Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1914-08-14
GRANGE USEFULNESS.
Kindly Hand Of Organized Neishbors
Means Much TO Young Farmers.
BY JENNIE BUELL.,

BY JENNIE BUELL.,
Lecturer Michigan state grange.
In every neighborhood live men and
women who have been peculiarly I'M
fortunate or who for one cause or an
other, fail to bring things to pass in
their farm operations. There are, be-
sides these others whose mental
movements are sluggish and still 9th
ers who lack conveniences in their
houses and barns that they might have
If they were shown specifically how to
get them there, and still others who,
although capable and alert in their
own affairs, have as yet felt no "call''
to unite with their neighbors for the
good of all. The restatement Of this
obvious fact raises the question,
fought not grange to seek definite
ly to reach these peopleT In other
words is it not true In many cases
that our oranges have reached with
their influence principally those who
least needed help and but compare
lively few of those who would not
have come of their own accord?
How frequently oranges are found
doing really fine work with member
ship of thirty, fifty or seventy-five per-
sonsl / recall many such experiences.
The question is, Have these oranges
rendered their full service either to
themselves or to their communiiesw
In January the lecturer Of one such
grange wrote me- "As am to fill this
office this year / want to try to make
1t so good that every one in our vi
cinity will hear Of our program and
want to join our grange" Notice that
she says "every one" This is not too
high an aim in many a country com
munity; but, although the programs
may be excellent, still more definite
plans must be laid to accomplish that
aim.
Let us assume that this lecturer does
provide attractive and helpful pro
grams, as she hoped to do. In add
ton, she advertises these programs
In advance and when each has been
presented sees that 1t is concisely re-
ported for the local paper in a way
that gives the gist of real information
brought out under the main topics dis
cussed All this is fine A few men,
bers are attracted and knock for ad-
mission at the grange door. Very
good, indeed. Progress is being made.
But here, on the way to this grange,
is q man who rents a farm. He works
hard, very hard. His schooling has
been limited, but he is working out as
best he can the scraps Of scientific
agricultural help that come his way.
He buys extensively because he buys
alone and in small lots His wife works
equally hard, and the babies help as
soon as they can toddle 1t is uphill,
but they are all climbing Two things
strike us now We stop to think of
them. One is, What if they lose heart
or fall down? The other is, What
about themselves while they work so
hard on their fields and for their cows
and pigsf
The strong kindly hand of organic
ed neighbors would mean much to such
people while they are getting their
start" They do not venture to ask
for membership in the organization.
They cannot always attend If they do
join, but what will it not mean to be
invited and urged until they become
members? What a help the grange
might be to these people in times Of
sickness or Encouragement or mistakes
with crops calves or children! Some
times, most of all, we need sympathy
and a lift" from an outside source
because of our mistakesD
Suppose again that some one in each
grange should prepare q large, rough
map of its grange jurisdiction and To-
cate upon this map its actual members
and the nonmembers. In nearly every
instance enough eligible material would
be discovered to fill the vacant chairs
or to make another grange.
Suppose, just once more, that list
of the people who are not members
should next be prepared from this mar
and that six members agreed to invite
the first five persons upon that list t
become members of their grange each
one offering to present their applica
lions, and the next five names be as
signed to six other oranges, and so OF
to the end of the list. If this is don,
in your own grange do not wonder Il
1t grows In numbers and its inf1uenc,
multiplies many fold. There's a rea
lonr'
Those Seven-year- Calves.
The best method of dealing will
some propositions is to ridicule them