The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1922-03-09
4 Progressive Grange

The following talk was given by
Mrs. Elizabeth Watson of Skowhegan,
the lecturer of Somerset Pomona at
the 10th annual session of the Lee
turers Conference held at the State
House in Augusta;
Worthy State Lecturer and Brother
and Sister Lecturers.
1t is with great pleasure that |
again meet with you to exchange
greetings. to receive new ideas, to go
hack to Somerset County with new
vision in Grange programs for the
year 1922. When our worthy state
lecturer asked me for my subject, all
| could think of at the time was prog
ress and as that is what we lecturers
should have in our programs, let us
take the word progress as our slogan
and make the year 1922 the banner
year in Grange work, A progressive
Grange is a Grange that Is moving
forward; making or favoring advance
ment or Improvement and progress
sive lecturer is one who believes in
improvements 1t is true that lee
turer cannot make a success of his or
her work without the cooperation of
the Grange members. The master
must open the meetings on time; in
so doing the business and degree
work can be gone thru with due care
and not conflict on the lecturers pro-
gram, for a lecturer cannot do justice
To themselves or the members help
ing them when they feel hurried or
worried over their work and when
they have prepared their program and
the members that are to help have
taken time and study in preparing
their part, whether it be essay, read
ing. song or discussion, if they do not
have time to give it, or an apprecla-
tive audience, they will not take the
pains to help more than the second
time and If the master has not open
ed the Grange at the appointed time
some are tired before the program
has begun. The lecturer should try
to impress it upon the members that
it is their duty to help the lecturer in
whatever way possible. not by just
promise. but to feel it a responsibility
to fulfill that promise unless sickness
prevents Yesterday. Feb. y. mark
ell the 18th birthday of one OF the
greatest men this nation has ever
known. In visiting the home of George
Washington. one can feel proud to
belong to the order of Patrons OF Illus
bandry, as he was one OF the most
successful farmers OF his day. lilS
home is of exceeding interest as it
has been restored to its original way
and everything is kept as when the
father of our country and his wife
we're living, and in looking over this
beautiful spot one can but feel that
agriculture Is the calling of man. The
Grange is like a wheel the lecturer
is the hub as YOU know, the spokes
and rim will not make good wheel
without the hub so with the Grange
without progressive lecturer.
\ progressive Grange is Grange
that is pressing forward. If
Grange would live it must move for
ward. Stagnation means death; a
pcople without vision shall perish
and this applies also to a Grange. BE
cptimistic. have vision; look for
better things The Grange has done
great things for the American farmer
and 1t has a still greater work to per-
form. The inspiration of our pro-
grams should be such that they will
make us better men and women for
one of the teachings Of our order is to
develop better and higher manhood
and womanhood among ourselves and
to do this the lecturer must study
their work, but do not lose sight Of
the fundamental principles on which
the Grange was organized. Have
something in each and every program
that will help the farmer. Ever
since the birthday Of the Grange by
its seven founders in 1867 down to
the present TIME progress has been
the watchword of the American far
mer and his family. And as we stand
ut the top of half century OF Grange
history and look across the next half
century to the hundredth anniversary
of the founding of this splendid order.
We will not he there, only those who
are children now or those who are un-
horn will he there then. But If We
do our work we'll, it will be theirs to
shout back across the years We'll
done good and faithful servants SO
let us keep on with the word Prog
ress' embla2oned on our Grange ban
ner and if we all work together we
cannot help but have progressive
Grange.
Mrs. Harriet Parker, who has been |