Violet Clara McNaughton (born Violet Clara Jackson; November 11, 1879 – February 3, 1968) was a Canadian journalist and agrarian feminist notable for co-establishing ''

The Western Producer ''The Western Producer'' is a regional weekly publication based in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada publishing news of interest to western Canadian farmers. It is the largest weekly publication of its type in Canada. Harris Turner and A.P. "Pat" ...

'' and contributing to its "Mainly for Women" pages from 1925 until her retirement in 1950. A settler and farmer of

Harris, Saskatchewan Harris ( 2016 population: ) is a village in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan within the Rural Municipality of Harris No. 316 and Census Division No. 12. It was the site of the Great Ruby Hoax in 1914. Harris was named for Richard Elford Ha ...

(land of the

Plains Cree Plains Cree may refer to: * Plains Cree language * Plains Cree people Plains Indians or Indigenous peoples of the Great Plains and Canadian Prairies are the Native American tribes and First Nation band governments who have historically liv ...

), she was an active member of the Women's Section of the Canadian Council of Agriculture as well as the first president of the Women Grain Growers (WGG), a branch of the

Saskatchewan Grain Growers Association The Saskatchewan Grain Growers' Association (SGGA) was a farmer's association that was active in Saskatchewan, Canada in the early 20th century. It was a successor to the Territorial Grain Growers' Association, and was formed in 1906 after Saskatch ...

(SGGA). McNaughton is considered the leader of women's suffrage in Saskatchewan and is recognized as the most influential Canadian farm woman of the 20th century.Taylor, Georgina M. "McNaughton, Violet Clara (1879- 1968)." ''The Encyclopedia of Saskatchewan , Details'', https://esask.uregina.ca/entry/mcnaughton_violet_clara_1879-_1968.jsp . McNaughton was a known pacifist and supporter of

women's suffrage Women's suffrage is the right of women to vote in elections. Beginning in the start of the 18th century, some people sought to change voting laws to allow women to vote. Liberal political parties would go on to grant women the right to vot ...

and

anti-war An anti-war movement (also ''antiwar'') is a social movement, usually in opposition to a particular nation's decision to start or carry on an armed conflict, unconditional of a maybe-existing just cause. The term anti-war can also refer to pa ...

movements in Canada. McNaughton focused on conditions of working class Anglo-European women and families in the Canadian Prairies. She was a self described "ardent feminist" and active supporter of women, egalitarian values and co-operation.Hobbs, M., & Wurtele, S. (2009). The women's pages of the western producer, 1925-1939 : Violet McNaughton and interwar feminism in Canada. Alexander Street Press. Her presence as activist and farm woman defied the strong prejudice against women farmers and laborers present in western Canada.

Personal life

Violet McNaughton Jackson was born in 1879 to Sedalia Jane Spittle and William Deleware Jackson, the eldest of three children. She lived in

Borden, Kent Borden is a village and electoral ward situated immediately south west of Sittingbourne, Kent, from which it is separated by a small area of rural land. The history of the name could be questioned. It may be derived from bor (hill) and then ei ...

until her immigrating to Harris at age 30 in 1909, joining her father and brother Delamark who had both previously settled. In May 1910, she married fellow homesteader John McNaughton. Soon after, McNaughton developed serious gynecological complications in 1911, resulting in infertility. By 1926, She had moved to

Saskatoon, Saskatchewan Saskatoon () is the largest city in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. It straddles a bend in the South Saskatchewan River in the central region of the province. It is located along the Trans-Canada Yellowhead Highway, and has served as t ...

independently and would occasionally travel between her urban and rural life, balancing familial and career obligations. McNaughton would describe her relationship as a "fifty-fifty marriage" in 1934, seeing her marriage as a partnership. Although never biologically or legally having children, McNaughton is known to have been a mothering figure for approximately five young people from the 1920s to 1930s. She died in 1968 in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan at the age of 88.

Career

Activism

Previously a school teacher, McNaughton began her activist career in 1913, organizing a "women's congress" in association with the SGGA's (Saskatchewan Grain Growers Association) annual general meeting, known as the Women Grain Growers (WGG) acting as its first president in 1914. McNaughton helped organize women's chapters of United Farmers in

Alberta Alberta ( ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is part of Western Canada and is one of the three prairie provinces. Alberta is bordered by British Columbia to the west, Saskatchewan to the east, the Northwest Ter ...

Manitoba Manitoba ( ) is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada at the Centre of Canada, longitudinal centre of the country. It is Canada's Population of Canada by province and territory, fifth-most populous province, with a population o ...

and

Ontario Ontario ( ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada.Ontario is located in the geographic eastern half of Canada, but it has historically and politically been considered to be part of Central Canada. Located in Central Ca ...

as well as the Women's Section of the Canadian Council of Agriculture serving as president from 1919 to 1923. Her activism would often fight to increase rural healthcare rights, primarily during the Spanish flu outbreak of 1918. During the drought and following economic recession of the 1930s, McNaughton would write in favour of co-operatives and farmers rights. In the 1940s, McNaughton's activism focused on supporting victims of World War 2, and urging women to join the armed forces and manufacturing jobs after mass labor shortages. In this decade she would also begin to support

Métis The Métis ( ; Canadian ) are Indigenous peoples who inhabit Canada's three Prairie Provinces, as well as parts of British Columbia, the Northwest Territories, and the Northern United States. They have a shared history and culture which derives ...

and First Nations suffrage and social justice and would continue to support old-age pensions, and non elite historical preservation.

''The Western Producer''

Before starting her journalism career, Violet McNaughton was an active spokesperson and member of

. In 1923, dissatisfied with the official newspaper of the SGGA, McNaughton and colleagues

Harris Turner Harris Turner (October 3, 1887 – 1972) was a journalist and political figure in Saskatchewan. He was a soldier's representative in the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan from 1917 to 1921 and then represented Saskatoon City in the assembly ...

and A.P. "Pat" Waldron established ''The Progressive'', an alternative paper built on principles of co-operation and advocating for farmers in Saskatchewan. The Progressive was a response to the growing unrest of farmers post World War 1 and its resulting recession, tariffs and grain prices. This paper would soon become the official newspaper of the SGGA, changing its name to

(informally, The Producer) in 1924, distinguishing themselves from the similarly named Progressive Party, a federal political party. McNaughton's main contribution to the paper is as women's editor and creator of the widely successful "''Mainly for Women''" and "''Young Co-operators''" pages, which sought to make the lives of farm women and families better. These pages would grow to include a garden column, pattern service and a dating column "''Mary Maple''". After her retirement in 1950, McNaughton would often write "Jottings" of her travels through Canada as well as internationally, often promoting activism, peace and the

anti-nuclear movement The anti-nuclear movement is a social movement that opposes various nuclear technologies. Some direct action groups, environmental movements, and professional organisations have identified themselves with the movement at the local, nationa ...

''Mainly For Women''

The ''Mainly For Women'' pages of the ''Western Producer'' were created in 1925 in attempt to boost female readership. Given McNaughton's reputation through her activism work, she was recruited initially as part time endeavor which quickly became her full time occupation with its success by 1926. The pages would include discussions on education, citizenship and co-operative marketing along with current events and subjects on domestic life. The paper would be up to six pages long and include an introduction by McNaughton, articles, and popular advice column titled "''Mail Bag''" (also known as "''Letter Box''"). The first page of each edition would contain a 300-500 word "Comment" by McNaughton which she used to draw attention to specific topics and would end her entry with a question to be answered by submission in the ''Mail Bag'' column. Topics of interest include: poetry, household advice, reports from farm women's organizations and a garden forum. Despite the content not directly classified as only for white women, Native and Métis voices prevalent to the region were rarely ever acknowledged. She retired from full time editorship in 1950, but would continue an occasional column until 1959.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:McNaughton, Violet 1879 births 1968 deaths Canadian suffragists Women in Canada Canadian pacifists People from Kent Canadian women columnists Canadian activists Canadian women activists Canadian farmers Canadian women farmers British emigrants to Canada 20th-century Canadian farmers 20th-century women farmers