Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1916-08-09
Tuesday at Island Park with a
Large Attendance - Meeting
Is Enjoyed by All and Is a Sue
cess in Every Way

The meeting was a success In every
way and all the Patrons enjoyed lis
tening to the remarks Of the four
speakers. J. L. Hunt Of Manchester,
lecturer for Kennebec Pomona Grange,
presided. Practically al OF the 10
Oranges in the jurisdiction OF kenne-
bee Pomona Grange were represented
and the attendance included a good
number of ladies' Among the officers
present upon the occasion were Leon
ard Barber of Readfield, past master OF
Kennebec Pomona, and D. E. Foster OF
Augusta, steward Of the State Grange
and past master Of East Kennebec
Grange.
It was originally intended that the
meeting would open at IL o'clock IN
the forenoon and continue throughout
the day but for some reason or anoth-
er the program was not opened until
afternoon. At noon the Patrons gath
cred near the pavilion, where the meet
ing was held, and partook OF a picnic
dinner.
A very enjoyable part Of the pro-
ceedings was the excellent program or
music furnished by Thinkers Singing
orchestra. The opening number was an
overture, "The Bohemian Girl" Edna
Dunbar then favored the audience with
2 vocal solo. The other numbers were
a xylophone duet and a novelty singing
selection in which the chimes, sleigh
bells, orchestra bells and the trombone
were employed.
The meeting was opened by j. l..
Hunt, lecturer for the Grange. VINO
stated that he was glad to see such
large attendance. He then introduced
the first speaker Of the afternoon state
Master w. j. Thompson.
State Master Thompson
Mr.. Thompson spoke of the establish
ment of the order so years ago by o. H.
Kelley. the purpose of the order being
primarily to assist the Southern FARMER.
It was after the Civil war at the time
when the Southern farmers had lost not
only their possessions but also their feel
ing of faith in their brothers OF the
North. Mr.. Kelley was sent into the
Southern states to see what he could DO.
He found there problem OF education
and religion rather than problem OF tho
soil. He solved the problem by the es-
tablishment of an order which embodied
parts Of a secret nature.
The broad democratic principle Of the
Grange makes the order appeal to many
people. There Is no order in history
which in 30 or 20 years has acquired so
many members, has accumulated SO much
property and has held so many meetings
as the Grange. 1t has nearly $1,000 men,
bers in this State. 1t is an organization
which benefits the whole country and 1t
Is the duty of everyone to help In sup
porting it.
Mr.. Thompson then turned to the SUBJ
ject of education and spoke of four
sciences, the discovery of which have
made necessary meetings of farmers such
as the meeting Of the Grange. These
sciences are, he said, mechanics, chenis-
try. biology and sociology. There are
three ways to learn these sciences. The
first is to go to college; the second Is to
go home and read what Is written; the
third and most common is by absorption,
by contact with other people who know.
This is the universal university. The
Grange comes nearest to this method Of
absorption.
Continuing, he said: There are matters
that the Grange has not yet taken up
The institution is kept up because it has
work ahead Of 1t. When 1t has accom-
plished all it will die. The great I'M
solved problems are the excuse for Its
existence.
President Alley
President Alley of the University OF
Maine also spoke upon the subject of edu-
cation. He stated thSt it requires more
intelligence for people to live today than
it died 50 years ago; that it takes more
intelligence to handle a machine on the
farm than it did formerly to do the work
by hand; that this is an age of industry;
so today we are needing a larger under-
standing of the common knowledge OF the
world. Continuing, he said that the
world knows much more today than 1t did
so years ago and great deal OF tnat
which it knows Is more essential now
than it was so years ago; that we are
anxious that our children shall start with
the knowledge which we have gathered,
so the curriculum of study must include
many more things than it did so years;
ago: that we must not only conserve
knowledge but we must also extend 1t.
He then went on to say that the
man who prays for words to express
his thoughts is not doing right: he
should pray for thoughts to fit into
his words One of the great problems
of those who are devoting themselves
to education is to get ideas so clearly
that they can give them to us so tina.
we may apply them in our everyday
life.
AS a people, he said, we need to de-
velop a greater faith in knowledge.
Regarding knowledge there are two
tendencies. One is to believe knowl-
edge is so powerful that 1t can do the
impossible. The other is to doubt, to
hold back and refuse to investigate
and see if the reasonable claims Of
knowledge are true. We need to be-
come more and more familiar with the
part that knowledge plays in our de-
velopment.
President Alley expressed his belief
that If 25 years ago there had been
founded technology experiment sta
lions along with our agricultural ex-
pertinent stations we would not find