Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1909-05-27
heir Purpose Is Purely Educational.
Practical Ideas Advanced.
Especial Correspondence

Practical Ideas Advanced.
Especial Correspondence.l
In considering the methods which
viii bring success to any organization
we should first consider the purpose
OF that organization. The purpose OF
the juvenile grange is purely educa-
tiunal, and the training it gives is dlf-
ferent from any that may be obtained
elsewhere No order in the world COW
crs so broad Il field as the Order OF
Patrons of Husbandry, and the juve-
nile work trains and prepares each
member for the work Of ripper years.
The first element of success in the
juvenile grange is 4 good mit.on. She
need not have had experience with
children nor as a teacher. She can de-
vclop her peculiar needs as the work
goes on if she Is fitted to her work.
The first thing to be taught is to be
Il good Patron of Husbandry. The
beautiful words of instruction In our
ritual should be often used, and in the
impressionable mind of the child they
Will take deeper root than they DO
with the careless adult. The next thing
is the careful training in the rules OF
the order The children should have
regular drill work IN the proper open
ing and closing of the grange, each
chiid receiving personal attention ana
instruction in carrying out his or her
part with dignity. Children naturally
love anything of Il military nature and
viii fall gracefully into doing their
regular work with precision, prompt
ness and dignity. The degree work IS
Il delight to them, and the lessons
learned in their order will he carried
out in the future when they have be-
come members Of the larger ORDER
which they closely resemble.
After all parliamentary rules are
thoroughly learned the regular routine
business must he managed by them
selves The matron can easily hold
them 10 this by judicious praise and en-
Couragement Not often will they need
this, but her watchful care Will pre-
vent careless habits and this training
will be of the greatest benefit TO them.
Never III after life Will they lose the
self confidence and business ability
thus gained.
After the business is thoroughly
learned the most delightful studies
can lie opened up to them through the
study of nature and agriculture. The
leatlets of the Cornell Junior Naturalist
Series VIII he sent to them on applica-
lion. and from them can be developed
the most delightful object lessons, the
illustrations showing them just how
each part of the work must be done.
The planting Of seeds and bulbs, the
distribution of moisture. the habits OF
plants, birds or animals, the sprouting
of seeds. the test for starch in plants,
the competition between weeds and
plants, the mother instinct i'll plants
and animals, the diseases aud enemies
Of plants aud 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 rccita lions, Sc
lections ana other work of this nature
in the lecturers hour will give conf
dencc for work of the same nature in
Experience shows me that the ju-
ycniie 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 win join. 1t is foregone
conclusion they could not be kept out.
IN some oranges where ] have been
sent 10 talk this subject | find that a
fear OF unforeseen difficulties or ardu-
GUS labor is standing in the way of the
organizing of Juvenile oranges. TO
such 1 would say: DO not fear for the
children. They will put into the work
the enthusiasm of childhood, they will
imbibe the grange spirit, and before
you know il they will have infused
new life into the parent organization
Careful study, observation and actual
experience teach me that the best
thing for the Order of the future is
the Juvenile grange of today.
ELIZABETH 2. FARNHAM.