This book traces the Women's Institute (WI's) movement and its contribution to the lifelong learning of rural women for 100 years and how it led to the opening of Denman College in 1948. Part 1 describes the following: WI's start in Canada; its move to England and Wales; the women who molded and guided the WI after the First World War; education in the WI from 1919-39; and other educational developments in Britain. It explains why, in the middle of World War II, the WI had the vision and courage to decide to acquire their own short-term residential college. This section also explores the adult education provision already well established in the WI and considers how other adult educators influenced WI leaders. Part 2 describes how Denman College has developed over 50 years. Chapters 8-14 examine the "vision statements" of the founders and attempt to show to what extent developments have fulfilled the founders' vision. Each chapter ends with a selection of comments to show how today's students view the college. The final chapter discusses seven special aspects of Denman. Appendixes include the proposal for Denman, questionnaires, 22 references, endnotes, and index. (YLB)