbermere Her conclu ing wor s were: 1310113131123: EScan though my life to live by the rule. :(Elount that day lost whose low descending sun, sees from thy hand no worthy actton done. SUMMER 1970