Women of Waterloo County

Elisabeth Anne MacDonald-Murray is an assistant professor of English at
the University of Western Ontario.

Women of Waterloo County is the product of a millennial project
undertaken by the Kitchener-Waterloo chapter of the Canadian Federation
of University Women to document and celebrate the lives of regional
women, from the first Mennonite settlers of the early 19th century to
contemporary community activists. The result of extensive research and
numerous interviews, the book is a tribute to the resourcefulness and
commitment of women, some better known that others, who have made
important contributions to the lives of their communities.

In her preface, Doris Anderson observes that the narratives of
women’s lives, even of those who have had a specific impact on the
lives of those around them, have been largely lost, overlooked by the
androcentric historical record. As this book proves, however, even in a
region as relatively small as Waterloo County, women have played an
important role as trail blazers in all areas of society. The 33 women
who are profiled come from across the social spectrum and demonstrate a
considerable breadth of accomplishment as artists and educators,
midwives and doctors, community activists and politicians, scientists
and journalists. Based on archival material as well as personal
interviews with family, friends, and colleagues, the articles on
individual women not only provide biographical information but also
attempt to give some context and color to the historical account through
anecdotes, quotes, and photographs.

The well-written and highly readable articles both entertain and
inspire, and the extensive notes and bibliographical information that
accompany them ensure that Women of Waterloo County will serve as an
important resource, especially for regional historians and feminist
scholars.