Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1914-03-06
FREDON|A NO. |.
Glance Backward Into Realms of
Grange History.

Tho First to Be Instituted Still an Ao-
tive and Efficient Organization With
$50 or More Members-Some Of the
CommendabIe Activities of This
Grange Noted-The Young Peoples
Organization Also Flourishing.
BY J. W. BARROW.
Forty-6ve years ago the first subordi-
nate grange of the United States--or Of
the world for that matter-was organ
lied at Fredonia, N. Y. About twenty
years ago the twenty-f1fth anniversary
Of Fredonia grange was celebrated, o.
n. Kelley, the founder, being present.
Twenty years ago there were not more
than 10000 or 10000 members of the
Order Of Patrons Of Husbandry in New
York state. Chautauqua county, in
which Fredonia is located, had about
1900 members and Fredonia grange
about $50. Now there are about 1885,
600 members of the Order in the state.
Chautauqua has about 5000 in thirty
four oranges within its border, and old
Fredonia has over $50 names on its
roll Fredonia rightly proposes last
ing memorial to the late founder. o. II.
Kelley, in resolutions adopted at
meeting in March last, as follows:
Resolved, That in choosing our village
as the place for organizing the first grange
he conferred on our village great honor
and especial honor to Fredonia grange,
No. /.
Resolved, That we favor the erection Of
monument, surmounted by marble or
granite bust of our honored founder, to
occupy a suitable place in the building or
grounds of the capitol at Washington as
lasting memorial of his work and life,
to be paid for by appropriations from
each of the oranges of the country accord
ing to their membership.
Resolved, That we favor the appoint
ment of a committee at the next meeting
of the national grange to decide upon the
amount to be expended for such monu-
ment and apportion it among the oranges
accordingly.
Sometimes oranges do their little
work and die. They do so little they
just naturally have to die. Not so
Fredonia No. |. In the last twenty
years its increase in membership has
been 400. How many oranges are
there in the Empire State with 40C
members? Then. again. how many are
there with $50? Surely Fredona is a
youthful giant strong. hearty. aggres.
sive-an example of wonderful viriity
and notable efficiency. whose work,
great as it has been. is not, however,
comparable with what it shall be.
We judge the future by the present
and the past Let us see what Ere
donia No. is doing now
First in regard to community service
the best service any grange can rem.
der. Fredonia has contributed regu
larly toward the maintenance of free
bed in Brooks Memorial hospital, Dun
kirk. n Y, also toward the support OF
the Gerry and Randolph IN. " Homes
For Orphan Children and toward the
Old Ladies' Home at Fredonia. Each
year a contribution is made to Pomona
grange of Chautauqua county to help
defray the expenses of rural teachers
at Chautauqua during the session OF
the summer schools. Many members OF
Fredonia grange are also members OF
the Fredonia Mothers club, the Moth
er's Club of Fredonia Normal schoo
and the Home and School club. Then
too. the East Main Street History clut
and the Cornell Reading club has eact
its quota of grangers. Many members
are also interested in the Y. w. c. A.
recently established in Fredonia. and
in the w. c. Il. U. and various lodges.
In respect to cooperative buying and
selling. while Fredonia has no distinc
tive association for this purpose, many
Of its members belong to the South
Shore Shipping association. The coun-
ty farm bureau, of which Hawley B.
Rogers is general manager, is trying to
cooperate in every way possible with
the oranges of the county. The old
and well known Chautauqua institu-
ton is also working in conjunction
with the oranges in granting scholar
ships to young men Of the grange in
their school of practical agriculture 10
Gated on it's own farm on the border OF
Chautauqua lake.
or the educational work Of the
grange Miss Bell Wilson says that the
officers memorize the ritual and take
especial pains to render their various
lectures with expression and effective
ness. A degree team has been organ
lied, consisting of the regular grange
officers. the choir, young mems drill
team, a young ladies' tableau staff and
a string orchestra.
Young Peoples society of Fredonia
grange No. numbers nearly eighty
members and meets every other Fri
day. 1t has its own constitution and
bylaws and is subordinate to grange
No. /. Only members of grange No.
can be admitted Its purpose is socia
and intellectual advancement Parlia
mentary drill is given and varied
program of music. readings and recita