Tag: Grange Procedure

President’s Perspective – January 2025

By Sherry Harriman,
Maine State Grange President/Master
207 490-1029

Degrees in your Grange

There have been questions about the Degree Days and who can do them. Any Grange may confer all Four Degrees in one day, at any time during the year, but permission is required from the State Master beforehand. However, each Grange is entitled to confer the Degrees in their own Granges at their own convenience. To “confer degrees” means initiatory ceremonies giving instruction and information about the Grange. You may confer 1 or 2 degrees at one meeting, then confer 1 or 2 more at the next meeting, and so on until you complete all Four Degrees. (The word Degree refers to a level of the Grange and is based on the four seasons and agriculture. The first Four Degrees bring you into Subordinate or Community Grange membership.) The meeting must be open in full form for any balloting and conferral of any Degree. The candidates must be balloted on prior to the conferral of the degree. Following the Grange Manual. (2023 is the newest version but the Degrees in all the manuals are the same.) The Degrees are very impressive if done from memory, but this may not work for everyone. Have each officer read the part for the office where they are seated, marching candidates are encouraged but it can be done with everyone seated, follow the instructions as you go along. Everyone can participate in this manner and learn the lessons of the Degrees at the same time.

Have a safe winter. Check on your neighbors and give a hand wherever you can.

Quick Tip – What if…?

Cool Idea
Share your thoughts and ideas with other Granges!

In a recent post, Seth Godin reminded us that some restaurants keep a photo of the local food critic in the kitchen. That way, if someone notices that person in the restaurant, everybody bends over backward to make things right.

But why not try to get things right even if the critic isn’t there?

What if we conducted every meeting as if there were a dozen potential new members sitting in the back? Or do we ask the gatekeeper to warn everyone, “We have guests!”

For that matter, there’s a place in the opening for honoring “special guests.” Traditionally, that means someone from “higher up” in the Grange. Maybe the steward should at least announce ALL guests, regardless of their status.

Quick tips from Granges and Grangers are always welcome… on any topic that might improve or make things easier for other Granges. Use the submission form or email yours to the webmaster for consideration!

Important Stuff!

Degree Days and Major Events
  • August 22, 2026, CWA Conference at Manchester Grange starting at 9:30 am
  • October 30-31, 2026, Maine State Grange Annual Meeting in Orono.

The Maine State Grange Office is located at 36 Anthony Avenue, Suite 102, Augusta, ME 04330.
The email address is mainestategrange@gmail.com.
For website matters, email webmaster@mainestategrange.org.

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This flyer/poster is available for downloading from the Program Books and Information Page–or use this direct link! Print and post or hand it out to your members!

Website Subscription Flyer

Quick Tip – Pomona Meetings

Cool Idea
Share your ideas with other Granges!

by Walter Boomsma

Ask the Subordinate/Community Granges in your area to have an agenda item on their regular monthly meetings to discuss who from their Granges would be attending next month’s Pomona Meeting. The goal would be for each Grange to “send” at least two members to each Pomona Meeting as representatives. Since, for example,  Piscataquis Pomona has six member Granges, there would be some assurance of at least twelve people at each Pomona Meeting in addition to those who attend regularly! By rotating the responsibility, there would also be more diversity at Pomona Meetings.

Quick Tip – Grange Bees!

Cool Idea

Valley Grange uses “Grange Bees” in conjunction with our meetings… simply stated, Grange Bees are members who agree to be the official hosts for a meeting. While all members pitch in, we find it efficient to rotate the “official” responsibilities among members. Grange Bees are responsible for opening and closing the hall. (Our checklist is available on the Valley Grange website.) We try to set up a schedule for the entire year each fall. We also occasionally all “swarm” to the hall for major cleaning and projects. Everybody can be a bee!

Flying Our Flag

In response to a request during the state session, we have researched and are providing the information below. Note this information will also appear permanently at the very top of the Program Books and Information Page. Special thanks go to John Lowry of Porter Grange and Vicki Huff of Hollis Grange for their help!

How we display the flag communicates! The image to the left indicates recent state proclamations regarding flying the flag at half-staff. The image to the right indicates current federal proclamations.

This is a link to a guide to the Federal Law regarding displaying the Americal Flag: US Flag Code.

To sign up for email alerts advising when to fly your flag at half-mast, visit Half Staff American Flag

Learn more from the Department of Veterans Affairs about the rules and traditions for flying the flag at half-staff