Maine State Grange

When is a tradition no longer a tradition…?

By Walter Boomsma, Guest Columnist

I was more than a bit saddened to learn recently that an exciting Granger from a Grange that’s experiencing amazing growth was strongly criticized for “trying to change the Grange.” On a parallel but personal track, a long-standing holiday tradition has pretty much ended due to changes in circumstances. I find myself left to consider how much a tradition changes before it’s actually no longer a tradition. And, while I would never propose to limit the value of tradition, I understand the importance of perspective. Consider with me for a few minutes what the Grange would be like if there had been no changes to our traditions.

How far back do you want to go? A handful of us recently contemplated some of the features of the Grange in its early beginnings. We rightfully brag about the early recognition of women as having equal status. But much like the “Animal Farm” fable by George Orwell, it seems “all women were equal, but some were more equal than others.” And, before we get too excited about that equality, let us consider that under the traditional rule, it would be possible to have every office in the Grange filled by women. But it is not possible to have every office filled by men. At a minimum, the three graces (Pomona, Flora, and Ceres) are supposed to be filled by women. Rumor has it that the “lady assistant steward” position may be changed to eliminate the word “lady” and simply have two assistant stewards.

We can—and perhaps should—debate the value of changing labels, but always remember that change is hard—even good change. Anyone who has ever quit smoking or eliminated an unhealthy habit will attest to that.

“In essentials, unity.” One of the characteristics of early Grangers seems to have been a willingness to discuss and debate. So we might raise another question. What are the essentials? Is it essential to have a lady assistant steward, or would two male or female assistant stewards be just as effective?

It’s entirely possible that asking the questions is more important than determining the answers. I remember being at the beach with my oldest daughter when she was a precocious three-year-old. She was quite impressed by the flocks of seagulls and would point to them and yell, “Birds, Daddy! Birds!” I would gently suggest that they were seagulls. After several of these exchanges, it became apparent that my desire to teach would not be accepted. She replied, “You can call them seagulls. I’m going to call them birds.”

“In non-essentials, liberty.” I admire her confidence and resilience. She can call them birds. She’s not wrong.

We often refer to the Grange as a “grassroots” organization. We have strong roots, and we grow from them up towards the sun. We are not a “top-down” organization. Being a fraternal organization simply means sharing some fundamental values and, perhaps even more importantly, some fundamental purposes.

“In all things, charity.” Personally, I’ve never been a big fan of “for the good of the order.” Who decides what is “good?” A recent example was the change of titles at the National Level, whereby the Master is now the President, etc. I understand the reasoning for the change, but I also understand the value of the traditional roles of the Master. So how much can we change the traditional officer titles without losing the tradition and, more importantly, the value of the tradition?

Before we criticize people who seem to us to be intent on “changing the Grange,” we might do well to consider that changing can be a tradition. Students of the history of the Grange are likely to recognize that one reason the Grange is still relevant after a century and a half is that Grangers have been willing to adapt to the changes in society without sacrificing fundamental values and purpose. The Grange Way of Life includes that willingness.

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.