Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-12-22
Report Of Lecturer.

Worthy Master and Members of the
Maine State Grange: 9'
In presenting my ninth annual re-
port AS lecturer Of the Maine State
Grange, l wish to say that during my
term of office the Grange has increased
from 26O subordinate Oranges with a
membership of $4,000 to about 44o
Oranges with membership of prac
| tically 10000.
More than 100 new halls have been
| built and the architecture and cost of
these halls show the conception the
members have of the character of the
work of the order and their faith in its
| endurance.
During the past nine years, I have
sent to local lecturers, suggestions
topics for discussion, sample programs
| and blanks for reports to be made to
| the State lecturer
] have also visited every section of
the state, attending meetings at nearly
every subordinate Grange and many of
them several times.
I have endeavored to give especial
attention to the remote small and weak
| Oranges, believing that to keep the
order in q prosperous condition that
these remote Oranges need the great
est care. This has required a great deal
of travel and consequently considera-
BILE expense.
While 1 believe that in the future
much work can be done by some form
of quarterly bulletins or printed cor
respondence, yet in the past during
this formative period of rapid growth,
l believe the personal work of all the
state officers has been no small factor
in creating the Grange enthusiasm and
growth that has characterized the
Grange OF this state for the past 10
or II years.
The work of the Grange naturally di-
VideS itself into two classes.
First and most important is the OBJ
servarce OF rules and regulations laid
down by the constitution and bylaws of
the order. 1t is the work of the master
assisted by his subordinate officers to
carry out these regulations.
The masters powers are large
through his deputies he may carry on
extension work only limited by his
enthusiasm and ability. He is properly
the business manager of the Grange.
Second, is the planning and carrying
out the educational policies of the
Grange by such action and through
such exercises as are best adapted to
existing conditions. The execution OF
this work is in the hands Of the lectur-
er, always under general direction o.
the master, authorized by the Grange.
To discuss this matter of the lectur-
er's work is to discuss educational poll
cieS and tie best methods of carrying
them out The educational policy OF
our order is clearly shown throughout
| the ritual and is expressed in our dec.
laration of purpose which states thai
the first object of our order is to de
velop better and higher manhood anG
womanhood among ourselves.
The best method of doing this edu
cational work seems to be well estaO.
lished in our order. Programs consist
ing of papers. readings, discussions and
music intersperse1 with other lighter
forms of amusement are common anC
successful in every Grange.
The Grange did not discover or ore
mate this form of educating. The old
fashioned country--lyceum programs
were made up much in the same fash
ion and the Greek discussions anon:
the students We're much the same. Ye,
we should improve on some Of thes'
methods and I think that we have.
We know that printed programs ar,
of great value, when followed up by .
live, active lecturer to see that lack.
ing parts are supplied.
We know that the way to learn t..
Il iS m do that tho VIII.
does the work gets the pay; that the
one who writes a paper receives more
benefit than the one who hears it read
that Grange programs should not b.
for entertainment only but to enable
the members to work and contribut,
something for the instruction of other:
and thus banefit and improve them
selves.
Considerable criticism has been mad,
to the effect that Grange programs ar.
too much for amusement and enter,
tainment rather than for instruction.
and Improvement. l think that in man!
cases this tendency toward amusement:
is carried too far, and yet it is no.
strange when we think of the tendenc,
of the time towards amusement.
Go to any city and notice the char
acter of the public gatherings. What {;
large percentage is purely fer amuse,
ment. 1t is a criticism of a wide
spread universally growing custom
rather than OF Grange programs. We,
we should be all the more careful t.
have our Grange programs of serious
high grade character.
Life is still a serious matter and the
problem must be solved in a serious
way.
1t is difficult to measure results from,
educational work.
There are more than so Grange meet
ings held in our State each day of tn,
year with an average attendance o:
from so to 60 people. At least 10 PEG,
Pile take part in each program, or 900
peolpe each day.
When we notice the improvement il.
Grange halls, the improved character
of the programs and meetings and the
general improvement of communities
where active Oranges have been main
tanned, we are not surprised, for who
doubted the benefits of the work that
our order is doing?
1t is a wise saying of Protab Ma
zoomda, that "All greatness consists
in knowing mems limits" II lecturers