Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1880-01-01
Centre County Oranges.

Esq, deputy for this county
TO tie Wortls Master and Patrons Of The
Pennsylvania State Grange Of tie Pat
ronS Of HiSbandry:
In accordance with the requirements
of the act of the State Grange have
the honor of herewith submitting my
annual report, as deputy for Centre
county. The total number of subordi-
nate Oranges in the county is sixteen,
all of which, with the exception of one,
are in active operation, and meet regu.
larly. Eleven OF these have halls un.
der their exclusive control, either by
owning them or by lease. Four are es.
pecially comfortable and attractively
furnished with carpets, furniture, pic.
lures and paraphernalia necessary to
make a Grange attractive. Five meet
in public school. houses. Quite mum.
ber of libraries have been started, three
of which have obtained a fine lot Of
books that would be credit to older
societies Ten Oranges have regularly
established business agencies, each do.
| ing a business of from $500 TO s. 600 a
year, keeping a small stock Of goods on
| hand by order OF the members but
the bulk of the business is done on the
order system, or ordered AS wanted.
| Sometimes two or more Oranges con.
solidate their orders, to make up car.
loads, to get the advantage OF lower
! freights on such articles as coal, salt
and plaster, of which fifteen carloads
were shipped direct to the Oranges in
our county. And these shipments will,
no doubt, increase from year to year by
judicious Management on the part of
| Patrons.
During the past year public meetings
were held 10y all the subordinate
! Oranges in the county, the exercises
consisting of festivals, music. and ad-
dresses upon rural and agricultural
| topics, as pertaining to the welfare Of
our people and government. There
has been a marked improvement in the
character OF these meetings as compar.
! ed with former occasions--in some in.
stances two churches being offered in
| the same village and the use of the
Nchurch organ being freely given the
choir cheertully assisting in the sing.
ing. have never yet attended n pub.
| lie Grange meeting in any locality that
we did not meet with n grand success,
| il the Grange in the locality, in man.
! ly, straight ht.iorward way, ask for a re.
spectacle place to hold their meeting,
and put forth "A proper effort TO make
it known among the people. and be-
forehand prepare good singing. accom-.
panied with instrumental music.
The county Pomona Grange has been
equally successful. The four quarterly
meetings were well attended, new
members were added at each meeting,
agricultural topics, cooperation and
social science as pertaining TO the wei.
fare of the agricultural class were ably
discussed. Our place Of meeting has
been beautifully remodeled TO CORES.
pond with the design and imagery Of
our Ritual and unwritten work. Hav.
ing purchased new and elegant para.
phernalia and fixtures, the degrees
were conferred in all their splendor,
giving them an entirely favorable and
lasting impression. These degree meet.
ings in our county Grange have proved
themselves the most interesting OF all,
making them a real reunion and social
entertainment, and by their unreserved
social intercourse, giving the members
of the Order an opportunity TO make
many pleasant and lasting acqusint-
ances that could scarcely be brought
about in any other way. In our earn.
est and laudable desire to better our
financial condition through the instru.
mentality of the Grange, let us not for.
get that our fraternal and social feel.
ings need culture and refinement as
we'll as the head and the hands. With
the neglect Of these will come tho
a Tan nf ot,r Ja,vaaa anI R,.,al
with them the wreck OF our much es.
teemed Order; which would be the
death'blow to the hope OF the Ameri.
can farmer.
1t ia the custom Of Patrons, under
the auspices OF the County Grange, to
hold Ar annual public reunion of all
the subordinate Oranges in the county.
These meetings are attended by the
thousands. The sixth annual gather.
ing. held on the 25th Of September.
compared favorably with any of our
former gatherings, and was in many
respects pleasanter and more social.
These large annual county picnics give
public character to our Order, and ere.
ate confidence in the public mind As 10
the stability and permanency of the Pat.
rons of Husbandry.
The Patrons Fire Insurance Comps.
ny Of our county has grown steadily.
adding over $250,000 to the company.
without any losses during the year. IL
has property insured in seven counties
surrounding Centre. The compapy
ioots up nearly, perhaps altogether,
Sl,0O0,0O0 which speaks, we think.
very creditably for the management of
the company, which has been in opera.
ton only a few years and in the most
depressed times known. II being an
exclusively Patrons company its growth
has teen confined TO the limits of the
Order, we preferring to keep IL for the
benefit Of those who may unite them.
selves with the Grange, IA being a
means for strengthening and upbuild
ing the Order among the people of the
rural districts. We. as Patrons, are