The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1903-08-27
THE GRANGE
Conducted by J. W. DARROW,
Press Correspondent Nep York State
Grange
A UNIFORM PROGRAMME.
The Secretary of Michigan stnte
Grange Describes This Important
Feature of Grange Work.

Especial Correspondence.
Years ago the studies of one grade In
city schools were made essentially uni
form with studies of the same grade
In all other schools. Later rural schools
adopted n similar basis of working to-
gether. The Sunday schools caught
the spirit of cooperation and the in
ternational system of lessons was the
result. Another outcome of the desire
to advance I'm unison has been the
home reading courses, which owe a
large share of their remarkable adop-
tion and success to the fact that they
linked thousands all over the land to-
gether in common effort toward men
tai development.
This impulse to cooperate mentally
has now invaded the farmers grange
and club programmes. From the outset.
thirty-five years ago, n lecture hour"
was an essential part of grange
meeting This used TO be occupied
with addresses by the lecturer and
others whom he Invited to take part,
and In miscellaneous exercises of an
entertaining and instructive character
Gradually the need of definite knowl-
edge of the opinion held by a majority
Of the farming people on important
measures touching national agrlcul-
tural life led the lecturer OF the ma
tonal grange to suggest quarterly u
topic for discussion In all local oranges
Then state oranges realized that their
power would be wonderfully augment
ed IL vital issues in state affairs were
thoroughly gone over in every subor-
dinate grange before the time came for
definite and final action on the part OF
state oranges. State topics were ac-
cordingly sent out for careful study
and debate.
This plan enables national and state
oranges to carry out the actually ex-
pressed wishes of their constituents.
1t secures also far more impartial
and complete consideration of the most
practicable ways to help farmers than
did the hit and miss mode of lecture
work as formerly carried on by each
local grange alone. In Michigan the
plan of uniform topics for discussion In
local grange has been further extended
to embrace textbook. A portion Of
one programme each month is given to
q chapter of this book. One year has
thus already been spent upon book on
civics, another upon parliamentary
practice, and this year a work upon
practical agriculture Is the basis Of
study.
No grange is required to use these
topics and textbooks selected by the ma
tional and state lecturers, but all are
requested to do so and probably II ma
jority consider at least part of them.
Ample provision Is made in the pro-
Rrammes for the inserting of local
questions and exercises adapted to the
needs of the community In which the
grange is. The results of this effort to-
ward uniform programmes warrant its
continuance. Thinking and talking to-
gether on the same subjects In thou
sands of country neighborhoods lead to
conservative and forceful acting to-
gether when the right time comes. Be
sides, there Is a stimulus to the indi-
vidual In the consciousness that thou
sands of other people in similar stu
ations as himself are thinking of the
same subjects and striving to improve
themselves by the same means he Is.
JENNIE BUELL.