Maine State Grange

Who Are We, Really?

Some recent posts on social media have raised the point that in the early days of the Grange, the term “Granger” was adopted by opponents of the Grange organization in an attempt to ridicule members and their position as “Patrons of Husbandry.” This was offered as a “fun fact,” and it certainly is of some interest. One of the founders, Reverend Aaron B. Grosh, attempted to clarify the issue by explaining that the Grange is actually a place. He offered that Masons, for example, are not referred to as “Lodgers.” Why should Patrons of Husbandry be referred to as “Grangers.”

As a writer and communicator, I am fond of the expression, “Words do not have meaning until people give them meaning.” Language is also fluid and ever-changing. When I was a young scholar, using the word “ain’t” would earn a reprimand from the teacher. And if I’d said I was going to google something I’d have earned a blank stare.

The word “granger” is of French origin and means “farmer,” although some dictionaries actually qualify that by noting that if the word is capitalized, it refers to a member of the Grange. It’s an interesting distinction and one of the reasons National Grange hounds us to always capitalize the word in print. Think “trademark protection.” (I could go on—I did some googling.)

Reverend Grosh admonished, “Propriety and justice demand that each organization have its own chosen name, whatever that may be: In this case the chosen chartered name is Patrons; in full, Patrons of Husbandry.” By his logic, we might most accurately say we are Patrons of Husbandry who meet at a Grange Hall.

During Dictionary Day presentations I usually get the kids to look up 3-4 words including patron, husbandry, and steward. This allows me to make the point that a member of the Grange is a patron (someone who provides support) of husbandry (which isn’t about getting married, it’s about growing things). I’m not sure it’s a difference but our focus is much broader today than it was 150+ years ago and that’s why we are giving them a dictionary—to support their growth and learning. Members of the Grange also are good stewards—in third-grade language, “someone who watches over things.” They can be good stewards by taking care of their dictionary and using it wisely.

So, in a manner of speaking, call us what you want as long as you understand that we are about supporting agriculture and rural living using the principles of good stewardship. Admittedly, that’s a little more challenging than “we are Grangers,” but it is, hopefully, more precise. But is it more accurate?

Just as language is fluid and ever-changing, to at least some extent, our organization has changed and will change will continue. One of the reasons the Grange still exists is, I believe, the sound foundation of values and practice the founders built. That foundation is far more important than the words we use. It matters less whether we care called Grangers or Patrons. Since we are, by design, a grassroots organization each individual Grange has changed and is changing. We do well to consider change consciously and deliberately both in practice and in language. The language is important but what’s more important is the answer to the question, “Who are we, really?” The answer to that question isn’t found in words, it is found in actions. There are words in “the ritual” to remind us of who we are, but saying the words isn’t the same as “doing” the words.

“A Patron (or Granger) places faith in God, nurtures hope, dispenses charity, and is noted for fidelity.” That’s a great summary of who a Granger (or Patron) is and how he or she lives, isn’t it?! But those are just four words. The important question is “What meaning are you giving to those words?” And the answer to that question is found in what you are doing today and every day.

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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.

Memories and Memorials, Sad versus Somber

I’ll confess to stifling a smile during this year’s Memorial Service at the 155th State Grange Convention. For some reason, I recalled leaving a convention at the Skowhegan Rec Center a few years ago. The “labors of the day” were complete except for a rehearsal of the next day’s Memorial Program.

There’s a playground abutting the center and I was pleased to see a number of children swinging and sliding. As I headed to my vehicle, a parent approached me tentatively. “Excuse me. Do you know what is going on inside the building?”

I answered briefly, explaining the convention and its purpose. “Well,” Dad said. “My daughter went in to use the bathroom and she said it’s a funeral!” I again stifled a smile, realizing with the altar in place, the music… it did, in fact, resemble a funeral. I asked to meet his daughter and explained what she’d seen, offering (with Dad’s permission) to take her inside and show her. She and her Dad seemed visibly relieved. They thanked me for my offer but declined the tour. Swinging and sliding were much more interesting.

Another confession from this year’s service is that I “enjoyed” it. Chaplain Clay Collins does a nice job in part because he understands an important truth. Somber doesn’t equal sad. Perhaps our collective realization of that explains the trend away from funerals to celebrations of life. It’s more than a semantic difference.

During the reading of the ever-familiar poem by A. L. Frink my mind was still a bit stuck on that little girl’s perception of what was happening. The idea of a funeral was disconcerting. The idea of honoring and remembering people was reassuring. It’s more than a difference in labels. It’s a difference in vision that can move us from sadness to seriousness and that seriousness can be hopeful

Shall claim of death cause us to grieve,
And make our courage faint or fail?
Nay! Let us faith and hope receive:
The rose still grows beyond the wall.

This year’s convention was certainly “different” with many reminders of the uncertainties we face as individuals and Granges. But, thanks to the Memorial Service, I left realizing that wherever there is a wall, there is also a way to grow around it, over it, under it, through it. We just need to find or make the way and continue to “scatter our fragrance” just as we did in days of yore. Just as we will forevermore.

With thanks to Chaplain Clay, there’s a complete copy of this year’s Memorial Service in the Chaplain’s Section of the Program Books and Information Page. I commend it to you and encourage you to view it seriously but not sadly. Local Chaplains may choose to adapt portions of it for local memorial services that are typically conducted in the spring. One change from the printed program is that Steven Haycock filled in for James Owens for the tribute to State Deputies.

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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.

Degrees and Symbols

As many know, the Valley Grange “Words for Thirds” Dictionary Program has become a “rite of passage” in our area–and a bit of a ritual. We had to make significant changes in our approach last year when COVID meant third graders couldn’t visit the Grange Hall and Grangers couldn’t visit them at school.

One of the things I’ve always enjoyed is showing the kids the staves, explaining what farmer’s tool each represents, and how we apply that to “the Grange Way of Life.” I’m also always pleased when the thank you notes we receive include hand-drawn staves. The kids remember them!

So I can’t resist asking you to list the four staves. Bonus points if you know which officer carries which stave! (This is reminiscent of the game “Are you smarter than a third grader?”

While the recently released National Grange Brochure doesn’t cover the staves, it does a nice job of summarizing the Four Degrees: their emblems, seasons, and lessons. You can read the introductory post and download a copy from The Program Books and Information Page. One thing that recommends this brochure is that it removes any mysticism, simplifies the degrees and symbols, and shows how they can apply to our daily lives.

The kids are pretty good at the application when we discuss the staves. I offer a brief explanation, then invite them to consider if they had one in their classroom, what might it remind them of? One of my all-time favorites came from a young fellow who said, “The pruning hook would remind me to pick up papers and trash on the floor of our classroom.” I was less pleased when a student asked if we couldn’t use it to “cut out the math lessons.” But she gets points for thinking. And we get to think about the fact that we don’t always like what’s good for us.

I wonder–do we “modern-day” Grangers consider the Degrees and Symbols as part of our daily lives to the same degree our forebears did? The kids end up thinking about what agriculture and farming tools can teach us. Some think it would be pretty awesome to have staves in their classrooms. (They really like the owl.) We make the point that their dictionaries are tools as well and try to teach the concept of stewardship in a simple form.

Are we smarter than third-graders?

Memorizing the degrees and symbols can be fun, but let’s not miss the meaning. If a Grange is struggling, could we not look at the emblems as a way of thinking through change? What do we need to prune out? Can the hoe help us “destroy error… while promoting the growth of knowledge and wisdom?”

An obvious Lecturer’s Program based on this brochure is to develop a “trivia” contest based on the degrees and symbols. But if we stop there, we fail our purpose as educators.

When is the last time someone other than the master actually looked at the items in the implement case and thought about each? The knowing is good, but let’s not omit the doing. What tools do we have to grow ourselves and our Granges and how are we going to best use them? Who is ready to grab the shepherd’s hook and lead the way?!

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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.