Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1876-01-07
Literary Exercises in the Grange.

1t affords us much pleasure to hear of lec-
lures and discussions that have been intro
duced in many Of the oranges Of the state.
The courses of lectures undertaken by
the Patrons Of White River Council have
beer very successful aud have added very
much to the interest felt by the Patrons of
Windsor county in the meetings OF the
grange.
The educational feature OF the movement
has been greatly overlooked aud the almighty
dollar has in too many cases become the
controlling feature of the order. The minds
of the farmers may he cultivated as we'll as
their fields. Their fertility promises an
abundant yield. Therefore farmers have
cultivated muscle while their minds have lain
dormant. What can the farmer do is often
asked? and this referring to their want of
union motive aud education. There can be
but one answer to the question, they can be
men and to make them the peers OF the no.
blest on earth, knowledge alone is necessary.
knowledge is power"
knowledge is what the farmers lack
They have muscle and resources, hands ready
and willing to work, but unframed heads.
The grange is the school, the farmers COL
lege, while the money that was designed TO
be used to educate farmers sous has been
stolen in Vermont and New Hampshire aud
in many other states and used to educate
professionals for the farmers to support.
Farmers sons have had to struggle on as
best they could with no schools wherein they
could obtain a knowledge of the farm, and
Of farmers wants and interests.
The grange should remedy this evil, and
to-day bids fair to do so. The attention of
the oranges has been given largely heretofore
to the work Of organization, instruction in the
rules, laws, and unwritteu work, to receiv-
ing new members, making arrangements for
buying goods etc, but different spirit has
manifested itself of late and the true design
Of the grange movement becomes apparently
= determination to investigate and learn, to
improve ourselves, our wives, sons and
daughters, socially, mentally and morally
The grange offers such opportunities as
never have been offered to farmers before. as
none bat farmers aud their families are eli
gble as members OF the grange they can
shape their meetings to their needs and have
no fears of the professional, the lawyer or
the politician, exercising a controlling inau-
ence, or directing or diverting the grange
from its original design, viz. a school of in-
quiry and the inquiry takes the form, how
to elevate the farmers interests
The means made use Of for this purpose
are discussions, both written and oral. inqui-
ries, suggestions, and instructions, aud oul
platform adopted at st Louis, in 1874. gives
us the principles and topics to be discussed
We quote a part of the platform, as follows
We shall endeavor to advance our caust
by laboring to accomplish the following oh
jects To develop better and higher ..,an.
hood and wOmanhood among ourselves. TC
enhance the comforts and attractions Of ouI
homes and strengthen our attachments ia
our pursuits. To foster mutual understand
ing aud co operation. To maintain inviolate
our laws and to emulate each other in labor
| to hasten the good time coming. To reduce
our expenses. both individual and corporate
To buy less and produce more, in order tC
make our farms self-sustainng. To diversi.
fy our crops, and crop no more than we cat
cultivate. To condense the weight OF on
exports, selling less in the bushe and NOR
on hool and in fleece; less in lint and NOR
in warp and wool. To systemntize our wOr
and calculate intelligently ON probabilities
To dIscountenRnCo the credit system, tn
mortgage system, the fashion system AM
every other system tending to prOdigalit
and bankruptcy. We propose meeting ia
gcthcr, working together, buying together
selling together, and in general acting Ia
gether for our mutual protection and ad
vancement, rs occasion may require. w
shall avoid litigation rs much AZ possible b
! arbitration in the grange. We shall con
stantly strive to secure entire harmony, goo
will, vital brotherhood among ourselves, an
to make our order perpetual. We sha
earnestly endeavor to suppress personal, lC
cal. sectional and natural prcjudices, all I'm
healthy rivalry, all selfish ambition. Faith
full adherence to these principles will insur
our mental. moral, social and material nc
vanCement.
Officers Of Mortified Grange to be il
stalled, Saturday evening, this week.