Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-10-02

O great program for the day and it was
enjoyed by a large number of people.
There must have been over 300 present
in all during the day and evening, and
in the afternoon the elegant, large, new
hall was filled to the limit.
Many of the Oranges in neighboring
towns were well represented and there
was good sprinkling of business and
professional men from this section.
Everything was carried out very
smoothly and every one present had a
very enjoyable day.
The morning session opened at about
II o'clock. All the members present be-
longing to Victor Grange and visiting
officers gathered in the old Town hall,
just above the new Grange hall and
marched over in a body. There were
about 125 men and women in line and
they made splendid representation
for the Victor Grange.
State Master Gardner was present
and took part in the dedication. This
was according to the ritual and was
carried out in splendid manner and
made a fine impression on every one.
The officers Of Victor, this year, who
carried out this ceremony. are as fol-
lows:
Master. w. Fl. Balentine; over
seer, Charles Williams; lecturer, Angie
Goodwin: steward, Arthur Howe;
assistant steward, Leland Kicker
chaplain, Clara HoXie; treasurer. NJ.
J.. Archer; secretary, J. A. Jones; gate
keeper, George Toby; Pomona, Clara
Tibbetts: Flora. Nora Goodwin; Ceres.
Mrs. Kate Balentine; lady assistant
steward, Alice Tibbetts.
The choir that rendered the musical
parts of the ceremony SO finely con-
sisted of Mrs. Ella Allen. Mrs. Ellen
Goodwin, Mrs. Fred Cafford and
Messrs. Taylor and Choate with Mrs.
Hattie Goodwin as organist.
State Master Gardner made n short
address, discussing the work the Pat
rOns have been doing and what may
be expected of them in the future. He
devoted a good share of his time to
showing the place woman holds in the
Oranges. claiming for the order the
honor of being the first to give her
equal rights and privileges with her
brother and depending on her for her
share in the conusels and work
The ritual was new to many, even
proved to be very pleasing and impress
sive. The manner in which it was car
ried out added much to its power and
made the morning session very
pleasant one
The ladies and their male friends
who assisted them can tell you all
about how much work it is to get up
dedication dinner for a big crowd of
people. AS soon as the doors were
opened the first time there was grand
rush and the tables filled in the twink
ling of an eye. AS soon as every one
had finished. the doors were locked and
the tables all nicely arranged a second
time and just as attractively as the
first. Then there was another rush and
there was none too much room to ac-
commodate the second crowd. There
was time during the dinner hour for
the ladies to get to gether in the hall
and chat and for the men to gather out
among the horses and talk crops and
politics This was pleasing feature
Of the day not down on the program.
When the men had all had thei
smokes and the horses had been cared
for and the ladies had exhausted all the
neighborhood topics, they all gathered
in the hall again for the speeches.
These were all short and fine. The
speakers were strictly limited in their
time and this was the cause of lots of
bantering among them to the amuse-
ment of the audience. State Master
Gardner was the first and he began by
warmly congratulating Victor Grange
on the elegant new hall which had been
dedicated. He stated that speaking
advisedly, he did not know of any
Grange that had a hall so well provided
with conveniences as Victor. He spoke
in highest terms of the building and of
the earnest work that it represented.
He then passed on to a general dis
cussion of the work of the Grange and
its purposes. He belived that the order
took its place along side the church
and school in the life of the people and
that It's work was a most important and
valuable one. In closing, he again con-
graduated Victor on having so fine a
hall. He was most heartily applauded.
sfs