Meandering Around the Grange Way of Life
by Walter Boomsma
It’s Officer Installation Season–maybe!
“…we believe there is nothing better for a man than that he should eat and drink, and that he should make his soul enjoy good in his labor. It is from the hand of God.”
From the Installing Master’s Opening Address
Installation Ceremonies are a great opportunity to eat and drink, but more importantly, they are an even bigger opportunity to learn much about the Grange in general and the responsibilities of those who hold an office. One of the most important duties of every officer (and member, truly) is to “make his soul enjoy good in his labor.” For those reasons and more, the Installation Ceremony has always been one my personal favorite rituals.
We are facing the unfortunate reality that there are very few Installation Teams these days. An even more unfortunate result is that we are missing the lessons of the ceremony. We might do well to raise this question: “Is it necessary for there to be a dedicated group conducting the installation ceremony?” The short answer to that question is, “No.” It is certainly nice to have a practiced group of individuals conduct the ceremony but that is not a requirement. Let’s look to some credible resources to learn the requirements.
The National Grange Digest of Laws answers the question quite clearly. “A Master or Past Master of a Subordinate Grange, or a Fifth Degree member, may install the officers of a Subordinate Grange.” (6.14.1, Page 42.)
Maine State Grange By-Laws do not address the who, but they do address the when. “…They shall be chosen at a regular meeting, held in the Fifth Degree, in the month of June each year, and installed as soon as practicable after August 1st.” While there is no deadline, it logically follows that officers should be installed prior to the Annual State Grange Session in October. (XI Section 2, Page 6).
The 2013 Subordinate Grange Manual repeats the observation that a Master or Past Master of a Subordinate Grange or a Fifth Degree member may conduct the installation. Also, that manual offers the “traditional” installation ceremony and an “alternative” version. The consensus seems to be that the alternative version is simpler and significantly shorter. There are a number of suggestions made for both ceremonies and it is noted that the Installation Ceremony may be open to the public.
Within that context, let’s consider how we can protect the value and benefit of installing officers. A few years ago I received a call from the Master of a Grange who was nearly desperate. He could not find an Installation Team but to his credit, he wanted his officers and members to experience it and receive the value and benefits. The idea we came up with was actually a simple one—a “do it yourself” installation ceremony. As Master, he was qualified to conduct it. It seemed intimidating at first but the more we talked about it, the more practical it became, particularly the only other alternative was to do nothing. Since I started this column with reference to food and drink, I would offer this analogy. “If you can’t have steak, you can either go hungry or have hamburgers.” He chose hamburgers.
He later happily reported they’d done it, admitting it was “a little rough” and “we managed to laugh at our mistakes.” But they’d worked together and done it. The hamburger tasted pretty good after all was said and done. In the words of the installation ceremony, they made their souls enjoy the good in their labor.
Too often ritual becomes a source of power when it was meant to be a source of learning and inspiration. I occasionally scratch my head at some of the “old Grange tales” I hear stated by “experts” in the context of “You’re supposed to…” Maybe instead of worrying about which foot you’re supposed to start off on, we should be saying and hearing, “You’re supposed to make your soul enjoy good in your labor.”
Don’t skip installation and lose the value and benefits. Use it as a reason for your members to work together. If you need or want some help, you can and should reach out to others—nearby Granges, your deputy… and if you decide to have a rehearsal or practice session, open it by reading the closing paragraph of the installing Master’s opening address.
“We ask none to join us who cannot see good in their fellow beings; but to all interested in agriculture, who have generous hears and open hands to help the needy, raise the fallen, and aid in making the labors of this life cheerful, we say, ‘Welcome to the Grange.'”
Ibid
Any degree or ritual quotations are from the forty-sixth edition of the 2013 Subordinate Grange Manual or the most recent edition of the Pomona Grange Manual. The views and opinions expressed in “Exploring Traditions” are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official doctrine and policy of the Grange. Information about the book “Exploring Traditions—Celebrating the Grange Way of Life” can be found at http://abbotvillagepress.com, on Mr. Boomsma’s Amazon Author Page, or by contacting the author.