The Newtown bee., 1894-02-09
In Fairfield County.
TRUMBULL.
A PROSPEROUS GRANGE.

AAS HI J CftI LII tAS CAlSUChSC ol bhiS Grange has surpassed the hopes of the most sanguine advocates. One year ago the question was not how strong we might become but whether we should ex- ist at all as a Grange. Starting with small membership full of enthusiasm and willingness each to do his part, we have doubled our membership, provided pleasant and suitable place for meeting and won recognition before the public Our only rival, the well-known Hayseed Club, seems to have abandoned the con- test and we may hope at some future day to make it an ally. We may we'll re- joice in our success and our strength, ,and now while we are strong and engage the interest of our members, it behooves us to look to the course which will continue it's strength and interest. For we will cannot be increased so rapidly as our membership has been increased in our first year. We must aim to unite closer the members which now are. To make the Grange meetings social, educational and profitable, we need program for each meeting such that every member, when he leaves our Grange hall, may feel that he is better granger, better citizen and better individual because he has come to the Grange, The work calls to each to do some pari for his own good and the good of the order. The spirit of the Grange does not require to do what is impossible but it wants each one to do something and that the best he knows how. First, in a social way, members should get acquainted. Would you be- | leve that farmers living in the same com- munity meet each other year after year and yet never really knew each other: l Such is the truth. And the best of get ting acquainted is that you will come tC admire and love traits of character where you never dreamed before that they ever existed. Getting acquainted broadens our sympathies and deepens our friend ships. Let there be then abundant hand. shaking and conversation without feal of overdoing it. The second duty ot which I speak is our duty to make the Grange educational. The world is full of literature touching our country life and customs. For example Eggleston's ''Hoosier Stories" and Frank Stockton's ''Countrv Stories" and I. R. Marvel's Farm at Edgewood.'' These are inter esting and we need more of the spirit of poetry, too, that leads us to see the good and beautiful in the commonplace and that makes our lives happier. A gradu- ate of Harvard University retired to a picturesque hillside near Boston and spent his life there in solitude, admirine the works of nature. He wandered over the surrounding farms, admiring the hills and valleys, the song of the birds and the varieties of flowers and got more enjoyment from the sight of these thar the farmers themselves did owning theil lands. The poet-naturalist Thoreau saw the exquisite beauty of dew drop spark ling in the morning sun and knew that il excelled the beauty of the costliest jew els. Again we must strive to educate ourselves in those matters which have z direct bearing on the financial success 0: farming. In general way we have done this. It is true that the debate on Gen eral vs. Special farming was not realized outside the minds of the debators, bu the economy in buying grains and sup
 plies has been agitated to the advantag
 of the Grange. In debating and discus | SHE uuG5tlUuS LII Idl ISt oo SoAA'S U learn the truth, whether we win or los
 our side of the question. Again we nee | to realize where we are living in tn worlds history and what the spirit
 our age is. These are the thoughts sue gested by review of a year. The futur
 of the Grange is hopeful. Let us remen
 Der that the intelligence and beauty ( f character which we develop within ou :. selves will radiate from us to bless th ! community in which we live. And t
 us remember that character alone is etc 6 nal. Let each one do his best. Then ,. acts nobly and we'll. Angels can do I
 more.-EA Paper Read by Miss Jenn .s Wheeler before the Trumbull Grange.