After Alf's defeat in the presidential election, the Landons bought property west of Topeka. A chance to share They built a magnificent fourteen-room colonial home and began to develop Prospect Hills as a sub-division. It is now a flourishing residential "The obituaries on modern marriage, published area, but they have retained forty acres where with such regularity by our women's magazines, they still have horses and ponies for the grand- lay the blame for the high fatality rate of today's children. "As soon as their legs are long enough marriages on a lack of communication between to go over the saddle, they begin riding," Theo husband and wife. You hear of women who are says. married to doctors, geologists, businessmen, and During the years, Theo has been active in the like, who complain that there are great community affairs and in the affairs of Washburn chunks of their husbands' lives and interests they University. Last May she received a Distin- can't share. guished Alumni Award from Washburn. Only "One of the significant dividends of being a three or four of these are given each year, and it politician's wife is that, because his life is peo- is the highest honor Washburn can bestow upon ple-oriented, there are few barriers to shared ex- its graduates. She is also a member of Nonoso, periences and exchange of opinions," says Jeanne women's honor society at Washburn, and an hon- Rogers Lougheed, BB-Alberta, whose husband orary member of the American Harp Society. Peter is the provincial leader of the Conservative Theo is a member of the Washburn Board of Party in Alberta, Canada. "Your heart sinks with Trustees, the board of the Topeka Community his on the rainy nights when only a handful of Concert Association, and the Topeka YWCA Ad- people come to the out-of-the way community visory Council. She is a member of the Shawnee hall to hear him speak, and your spirits soar to- County Health Planning Council and the Com- gether when the public responds to his stand on mittee on Long-time Care of Chronic Illness. She an issue you've felt to be important." was the first president of the Topeka Council of Officially, one would call Jeanne's husband the Social Agencies and has served as president of "Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative As- AAUW and Delta Gamma alumnxe. She served sembly of the Province of Alberta." The title is many years on the boards of the Red Cross and his by virtue of the fact that he is leader of the the Crittenden Home, the Community Chest and minority party in the government. The post of the United Fund. premier of the province goes to the leader of the Theo has headed the fund campaigns of most party which wins a majority of the seats in the of the good causes in the community. "I have House. served my time at that," she says. "It is time for "To the uninitiated, Canadian politics seem younger women to take over the fund drives." very complex; it may help if I say that a provin- For many years, Theo has been collecting an- cial premier is probably similar to a state gover- tiques, lusterware, figurines, and snuff-boxes. The nor. However, Canadian provinces have retained Landon home has many beautiful old pieces of control over such major areas as health, educa- family furniture. Now she and her husband have tion, development of natural resources, etc., and begun to collect political items, as old as they have given up fewer powers to the central gov- can get. "I hate to think of the things we tossed ernment than have the American states. This, of out years ago," Theo says. "We think the grand- course, makes the premier's job very challenging. children will be interested. This is something we To be the wife of the man seeking to become the can do for them and the collection will be theirs next Premier of Alberta is equally challenging." someday." Peter's dual political role as leader of the Con- What are Theo's thoughts about politics and servative Party of Alberta and representative of government? "For years there has been a wrong an urban constituency demands not only that he impression about people who enter politics and keep in touch with his constituents but also that government. They were thought to be brash, ora- he travel extensively throughout the province to torical, more or less corrupt. become familiar with the problems of its "This impression is changing," Theo believes. 1,500,000 people in various areas. "I try to travel "Young people are taking a greater interest, and I with him whenever I can," says Jeanne. "I like to think this is an encouraging sign. At least it will think I'm some help to Peter in picking up broaden the base of understanding and voter par- impressions or points of view he may have ticipation. And youth will become better educated missed, but, to be honest, I must admit that I go in the democratic process, gain more understand- mainly because I enjoy getting to know people ing of those who try to govern, and incidentally away from the big impersonal gatherings." more understanding of themselves, I hope." While a student at the University of Alberta in Constance Van Natta Gardner Edmonton, Jeanne studied singing and partici- Topeka Journal pated in concerts on and off campus; she also served as rush chairman for Beta Beta chapter. After graduation, she and Peter married and lived in Boston while Peter was attending Har- vard Business School. Jeanne and Peter now live in Calgary with their four children and various pets, but they frequently commute to their one- 19