Gertrude B. Hilder

This is the "Who's Who in Leathercraft" instalment for Mrs. Gertrude B. Hilder, written by Helen Wheaton, Chairman of the Council of Fellows, and printed in Summer 1982, page 9.

The heading is a citation as much as a title: “MRS. GERTRUDE B. HILDER — Associate Award — Annual Meeting — May 1st, 1982”. “Gertrude has been a member of C.S.C.L. for 25 years, and a practising leathercrafter for 35 years” — which places her joining the Society at about 1957 and her first leatherwork at about 1947.

• A member of the Society for 25 years by 1982; a leathercrafter for 35
• Self-taught, from books and from demonstrations at the Annual Meetings
• Took instruction in glove making in 1946; gloves and lacing were her special skills
• Taught leathercraft for Adult Education classes and at Church Camps, 1948–1972
• Contributed and demonstrated at the Society's C.N.E. sale in 1963, 1964 and 1969
• Won awards from 1975 in Nova Scotia Provincial exhibitions and the Atlantic Winter Fair
• Four pieces accepted for “Leather '80”: gloves, belt, wallet and plaque
• Associate standing, 1 May 1982, with the Zalitis Pin for the highest mark of the year

Self-taught

“Gertrude is self-educated in her craft, having read books on the subject, and watching demonstrations at C.S.C.L. Annual Meetings and asking questions. She did receive instruction in glove making in 1946. Her special skills are the gloves and lacing articles.” The 1946 date sits a year before the thirty-five years of practice the same page gives her, and the page is printed that way.

“She has taught leathercraft for Adult Education classes, and at Church Camps from 1948 to 1972.”

Exhibiting from a distance

“Gertrude has contributed articles for the C.S.C.L. Sale at the C.N.E. in 1963-4-69, and demonstrated at the sale. She has competed and won awards since 1975 in Nova Scotia Provincial exhibitions, and the Atlantic Winter Fair. From 1978-1980 Gertrude won awards in C.N.E. competitions. She had four articles accepted for “Leather '80”, C.S.C.L. Biennial Exhibit, namely — Gloves, Belt, Wallet, and Plaque.”

Those are the only Maritime competitions named anywhere in the Society’s newsletters, and they say plainly what the closing paragraph then makes explicit: “In attaining Associate standing, Gertrude should be an inspiration to all of us. She has overcome isolation and distance to reach her goal. An example of ‘Where's ther's a will, there's a way’.” The misprint in the proverb is the paper's own.

The pin

“I have also the pleasure of awarding to Gertrude the Zalitis Pin, awarded to the Associate receiving the highest mark in 1982. This pin award was established by Janis Zalitis as an encouragement to members to try for Associate standing.” The pin's origin is described in the Society's profile of Zalitis himself, Spring 1974: a sterling silver pin in the shape of the Society's insignia, made by one of his Latvian friends. The 1982 page spells the donor's name Zalitis; the Society's modern documents spell it Zelaitis.

The column is signed “Respectfully submitted, H. Wheaton. Chairman of Fellows.”

The spelling of her name

Summer 1982 page 9 prints her name “MRS. GERTRUDE B. HILDER”.

From the "Who's Who in Leathercraft" column in Canadian Leathercraft, Summer 1982, page 9, by Helen Wheaton, Chairman of the Council of Fellows.