Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1908-01-03
JUVENILE ORANGES.
Their Purpose Is Purely Educational.
Practical Ideas Advanced.

ISpecia' Correspondence
In considering the meth Is which
will bring success to any OIL anization
we should first consider T. purpose
of that organization. The rpose of
the Juvenile grange is purely educa-
tional, and the training it gives is diff
ferent from any that may be obtained
elsewhere. No order in the world COW
ers SO broad field as the order of
Patrons of Husbandry and the juve-
nile work trains and prepares each
member for the work of riper years.
The first element of success in the
juvenile grange is Il good matrcn. She
need not have had experience with
children nor as a teacher. She can de-
velop her peculiar needs as the work
goes on if she is fitted to her work.
The first thing to he taught is to be
a good Patron of Husbandry. The
beautiful words of instruction ia our
ritual should be often used. and in the
impressionable mind of the child they
will take deeper root thanl they do
with the careless adult. The II xt thing
is the careful training in thu Arules of
the Order. The children shQ id have
regular drill work in the pro r open
ing and closing of the graz zach
child receiving personal atte1Kon and
instruction in carrying out his or her
part with dignity. Children naturally
love anything of a military nature and
will fall gracefully into doing their
regular work with precision prompt
ness and dignity. The degree work is
delight to them, and thd lessons
learned in their order will bq carried
out in the future when they have be-
come members of the Larger Order
which they closely resemble.
After all parliamentary rules aye
thoroughly learnef the regular routife
business must managed by them
selves. The patron can easily holl
them to this 81 judicious praise and en-
enlargement Not often will they need
this, but her watchful care will pre-
| vent ca habits. and this training
will be greatest benefit to them.
Never ilf n life will they lose the
self conf e and business ability
thus gainedN
After the business is thoroughly
learned the most delightful studies
can he opened UP to them through the
study of nature ard agricl Ature. r'ne
leaflets of the Cornell Junior Naturalist
Series will he sent to them on appIlca-
ton, and from them can lie IeNeloped
the most delightful object lesI sous the
Illustrations showing them now
each part of the work must lhe done.
The planting of seeds and IL bs, the
distribution of moisture, the pabits of
plants, birds or animals, the sproutlng
of seeds, the test for starch ia plants,
the competition between wesGs and
plants, the mother instinct in plants
and animals, the diseases and enemies
of plants and flowers and many, many
other valuable lessons may be fastened
upon the child's mind by the simple OBJ
ject lessons which they may them
selves conduct. The recitations, Sc
lections and other work of this nature
in the lecturers hour Will give conf
dence for work Of the same nature in
the regular grange in the future.
Experience shows me that the ju-
venile grange is the surest method by
which we can build up the Order. In
our juvenile grange at North Hannibal
the children count the days until they
can be admitted to the larger grange.
No question ever arises as to whether
or not they will join. 1t is fdregone
conclusion-they could not be kept out.
In some oranges where / have been
sent to talk this subject l find that a
fear of unforeseen difficulties or ardu-
GUS labor is standing in the way of the
organizing of juvenile oranges. To
such | would say: Do not fear for the
children. They will put into the work
the enthusiasm of childhood. thdy will
imbibe the grange spirit, and before
you know it they will have Infused
new life into the parent organik cation.
Careful study. observation and actual
experience teach me that thh best
thing for the Order of the future is
the juvenile grange of today.
ELIZABETH ?. FARNEb an.