Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1879-10-06
A0Fitmllnral department,
PUT WORK INTO IT.


class of people that nothing valuable can
be obtained without work. Not many
farmers children are born with silver
spoons in their mouths nor do silver dol
lars grow on every bush. If work is
necessary to gain money SO is it to gain
education and culture. What many of
our oranges need is more work. If each
member goes to the meetings only occa-
sionally when it may suit his conven-
fence and takes his seat to be interested
or amused by others, having no active
part in the proceedings, the interest will
wane. the meetings will become dull and
uninteresting. and the Grange will soon
be found in the last ditch. 1t is a very
needful lesson to learn that no organiza-
ton will run itself. There is no more
inherant locomotive power than in a
Grange than there is in a steam engine
without fire and water. Its life and ac-
tivity must be put into it.
1t may be difficult to tell what is the
best method to be adopted to wake up
sleepy Grange. We will make few
suggestions that may be found useful in
case our attempt to make the coat fit
somebody should succeed. We would
suggest first that the regular meetings
be held weekly, or at least once in two
weeks. II a orange depends on monthly
meetings for keeping up an interest, it
will find it difficult undertaking. The
intervals are so long that the time Of the
meeting is forgotten, the subjects are
not kept in mind, the attendance will be
thin, and the time will be mostly taken
up with business matters, giving no time
for discussions and other literary exer-
clses.
Again the meetings should begin
promptly at the time appointed and be
closed at seasonable hour. Business
should be dispatched rapidly, routine
exercises, initiation ceremonies, etc.,
, should 60 forward smoothly and without
delay and only a portion of one evening
J should ever be taken up with these rit.
ual exercises. Every officer should be
{ familiar with the part which he is tC
perform, so that the whole may occupy
no unnecessary time. This will not only
n add to the effect of these exercises bu
y save time for other exercises of still
t greater Importance. A paper read b.
t one of the ladies may be made highl.
interesting and improving part of eacl
meetings exercises. The work of pre-
pairing such paper should not be pu
= wholly upon one person. Different mem
It bers should contribute and thus max
r, the paper as entertaining as possible
8. The most valuable part of every even
D. ing's exercises, however, should be tn
d discussion of some question or topic pre-
le viously presented. Such discussions nee
ID not be dry and uninteresting to any {
j. the members. The ladies and younge
D. members of the Grange are often muc
RS interested in the subjects which farmer
he find it profitable to discuss. These topic
d. should be varied, and an occasion;
er evening be devoted to topic in whic
er the ladies are more particularly intereste'
to The young people also should be remen
I'd bered. They may be encouraged to tai
w part in the discussions and to spea
ed pieces committed to memory. To dra
lis out the subjects on which light is sough
IS, it is we'll to have question box. ar
to all should be invited to drop in SUE
r. queries as may occur to their minds al
g. the answer of these questions may occur
er a part of the time of each meeting. L
ID. some or all of these methods of awake
lot ing new interest in any Grange tn
so has become weary in we'll doing,
an faithfully tried, and we venture to pr
ne dict that long before the experiment
ip. ended the result sought will have be-
pie reached. We have only mentioned
or few of the features which we ha
De- deemed essential to wide awake Grans
ey Other features are important and 9th
methods will suggest themselves fire
time to time. But underlying all W
be found that most essential thing. e;
iys nest conscientious work.
ee- ~, - -----