The History of New York State Grange, 1934-1960, Part 1

Author: Arthur, Elizabeth L
Publication date: 1960
Publisher: [New York] : [The Grange]
Number of Pages: 242


USA > New York > The History of New York State Grange, 1934-1960 > Part 1


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ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY


3 1833 02811 5522


Gc 974.7 AR7H ARTHUR, ELIZABETH L. THE HISTORY OF NEW YORK STATE: GRANGE, 1934-1960


THE HISTORY OF


NEW YORK STATE GRANGE


1934 - 1960


By


ELIZABETH L. ARTHUR


State Grange Historian


1


GEN


THE HISTORY OF NEW YORK STATE GRANGE 1934 - 1960


By


ELIZABETH L. ARTHUR


State Grange Historian


DEDICATION


This history of New York State Grange is dedicated to those devoted members of the Order of Patrons of Husbandry, my mother and father, who first taught me to love the Grange; to my sister, whose counsel has been invaluable; to the host of other Grange-hearted men and women, without title or acclaim, who have built intangible values into the life of rural New York; to those who still render unselfish, constructive service, and to the multitude of Grange builders of the future, who will throng the coming years. Our American heritage is made strong by the words and deeds of such as these.


Pioneer builders of freedom, they have broken, and will con- tinue to break, the shackles of isolation, of ignorance, of blind prejudice.


With faith in God, with eyes toward the best good of America, they have tilled our State Grange Farm well,-they will continue to conserve and develop its potential wealth, to have, to hold, to share with mankind.


Allen County Public Library 900 Webster Street PO Box 2270 Fort Wayne, IN 46801-227(


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IN APPRECIATION


The Executive Committee of New York State Grange ex- tends to Elizabeth L. Arthur its deepest appreciation for a job well done.


When the Delegates at the Eighty-third Annual Session adopted a resolution directing that the History of New York State Grange be brought up to date it became the duty of The Execu- tive Committee to select someone for the task of preparing the manuscript.


Because of her devotion to the Grange, coming from à Grange family whose membership extends over a period of years nearly equal to that of the Grange, itself; because of the interest she has always had in the progress of the Grange; because she has served as one of the outstanding State Grange Lecturers and be- cause of the ability shown in writing a portion of The Sixth Degree Ritualism The Committee turned to Miss Arthur.


We were fortunate to secure her services. As a result of her dedication to the task, her hours of research and her untiring efforts we have this book!


We would be remiss if we failed to mention the invaluable assistance given Miss Arthur by her sister, Maude. To her we also express our thanks.


LEONARD M. FULLER,


Secretary, N. Y. State Grange Executive Committee.


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..


Elizabeth L. Arthur, New York State Grange Historian.


S. Maude Arthur, who gave material assistance in History.


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TABLE OF CONTENTS


Pages


ACKNOWLEDGMENTS


7


FOREWORD


8


CHAPTER 1.


MESSAGES:


Herschel· D. Newsom, Master National Grange 11


James Farmer, Past Lecturer National Grange 12


E. R. Eastman, President American Agriculturist 14


James A. McConnell, of the G.L.F. 17


CHAPTER 2.


STATE MASTERS, GRANGE SERVICES AND ADMINISTRATIONS:


Fred J. Freestone 19


Raymond Cooper 24


William Joseph Rich 28


Henry D. Sherwood 32


Leland D. Smith


38


CHAPTER 3.


HIGH FIDELITY RECORD


EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE 44


STATE SECRETARY: Harold M. Stanley 55


STATE TREASURERS: John Kleis 60


Robert Payne 62


JUVENILE GRANGE SUPERINTENDENTS:


NATIONAL GRANGE: Susan Wilson Freestone 63


STATE GRANGE' Beatrice Kidd, Isabelle Harris, Mrs. John


Thew, Mrs. Morris Halladay, Mrs. Roger Miller 65


CHAPTER 4.


FIELD WORKERS:


DEPUTY GRANGE MASTERS 70


JUVENILE GRANGE DEPUTIES 72


SPECIAL SERVICE RECOGNITION


74


T. A. Delancey, Clifford Rugg, Fred Rumsey, Mr. and Mrs. Robert Woodhull, Special Deputies and others.


CHAPTER 5.


EDUCATIONAL AND SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITIES


1. STATE LECTURERS:


Stella Miller 85


Helen Keller 88


Marietta Windecker 91


Florence Pickett 94


Ida Reed


96


Fern Palmer 99


2. YOUTH ACTIVITIES


JUVENILE GRANGE 103


YOUTH, YOUNG ADULT, LEADERSHIP SCHOOLS, CONTESTS 106


3. RELATION TO HIGHER EDUCATION-FINANCIAL


REVOLVING SCHOLARSHIP FUND 111


SUSAN W. FREESTONE VOCATIONAL


EDUCATIONAL FUND 114


4. RELATION TO INSTITUTIONS OF EDUCATION & RESEARCH


CORNELL UNIVERSITY 116


GENEVA EXPERIMENT STATION


120


AGRICULTURAL AND TECHNICAL INSTITUTES 122


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CHAPTER 6


AGRICULTURAL AND PUBLIC GOOD:


LEGISLATIVE RECORD, Kenneth Fake


125


COOPERATIVE SERVICE: G.L.F., Farm Markets 130


INSURANCE, AUTO, FIRE, LIFE


135


DAIRY INTERESTS, MILK PROMOTION


140


NEW YORK STATE FAIR, GRANGE BUILDING, PROGRAM,


EXHIBITS, CONTESTS


CONSERVATION OF NATURAL RESOURCES


146


150


CHAPTER 7.


FIELD OF COMMUNICATIONS:


RADIO, RURAL RADIO FOUNDATION,


RURAL RADIO NETWORK


TELEVISION


157


THE GRANGE MEETS THE PRESS, E. Payson Smith, Herbert Thomsen, et al 158


CHAPTER 8.


COMMITTEES AND PROJECTS:


SERVICE AND HOSPITALITY


161


COMMUNITY SERVICE 166


CHAPTER 9. GRANGE EXPANSION: SERVICES OF Harry Graham, Henry D. Sherwood 171


STORY OF MAPLE LEAF GRANGE No. 11 172


CORNELL GRANGE No. 1577


175


CHAPTER 10. STATISTICAL (Since 1933)


ANNUAL SESSIONS 176


SPECIAL SESSIONS


177


STATE GRANGE OFFICERS


178


IN MEMORIAM


181


ROSTER OF DEPUTY GRANGE MASTERS


183


ROSTER OF JUVENILE GRANGE DEPUTIES 186


AMENDMENTS TO ORGANIZATION ROSTER IN VOLUME 1 191


ROSTER OF GRANGES ORGANIZED SINCE 1933 199


ROSTER OF JUVENILE GRANGE ORGANIZATION


201


CHAPTER 11. RECOGNITION OF GRANGE BY OUTSIDE AGENCIES


215


CHAPTER 12 QUOTABLE GRANGE QUOTES


219


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RURAL ELECTRIFICATION


145


154


ACKNOWLEDGMENTS


Compiling the material for Volume Two of New York State Grange History has included study of the following: Oliver Hud- son Kelley's rare volume, "Origin and Progress of the Order of Patrons of Husbandry in the United States," published in 1875; "The Grange-Friend of the Farmer," by Charles M. Gardner, published in 1947; Leonard L. Allen's "History of New York State Grange, Volume 1, published in 1934, which covered the 1868-1933 history; Atkinson's "Abridged History of the Grange"; National Grange Monthlies from 1934 to date; Journals of Pro- ceedings. New York State, and National Grange, 1934-1960 and earlier; "Grange Gleaners"; "The Empire State Granger"; news- paper clippings and many letters received during the years from Grange members, a source of unusual help.


Among those whose suggestions and constructive criticism have proved valuable are : The New York State Grange Execu- tive Committee; Louis J. Taber, State Master Leland D. Smith, Fred and Susan Freestone, Raymond Cooper, Henry Sherwood, E. R. Eastman, Robert and Elizabeth Woodhull, Mrs. Theron Pickett, T. Arthur DeLancey, Kenneth Fake and especially State Secretary Harold M. Stanley and Mr. and Mrs. Leonard Fuller. My sister, Sarah Maude Arthur, has been outstandingly helpful. To all of these we express our grateful appreciation. Without their assistance, this History would not have been possible.


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FOREWORD


When the Founders of the Order of Patrons of Husbandry first searched for a name for the new farm family organization, they decided upon "THE GRANGE" which means farm. Thus, in a large sense, our New York State Grange is our New York State Farm.


In his book, "The Harvest," the late Liberty Hyde Bailey told of an old gardener who was asked how much land he owned. He said: "One acre; but it is a wonderful acre; it reaches to the center of the earth in one direction and it takes in the stars in the other."*


This is an accurate description of our New York State Farm. Multiply the "one acre" by a limitless boundary, let it reach deeper than the grass roots themselves, deep into our good brown earth,-rich in minerals, gold, iron, basalt, pitchblende and many others, known and unknown,-then let the opposite boundary reach to the stars in idealism,-and you have some small estimate of our New York State Grange, our New York State Farm. If we reach out with our yardstick, we will be in tune with Daniel Webster who said our National strength lies very near the soil. The strength of our New York State Farm, which begins with radiation from the Subordinate Grange, has wider range than our vision.


Grange member,-you are a stockholder in this great Farm. How long has it been since you inventoried its assets? Have you accurate business knowledge, on either a tangible or intangible basis, of your annual interest? Are you even positive of the potential boundaries of the Grange Farm? Have any surveyors placed permanent marking stones, or are they at best perishable markers, such as the "bent elm" or "old ash tree" found in certain deeds as boundary markers? It is high time we took inventory.


The following pages may place such account of stock within your grasp, so you may have a clear-cut understanding of the Grange, its accomplishments and its untouched potentialities. We will begin with the following analysis:


"Almost every worth-while farm organization, either direct- ly or indirectly, sprang from, or was sponsored by the Grange. Its founders had a vision far ahead of the times in which they lived." The speaker was Mr. Fred H. Sexauer, then President of The Dairymen's League. "They were not economists in the pre- sent day idea of that term. But they knew from farm experience, from plain common sense, what economists are now learning from history. They were the great pioneers for sound improvement in a changed and new kind of world. The changes which we to-


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day study as history, the founders of the Grange knew from ex- perience. It would be well for those of us in organizations started on our way by the Grange, and perhaps even present Grange leaders themselves, to review the economic events which gave rise to the beginnings of this and many other farm organizations."


Again, it has been well said that the Grange has been more responsible for the open-mindedness, the willingness to learn, of the farmer of today; for the general factors which have led to agricultural colleges, experiment stations, farm bureau, exten- sion service, and the ever widening reach of educational oppor- tunity, than any other agency. Oliver Hudson Kelley, who with vision and brave heart started out to build the Grange with only $2.50 in his pocket, found hosts of farm people who, although not illiterate, did not even have a newspaper. He would have had just pride in what the Grange has done. The small sum he ven- tured has multiplied into a very large amount indeed. This educa- tional system deserves a permanent marker.


These are proud limits, and honest ones. Where will you set the others? You must own them with equal pride. Your returns from this great New York State Farm, the Grange, are entirely in your hands.


Again we quote Dr. Liberty Hyde Bailey, in "The Harvest,":


"The size of an acre of land varies directly with the size of the man who manages it. The larger the man, the larger the acre."* If you cultivate this land as a good farmer, if your seed has been good, the preparation of soil adequate, your harvest has been indeed a rich one. You have touched something of gold in the Grange top-soil.


Farming is never static. The wide reaches, the rolling fields, the rounding hills, the lofty mountains,-they seem eternally the same. There is a peace about them that nothing can erase. The same sun rises, the same sun sets in glory, the same streams murmur, the stars swing above in their quiet, inimitable majesty, -Sputniks and satellites to the contrary, yet farming is never static. A decade changes from modern to obsolete the means of farming. Yesterday's equipment and today's method are miles apart. Yet each member of the farm family leaves his own im- press on the basic soil. Each has his part to play. Past State Master Fred J. Freestone said: "We farm in the sunshine and the rain, in the periods of adversity and the periods of prosperity. These are our lands, this is our life, we are husbandmen."


So it is with our great New York State Farm. It is not only the State Master, not alone his associate officers and deputies, or the Pomona or Subordinate Officer, who is the map-maker, the history writer. Each member in proportion to his own realization


9


of Grange opportunity and pride in participation, becomes a builder of the Grange itself, and writes his big or little paragraph in Grange history. The recorder of this history is a minor factor. The emphasis always should be on the work and the worker who shape the Order of Patrons of Husbandry.


The pattern of the Grange itself, designed by the Founders after the form of the ancient English farm or manor, will always be basically the same. The Master's station like the old manor house, the Overseer in his opposite station, the Steward, faithful to his charge, the watchful Gatekeeper beyond the moat, the chap- lain in the position of the church, the Lecturer as the school, the three Graces facing the central Altar to show our regard for the fruitfulness of earth, the dignity of Agriculture and its direct connection with our Faith in God, will always hold. The sublime beauty of our Ritual, when well memorized and spoken, reflects the true Patron's recognition of Divine guidance, and the dignity of man, the Farmer, and has something eternal in it.


Yet the Grange Farm, like the farm itself, is never static, nor should it be. Leonard Allen, in his splendid History of New York State Grange of 1934, would find in today's Grange many words and much action beyond the horizon of his era. Tomorrow's historian, when his pen touches the pages of record of tomorrow, will find the same condition. Such is growth, such is progress.


The Grange will continue to grow in service and in numbers. "Esto Perpetua" is no idle dream. Agriculture itself depends on this growth. The Grange, as always, is in the forefront of the battle for the life of Agriculture and the freedom of the farmer. The Grange is the honest spokesman.


The program of our State Grange originated where it should, in the healthiest of all soils, that of the Subordinate Grange. Here evolved 99% of the formulated pattern, from members of our Order close to the roots of rural problems and long view values of country people. Herein is a vital factor of our history.


We trust that Volume Two of the New York State Grange History may show some culmination of the Grange Dream. May we vision new hands on the handles of the Grange plow, with no relinquishing of underlying Grange principles. In the cultivation of our State Grange Farm a richer and greater crop of Grange worth to Farm and Nation, we trust, may flourish today, tomor- row, than even in our proud past.


May we, instead of the word "foreword" perceive the Finger of God pointing forward to a new and brighter Grange day. To- morrow waits. What will its boundary limits be?


*NOTE: Permission is granted for quotations from "The Harvest" by L. H. Bailey.)


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3 1833 02811 5522


Chapter 1


MESSAGES


To New York Grange Members and All Interested in our Way of Life:


Organized in 1873, the New York State Grange is rapidly approaching its second century of service to members and all Americans.


Its first four score and seven years form a magnificent found- ation for its future. No other comparable force in rural New York has contributed so much to the combined economic, social and cultural blood-stream of the Empire State. Its impact is enviable nationally and throughout the world.


The State of New York is studded with the landmarks of Grange effort. It has built a brand of American-Patrons with the ideals and visions, integrity and ambition, that have formed the human framework for the greatest nation in the history of the world. After all, one of our basic purposes is to build people and generate and stimulate leadership. A better manhood and womanhood, based upon the enhancement of family living, has been the continuing objective and purpose of the Grange. This purpose has been served well in New York State .


The Grange is a family, community, county, state and national, as well as international, fraternal force. Your "institu- tion"-the New York State Grange-has built, through strength of group action, in order that it might better serve the cause of freedom and of fuller, richer life for the people of your state, an enviable record.


We salute Grange members and the whole Grange structure in New York; and rejoice in your opportunities ahead.


Fraternally yours, Herschel D. Newsom, Master


The National Grange


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A MESSAGE TO NEW YORK PATRONS


By JAMES C. FARMER Former Lecturer of the National Grange


In the march of the years it is wonderful to think back down memory's lane, of the important events that have helped shape our own, our family's, the community and the nation's activities.


My thoughts turn back to the many Grange sessions, Lec- turers' conferences, field days, anniversaries and other special Grange events that I attended in New York State during my 20 years service as Lecturer of the National Grange.


I shall never forget those inspiring drills by Grange members who had qualified to take part, by doing some special Grange work in their community. I remember as though it were yester- day, the beautiful courts of Flora and the very impressive pre- sentation of the 6th degree.


I travel down Memory Lane, to many wonderful Grange Lecturers' conferences at Cornell University, led by inspiring, efficient, faithful State Grange Lecturers and State Masters. Everyone seemed so anxious to learn, to secure new ideas and plans that would aid them in developing the membership in their home Granges.


What a wonderful social, economic, educational, moral and spiritual force the Grange has always been. It inspires, it chal- lenges each one to do their best, it stimulates and encourages members of all ages. Where the school leaves off, the Grange continues to educate one for the rest of his life. It blends the past with the present and aggressively looks forward to the future, with new ideas and programs.


In my memory chest are those wonderful National Grange sessions that have been held in New York State, and the thousands of loyal patrons who came to receive the 6th and 7th degress.


There were great field days with large attendance. I recall one with State Master Fred J. Freestone holding an umbrella over my head while hundreds stood in the rain to hear a message of what the Grange was doing for them and what it meant to be a Grange member.


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There were fine Grange fairs, with their splendid exhibits, and picnics with many youth events and interesting programs.


The Grange has lived and will continue to live because it is founded on the home, the family, the farm and community life. The spirit of fraternity and the power of Grange ritualism helps us all to live better lives and enjoy the fruits of our labors, as our Heavenly Father so wonderfully emphasizes in many of His teachings which are found in the Grange ritual.


To all of these great services of the Grange, one should add the great economic benefits that have been provided through Grange insurance and other special Grange service committees, educational aid funds, legislative work and cooperative activities.


History will continue to show that the Grange is the only really complete farm organization that continuously studies, plans and works for the farmer and his family and all those who claim rural America for their home.


Please remember, that you who read this message are the beacon lights of the Grange today, and you should radiate the new light and spirit of Grange leadership, services and achieve- ments for the present and future years.


Fraternally yours,


James C. Farmer


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HATS OFF TO THE GRANGE


By E. R. EASTMAN President of American Agriculturist


One of my most rewarding experiences was acting as Lec- turer of the Subordinate Grange, Interlaken, New York, more than 40 years ago. In all the years since, I have never forgotten the closeness, the feeling that Grange members are really brothers and sisters, that I gained in that early experience and have added to in my Grange contacts since.


The history of the origin of the Grange always interested me. At the suggestion of President Andrew Johnson, Oliver Hudson Kelley made an extended trip through the southern states right after the Civil War and was appalled at the way the South had been left prostrate.


Kelley decided that the best way to help farmers was for them to help themselves. Incidentally, if all of us could remember that principle, farming and the nation would be much better off today than they are. As a result of Kelley's trip, he planned a great farm organization, the Grange, and decided that the organization should be a secret one with a ritual based upon the grandeur of the rolling seasons and the beauties of nature.


For some reason, the Grange made little progress in the South but it certainly did in the North.


What is of particular interest to us here in the northeast is that New York State and Vermont had the honor of organizing the first two Subordinate Granges in America that have function- ed constantly since their organization. These Granges are:


Fredonia Grange, Fredonia, N. Y.,-which was founded by Oliver Kelley himself in 1868; and the Green Moun- tain Grange, at St. Johnsburg, Vermont, founded in 1871 also by Father Kelley.


In thinking about the many great achievements of the Grange, I put at the top of the list or nearly at the top, the fact that the Grange was the first organization to recognize that farm- ing is a partnership business and that the women are full partners with the men. From the very first, the Grange saw that farming cannot succeed without the home and the home-makers and that


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the women have just as much right and duty to participate in public affairs as the men do. Hats off to the Grange for being the first to recognize this basic principle!


Another direct and important result of Grange work is that it has taught farmers to express themselves. They have always been able to do this, sometimes very emphatically, to each other, but they were slow to express their opinions in meetings where they might do some good. The Grange was a forum. It taught farm people to speak out in thousands of meetings, feel free to get up on their feet, say what they think, put their combined conclusions into resolutions and then give these resolutions to state legislatures and to Congress.


It would take far more space than is available even to men- tion all of the other achievements of the Grange. To name a few: The Grange has organized and supported cooperative marketing. Among the oldest and most successful cooperatives in America are the Grange fire insurance companies. Without the support of the Grange in the early days, it is doubtful if these companies could have succeeded. The Farmers and Traders Life Insurance Company, while not directly connected with the Grange, was organized by Grange officers and members and brought life in- surance to rural people. The National Grange Mutual Liability Insurance Company organized by the Grange has done and is do- ing an outstanding job in supplying farmers with automobile in- surance at reasonable prices. Joining with the Dairymen's League and the State Farm Bureau Federation, the Grange helped to organize the G. L. F., probably the most successful farm purchas- ing organization in the world.


· All these are only a few Grange achievements-but whenever a great work, institution or an organization is mentioned with their achievements, I like to think of the personalities of the men and women who made that work successful. It has been my privilege to know every Grange Master in New York State for the past 40 years. There was that grand old fire-eating fighter for farmers, Sherman J. Lowell of the Fredonia Grange. Sherman Lowell's dynamic leadership brought him to the position of Master of the National Grange from 1919-23.


One of the most effective Grange leaders was my friend Louis J. Taber. Lou was Master of the National Grange from 1923-41. Before that, he was Master of his own State Grange of Ohio. The respect with which he has always been held by thousands of rural people is indicated by his long term of 18 years, the longest by far ever served by any National Master ..


Not satisfied with all these years of service, Lou moved to Syracuse, New York, and for years was President or Chairman


15


of the Board of Farmers and Traders Life Insurance Company. I once asked Lou, when he was 80 years old, what the secret was of his long, healthy life. To this he answered promptly, "Love your work, love your wife and love your God." That is good philosophy and life formula for any man.


When Mr. Lowell's term as State Master ended in 1920, he was followed by William Giles who died in office in 1921. Albert Manning, Master of the New York State Grange from 1921-24, was also Secretary of the Dairymen's League for many years. I worked with Albert, knew him well-and to know him was to love him.


Silas L. Strivings, New York State Master from 1924-28, did a good job and was loved and respected. So was my friend, Fred Freestone, who followed him. Fred and I were both members of the Interlaken Grange where we both learned to love the organiz- ation. Raymond Cooper served as the State Master from 1936-40 and was followed by William J. Rich. Both of these men were fine leaders. Apparently, no one can get to the high position of Master of the State Grange without having what it takes.




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