Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1913-03-07
BAY STATE GRANGE
Some Features of the Work In
Massachusetts.

An Educational Fund For Young Peo-
ple-Incentves to Community Serv-
ice-State Master Gardeners Grange
Platform-lncrease of Membership.
The fortieth annual session of the
Massachusetts state grange was held
in Springfield. with 434 voting dele
gates. The report of the secretary
showed 262 oranges in the state, with
a total membership of 32,307, an in
crease of about 1900 members the past
year. Worcester grange has $50 men,
bers, the largest grange in the state.
The lecturer reported the total attend
ance on grange meetings the past year
as 255,322. The trustees of the educa-
tional aid fund reported receipts as
1851; from Pomona oranges, $22S;
other sources, $57S. This educational
fund now amounts to nearly $1,000.
1t is loaned out in small amounts to
worthy young people who are seeking
an education and who desire tempo
rary financial assistance. Fourteen
loans thus far have been made. 1t
recommended that every grange in the
state select the first meeting night in
May this year to raise funds by enter
tainment or otherwise for this educa-
tional aid fund
Among other important matters that
4
was the adoption of resolution re-
questing the national grange to permit
such state oranges as desire to pro-
vide that the election in subordinate
oranges shall take place in the month
of November and the installation to oc-
cur in January. as at present.
The grange went on record as in IA
vor of the agricultural extension bill
now before congress. 1t was voted to
enable all lecturers to attend the con-
ference. that their expenses should be
paid by their respective oranges or that
the executive committee and state lee
turer should provide means to assist
such oranges as appear to need assist
ance for this purpose. The grange
placed itself on record as approving
the work of the state forestry depart
ment.
A recommendation of the state mas
ter to give prizes to those oranges
which performed the best work in com
munity service was adopted. The
grange also went on record as being in
favor of an appropriation of S2l00OO
for an agricultural building at the State
Agricultural college. Several recon-
mendations concerning the study of
home economics were adopted DR.. i.
+. ClaXton of Washington. United
States commissioner of education. gave
an address on 1.-THE Future of the
Farmers Child" The committee on
agriculture believes that there is equal
ly as good reason for urging the Unit
ed States government to drain the
swamp lands of New England as to de-
mand that the government should irri-
gate the arid lands of the west. G.
A. Denen was elected to the executive
committee. No other elections were
held.
In his annual address State Master
Gardner offered the following plat
form for the Endorsement of the grange:
First. - That we shall recognize the
grange as a necessity in every rural town
| in Massachusetts and that we shall en-
deaVor through a wise extension policy
to speedily bring about the time when
every rural town shall be thus supplied
with a vigorous, progressive and enduring
grange.
Second -That we shall recognize that
for the grange to assume this mission of
necessity implies serious obligation and
that every subordinate grange which fails
to measure up to such responsibility has
not made good its promise of rural de-
Tense, conveying. therefore, our earnest
| determination that every subordinate
grange shall make good in the broadest
sense
Third. That such defense consists in
the threefold responsibiity-(a) to exert
every energy present within that grange
for the development of the forces of that
| community toward making it a better
community, real betterment being inter-
preted to include better individuals, better
| farms, better homes. better morals and
better civic life in every respect; % to
exert every energy present within that
| grange for the federation of the forces
within that community for the promotion
of its highest progress; (c) to lead the
way in the broader union of country town
| with country town in the effective cham
! pionship of legislation and of appropria-
| ton that shall insure a square deal for
| rural interests and a just share for the
/ farmer and for the farmers environment
in the distribution Of the means that make
for the highest advancement of the com
/ monwealth rs a whole