Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-03-10
kEnNesec POMONA GRANGE.
Discusses International Arbitration" '.aban.
d0ncd Farms and The Rural Schools"

Oakland, Me-, March 9-(Special.p -
Kennebec Pomona Grange met with Cas-
cade Grange at his place, Wednesday.
Owing to the storm of Tuesday and the
bad condition of the roads. the attend
ance from away was nor large and those
that came. were late in arriving. SO that
no session was held in The forenoon Del
egateS were present from Winthrop.
Readfield, Sidney, CushnoC and Winslo~
Oranges and few Visitors from Victor
Grange. Fairfield. Worthy Master Drum.
Clifford of Readfeld. W. II. Keith, Win
throp, Tozier of Fairfield, Patterson o.
Winslow. and Fl. q. Ellis of Lincoln
County Pomona, were among those in at
tendance.
There being no degree work or business
to come before the meeting the time was
given to the lecturers work, Brother
Clifford is provine an efficient officer III
that place. The first topic, on the pro.
gramme was ''Internationai Arbitration
which was presented by a thoughtful and
carefully prepared paper by Bro. ". II.
Keith, followed by remarks from worthy
Master Drummond. Bros. Wilson, j. A.
were different IDEAS in regard TO the
probability of aruitration being able to
do away with war at any comparatively
near period. the sentiments OF the pa
per and of all OF the speaker we're that
arbitration is one of the fundamental
principles of the grange, and I II be the
true DTlIClRlP Oh WHICH ~ 9tttiS liSPutc7
between individuals. why not. between
corporations. and between nations; and
that it should be the purpose of this gov
crnment to aid in bringing about inter
national arbitration, and of the range to
strive to nave the principles Of arbltra-
ton carried out, so far as possible, in all
things.
our Abandoned Farms had been as
signed to Bro. S. c. Watson for paper,
but that gentleman not being present.
Bros A. T. Clifford Keith fo, Patters6 ON
Bros. A. T. Clifford, Keith, Patterson
and others. with closing remarks by the
worthy lecturer. While the topic drew
out some God talk ana IDEAS. it did not.
evidently. take just the lines for which 1t
was intended. Most of the speakers as
Stunning that there were but very few
ings that are abandoned. "ne idea was
made prominent that there are more or
less farms in Maine that should be
abandoned for better ones. where farm
ing could be conducted unuer more favor,
able circumstances. The matter ana
cause of young peoples leaving the
farms was alluded 20 by some of the
speakers.
A paper on THE Rural Schools by
Sister Georgia Robinson of Casca4e
Grange, was very highly commended. In
this paper the writer set forth how the
coming country school teacher with the
aid Of nature STUDIES and In other ways
would interest the children in their sur,
attachment for country life. The paper
was followed by remarks from Bro FL
lis, in which he claimed tfnt the matter
of our country schools should receive
more attention from The grange. col
lectivcly and Individually. He believed
more children had been educated away
from the farms in the 'old red school
nousc' and in our farm homes, than
there had been in all the high schools
and colleges in the State. Several of the
younger sisters present, who are or have
recently been engaged in teach NO re-
spondcd briefly TO calls for remarks.
Some of them pointed out that a serious
trouble with many of our country schools
is that. comparatively speaking, there
are no scholars.
Worthy Lecturer Clifford made some
excellent remarks on the subject in which
he stated that the sooner the people in
the rural neighborhoods are willing TO
accept conditions which can not be
helped, and to make the best arrange-
ments for schools. that circumstance
will admit, the better the results from
those schools. There must be more unit
ing of the small schools
Excellent music and readings as usual,
gave variety to the programme.