The patron of husbandry. (Columbus, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1880-03-27
SUGGESTIONS TO GRANGE OF
FICERS.

CreaSlilS III It's HiEtllDeTSLlp, anu piOVlHS
of greater benefit and usefulness to every I
individual member of the Order, | adj
dress a few words to you to ask for your
earnest and hearty CO operation in the
work.
= The measure of success in Grange work |
will be Justin proportion as the funda-
mental principles of our Order, and the
practical application of those principles to
the local needs and advantages of the
members are understood and appreciated.
The officers of the Grange are expected
to be 'observant of the noble precepts of
our Order and to ssdischarge the impor-
tant duties of their Office with fidelity
To further advance these objects, | desire
to make few suggestions to the several
officers of the Grange.
THE MASTER.
AS the presiding officer of your Grange,
it is of the highest importance that you
should be truly the master of the situa
ton" This you can not be without per
sonal self-sacrifce. Time, labor, brain
work and heart work are impera-
lively demanded of you as the leading
spirit of the Grange in the position you
hold
By brain work mean thorough ac-
quaintance with the minutest details of
our Grange rganization-its constitution
and bylaws; its ritual; its digest of the
decisions on the laws and usages of the
Order, and a perfect knowledge and mas
terry of the unwritten work. Our ritual
believe to be superior in its construction
and more practical in its teachings than
that of any of the other secret orders, and
its valuable instructions and impressive
ness can only be obtained by having it so
fully committed to memory as to dispense
with its reading in comforting the degrees.
By giving little time each day, you can
soon master it, and by setting the exam
pie your associate officers will soon post
themselves in the same direction.
By heart work I mean such spirit of
devotion to the principles of our Order
that you will be willing to make personal
sacrifice of your time, your influence and
all the powers at your com nand to ad-
vance the interests Of the grange. On
questions arising in the grange, when
there is a difference of opinion between
members that prevents harmony, let the
"good of the Order" be first and foremost
in your mind when called upon to take
action in the matter On meeting local
| issues outside the grange, and personal
| difficulties that mar the best interests of
the grange, and tend to weaken its infu-
ence, your greatest wisdom must be ex
ercised, and freedom from pa1tizanship
| maintained.
| I would urge the importance of being
punctual in opening the grange at the
prescribed hour of meeting, and insist
that your associate officers and every
! member besides, should exercise the same
promptness that they would in. an impor-
tant business engagement. Let no trivial
matter prevent a full attendance by the
members on every meeting of the grange.
Neglect in attendance always results in
lack of interest and lack of interest is
weakening to the grange and its infu-
| enceS.
THE LECTURER.
Next to the Master l consider the Lee
turer's position of the greatest importance
in maintaining an interest in the grange
meetings. In many oranges it has been
too often overlooked. If the lecturer will
do his or her whole duty there never need
be dull meeting of the grange summer
or winter
The proceedings of each annual session
of the State and national oranges contain
ing the addresses of the several officers OF
, those bodies which give much valuable
! information concerning the Order should
be thoroughly read and understood by the
, Lecturer, and as occasion will allow be
: laid before the members of the grange
There should be placed in the hands OF
the Lecturer, at the expense of the grange
, at least one good grange paper, fron
. which he or she could gather much valu
, able and interesting information, anc
when the time will allow transmit the
same to the members. There should be
. associated with the Lecturer good liter.
/, airy committee, who will work up the de
tails of the educational features of the
grange and provide for discussions, essays
readings, Rotations, the grange paper
conducted within the grange,) and such
other features as will meet the wishes oil
the grange.
Many oranges have adopted an excel
lent plan OF having programme of exer-
cises printed and distributed among its
, members, as well as some of the adjoining
oranges. This has a good effect in insur
ing larger attendance than when mem
bers are not informed as to what is going
on at the meetings.
, THE SECRETARY.
Oftentimes matters of interest and i'm
portance to a grange are overlooked in
the Secretary's Office, and reports, adj
dresses and communications that should
be laid before the grange by the Lecturer
are never delivered to him for that pur-
pose. A wide-awake Secretary can do a
great amount of good in keeping up the
interest in the meetings. When impor-
tant business meetings are to be held, as
well as meetings for comforting degrees,
discussions or social entertainments, all
members should be informed, and espe
cially the occasional attendant and those
who lack interest, whom we wish most to
reach and encourage to be present. A
notice from the Secretary to them of what
is going on will usually have a good eff
feet.
In the prescribed duties of the Secre-
tary's office accuracy in the work and