The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1913-02-20
FIRST GRANGE LECTURERS CONFERENCE
HELD At AUGUSTA
Sessions Replete with Able Addresses and
Excellent Music

State Lecturer, A L. Felkner of
Meredith, N. H.
The second day of the conference
was blessed with fair weather, The
Patrons were early astir and at 9
O'Clock, the hour for the morning
meeting, fully 400 people were assem-
bled in City hall The session opened
with State Lecturer B. Walker Nc
Keen of Frysburg presiding. Mr..
McKeen introduced as the first speaker
Hon. Payson Smith of Augusta, the
State superintendent of public schools,
who spoke fittingly and to the point
on Problems in Rural Schools"
Supt Smith was followed by w. j.
Thompson of South China, who spoke
of the selection and execution of the
work before the Grange. Hon, A. J.
Roberts of Norway commissioner of
agriculture, spoke on a new phase of
Grange work when he declared himself
in favor of boys and girls institutes
which he proposed to organize during
the fall of the current year in differ
ent sections of the State.
At this point Miss Beatrice Potter of
Augusta very pleasantly rendered a
violin solo and responded to a gener-
Gus encore. The rest of the forenoon
was we'll filled out with series of
live and interesting papers, as follows:
Boys and Girls Clubs" Leland w.
Ross of Dexter; Helps in Degree
Work." Kate B. Ellis of Fairfield;
THE Press and the Grange, and CO.
operation of Mutual Benefit" w. II.
Davis of Augusta THE Essentials
of a Well-balanced Program" Mrs
Warren Gardner of Rockland. The
program for the morning concluded
with a few stories by National Lectur
er NJ. p. Hull of Diamondale, Mich.
The afternoon session opened at
o'clock, with song, Mrs. Mary Robin
son of Peru gave an interesting paper
on THE Lecturers Work. MIR. Nc
Keen conducted a question box when
more than 100 points of interest and
value to lecturers in their work were
brought up and discussed, During
the discussion the interest was in
tense, and this feature was really the
conference part of the meeting. Fol-
lowing the discussion State Lecturer
E. f. Richardson of Massachusetts pre-
sented few remarks. after which the
committee of organization reported.
1t was voted that the secretary cast
the ballot for B. Walker McKeen as
the permanent president of the con-
ference. The conference then took a
recess for the purpose of bidding fare
well to out-of-State members, WHIT
were departing on the o'clock train,
and to prepare for making a trip to
the State House. Four special cars
were in waiting, and in these some $50
lecturers left City Hall for the Cap
itol at 4.10, and on their arrival they
were photographed in a group on the
Capitol steps. Governor Haines ad-
dressed the gathering for about ten
minutes in Representative hall.
1t was found necessary to hold an
evening session in tn hall, in order
to finish up the business before the
conference At this meeting j. F.
Upton of Winnegance was elected
secretary-treasurer, and Henry l..
Payson of Hope, door keeper The
executive committee was chosen as
follows: Roy C. Haines of Ellsworth,
Mary F. Robinson of Peru, and A G.
Utecht of Topsham.
The closing feature of the confer
ence was a Round Table, which pre-
ceded the final adjournment