Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1924-12-10
Lecturers Report

State Lecturer Merle J. Hartman
of the Maine grange on Tuesday
| morning presented his annual report
| to the State grange at the session
| in City Hall. This report was filed
with much of interest to members Of
| the order of Patrons of Huslsa ndry.
| In opening the State Lecturer
| said that in perusing the reports
| from lecturers of subordinate and
| pomona oranges for the past year,
| he found many suggestions worthy
of comment. A number of oranges
! have held contests of various kinds.
| Among those was an essay contest,
| so conducted that until the prizes
were awarded. there was absolute
! secrecy as to the writer's of them.
| He especially commended the de-
! bates and discussions which a num-
! Der of oranges had held. saying that
ITO his mind they have been OF great
value. to those taking part as well as
to the audiences. 1t was by such ed
ucational features in the programs
! that the better manhood and woman
! fook one of the objects of the or
! der. was developed. Many successful
| grange fairs have been held the
! past fall n source of profit. as well
! as. pleasure. Dramatic have been
J another feature OF the years work
! by many oranges.
| State Lecturer Hartman express
| sed his appreciation OF the cooper
| alton which had been given him by
! subordinate oranges and by the
: State department OF agriculture.
Purposes Of Oranges
Taking up the objects of the order
of Patrons of Husuandry, Mr.. Har-
r.nan said:
IF ID..t L.,
that it was fifty years ago this year
that these Declaration OF Purposes"
were adopted? How many know that
there is such document? Do you re-
alize that a very small number of
Patrons know anything about such
Il Paper? | have been very much sur
lrised indeed. If these Declaration of
Purposes were read in every Grange
in the State at last once a year. our
members would realize better what
the Grange was organized for. its
objects. business relations and poll
tical relations. 1t has been said that
this document was second in import
ance only to the Declaration of In
dependence signed by our forefathers
on July 4. 1876.
The National Grange fittingly ceie-
brated the fiftieth anniversary at it's
session at Atlantic City this year,
and I think the least We can do here
is to urge the Patrons of Maine to
| al least read it, and have 1t read in
our Grange meetings.
Juvenile Oranges
Probably no section of the State
Lecturers report will attract more
attention than that devoted to he
matter OF the Juvenile grange. On
this subject he said:
Our State Master appointed me
Juvenile Deputy for the State. While
been organized start has been
made. One organized at New Sharon
is doing excellent work. 1t started in
with 20 charter members. and has
since added. six new ones.
This is a commendable work and
should receive more attention from
the older members. AS the work is
new here in Maine. I want to quote
from the National Grange Monthly
some of what is being and has been
done in other states.
"a noteworthy example of Juve-
nile growth and success comes from
Illinois in Shiloh Valley Juvenile
Grange organized with 20 members
March 18th by Mrs. f. A. Eckert,
wife of the State Master, and which
has been forging ahead steadily in
all worth while lines. having reached
a present. membership of IS. with
other initiates on the way. Careful
attention has been given to ritual
istic work and correct parliamentary
usage, while the business is hand
died in the best possible fashion. and
careful attention Is given to the lee
turer hour, with many special occa-
sions featured.
With funds derived from a Juve-
nile entertainment q piano has been
purchased and a program Is now in
preparation to raise funds for a VIC
trola. whose acquisition will be fol-
lowed by some definite work for 1.-THE
children along physical culture lines.
This Juvenile has two degree teams,
with all parts memorized by the off,
GERS. and the degree work is fire.
quentiy done for the practice It af-
fords, as well as to receive new MEM
bers. Storytelling has been an I'm
teresting feature of the years pro-
grams and the latter are planned to
furnish the largest possible oppor-
tunity to the youngsters for self de-
yelopment. The Juvenile meetings
are held simultaneously with the
subordinate and In the dining-room
of the Grange hall.
The Grange Educational AID Fund
While this work is handled by q
special set of trustees, yet want