Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1919-10-21
The history by Sister Jessica Thayer
was "a follows:

AZ IOllOW5:
Let's turn back DER history's pages,
And see whence our order came,
To hold these secret meetings
OF this good old Paris Grange.
Yes, we find as we look backward,
Over years just forty five,
In the late October weather.
That they came to organize.
just q band of stalwart farmers
With their wives as sturdy too,
Gathered In from hills and valleys
To see what they might do
To organize an order
For the farmer and his wife,
That his lot might be better,
And more social be their life.
The section north of our village
Sent down generous quota;
Yes, Stevens, Curtis, Ellis,
And their neighbor, Franklin Porter.
Then there's Alexander Thayer.
And Thomas, two were they,
And also came another,
Their townsman, Robert Gray.
These men brought their wives along
That they might converse hold
With the ladies of other members,
Be 1t Parsons, King or Cole.
Then there's Edwards, Rawson, Pratt,
And William SWEET we see,
And Penleys two. and Chases two,
Whose wives, II wives there be,
Were not the charter members
On that pleasant Autumn night
Who gathered In the engine house
BY the lamps golden light.
When David Crockett came
From down In Durham town,
To start these local farmers
On this grange Of much renown,
They chose from out their midst
A man with whitened hair,
A man to be their master,-
Twas Alexander Thayer.
And William SWEET as eyerseer.-
For lecturer. Franklin Porter.
The others too were chosen,
Over which we will not loiter,
But will proceed to tell you
OF the places where they met,
To hold these pleasant meetings,
To both good and pleasure get.
The engine house soon cramped them
And they needed larger space,
So they chose Academy Hall
To be their meeting place.
From there we find they shifted,
AS we look the records Ger,
To q hall both large and handy
Over Alvah ShG rtlefr's store.
But In eighteen eighty-o ne we read,
Twas the month Of sunny June,
They changed their quarters once again,
For home to be their own.
And here the Patrons gathered
For years just thirty-two,
And as they gathered often
Their number ever grew.
Twas here our older membe
Passed many happy days
OF business and Of profit,
And social were their ways.
Till unrest grew within them
For large and better homo,
So up they packed their baggage
And here they finally come.
Twas hard for some at parting,
For the years were happy there,
And the older minds were resting
From the thought Of debt and care.
But here is where we're settled,
In this hall here by the way,
IT'S here we Changers greet you
On this Anniversary Day.
nub tQcI6 D bduu06b IN Ouk u0ox 20 w tuluA
That from that sturdy band
IT'S only three now left
To pass the welcome hand.
But as we look around Us
Ger the faces gathered here,
We find many who are kindred
OF those charter members dear.
Yes, our master is q grandson
And our overseer too,
OF the first master chosen
When the Changers then were few.
And progress is our watchword
Which led those Patrons to decide
That they'd press ever onward
And not float upon the tide.
Till from ocean to old ocean
The farmers have their say
ON questions Of importance
To their living day by day.
But, my dear old charter members,
Let me say to you right here,
That we meet the same distractions
Which you met then year by year.
But we have the same old courage
Which you had In days Of old,
And II given time and patience
We shall sometime reach our goal.