Work
In this section, we examine women's work in central Alberta. One of the main attributes that characterized their work right from the early pioneer days was variety. A woman was expected to be a "Jill of all trades;" she was responsible for the cooking, including bread and butter making, cleaning, care of the children, laundry, clothes making, gardening and helping out on the fields. Often women were also largely responsible for the religious, educational and medical well being of their families and communities.
FEATURED WOMEN
She was a hard-working and kind woman, who was appreciated by her immediate family and neighbours. Her devotion to her children was exemplary and brought out incredible resourcefulness. She would "take in" laundry, work for threshing crews, keep chickens and other animals, as well as seeking refuge in the Central Alberta "bush," where she would cook at sawmills.

With the World Wars, the Depression and urbanization, however, women's work changed. The emergence of new professions, dominated by women, like nursing, as well as women's entrance into professions previously dominated by men, like factory work, meant the rise of a woman's paid work force. Of course, this created new challenges for women who were often expected to take on the double duty of domestic and wage work. Domestic labour itself also changed during this period with the mechanization of many of its processes. At the same time, however, while machines were supposed to be making women's work easier in the home, expectations on this work were increasing. In this section, therefore, we will explore the transformation of Albertan women's work and the often the contradictory effects it had on their lives.
FEATURED ARTICLES
Irene Wright, Rimbey’s Confidante by Fred Schutz
Canada's First Women Guide by Annette Gray