Maplewood GrangeThe Family Place . . hall rentals, Aurora / Canby Oregon
Phone 503-508-7807
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HISTORY, LOCAL TO NATIONAL

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Grange History

WHAT IS GRANGE?

MAPLEWOOD GRANGE PRESENTS:

GOIN GRANGING!

 The Order of the Patrons of Husbandry, better known as the Grange or the Grangers, was founded in 1867 as a fraternal trade society for small farmers and their families in the United States. Those from 5 to 14 years of age could join the Junior Grange. The organization publishes National Grange — Washington Update (weekly), Grange Newsletter (monthly), and View from the Hill (monthly). There are approximately 300,000 members.  The National Grange was founded in Fredonia, New York, by a member of the freemasons, Oliver Hudson Kelley and 7 of his associates.  Designed partly to help the South to recover from the Civil War the grange was a new secret society, although the secrecy necessary after the civil war has become mostly symbolic.  The Grange was arranged on more or less Masonic lines, dedicated to promoting rural life but open to all, in contrast to many other organizations of the time that were restricted along gender or racial lines. The Grange rituals, as Kelley devised them, consisted of seven degrees, first through fourth and then Pomona, Flora and Ceres.  Full membership in the Grange comes from completing the fourth degree; those who have taken only the first degree are known as provisional members. The three higher degrees are named for Roman deities of considerable antiquity.  Pomona was a goddess of fruit and gardens, Flora was the goddess of flowers, Ceres was the goddess of food plants.  These higher degrees are given at the county, state and national level.  The ritual of the degrees borrows from Freemasonry, as do most fraternal organizations.

The altar in the lodge room bears an open Bible, and various agricultural impediments, such as the pruning hook and the shepherd’s crook, decorate the place. An American flag is prominently displayed.  A blindfold symbolizes the passage from outer darkness to inner light, and all manner of trade implements are invested with symbolic meaning.

Taking the oath of membership involves promising to obey the laws of the state and the nation, as well as the orders of Grange superiors as long as those do not conflict with law or religious belief. While the rituals are of Christian derivation, the Grange is open to members of all religions and makes a point of deferring to an individuals religious convictions.  

The Grange has a powerful educational and self-help component. It also has had great political significance. Grangers were instrumental in founding the Populist Party. Not only did the Grange lobby for the establishment of a secretary of agriculture (before 1889, there was no such post), but when a secretary of agriculture was finally appointed, he was a member of the Grange. Since then, the Grange legacy has included agricultural colleges, agricultural research stations, the FFA organization for students and the expansion of the rural delivery network operated by the U.S. Postal Service. 

The structure of the organization begins with the Subordinate Granges, numbered in the thousands, and the Pomona Granges, which are district or county associations of Granges and are numbered in the hundreds. Both Subordinate and Pomona Granges send delegates to the State Granges and the State Granges in turn send delegates to the National Grange in Washington, D.C.


Currently the Grange lobbies at the national and state levels for many charitable and agricultural causes, mostly centered on promoting family life and family farms.  It also contributes to community life by maintaining the grange halls, used for many purposes, especially in smaller communities, and by contributing to many charitable causes.

News and Special Events


NOTE! 
January meeting still early, 3:30 on January 22.
​
Pomona 5th degree at Maplewood September 23, Dinner by Youth Grange at 6, Lecture program at 7 and 5th degree starts at 7:30.
 

ZUMBA is again in session.  Shake it up! - Call Cristina for details at 503-984-8193

As always, Maplewood Grange is looking for community minded folks willing to get involved and leave the world a bit better than they found it.  Open to all since 1867.

From Patrons Chain Newsletter

What? Did I hear that correctly? Did National President Betsy and Membership/Leadership Development Director Amanda both just report at this year's National Grange session that our organization had an increase in fraternal membership?
 
Well, they did and we did have an increase in fraternal membership of over 700 members. This is the first time in several years (okay… decades!) that we can make that statement. This got me thinking - what is the reason, especially with all we have gone through in the past three years? You could argue that we should have either stayed the same or had a decrease in membership.
 
I firmly believe that it is in a large part because of what you as Grangers have done in your communities. You exemplified our core values of faith, hope, charity, and fidelity by not giving up and just going through the motions. You did the opposite and did what Grangers do best.
 
Granges opened their doors when allowed, and welcomed the community in. Granges adapted programming or thought of new programs to help the community get back to some type of “normal.” I cannot begin to count the number of Granges who changed the way they did dinners and went to drive-thru style. Communities responded, and the dinners were mostly selling out because you offered something that they were missing. Granges offered outdoor events of a wide variety which gave people a chance to socialize and be around others. Grangers put together seed and plant swaps because of the renewed interest in growing their own and farm-to-table.
 
Our hometowns and local areas responded in so many ways to the community service you provided, not only by supporting Granges in your endeavors financially. Instead, people wanted to be part of an organization that gives back and helps in so many ways. I truly believe our increase in fraternal membership is because of everything Granges did no matter how large or even the smallest gesture.
 
Our Founders would be extremely proud of all the work you have done. Your community service shows why the Grange is still relevant today as it was 150 years ago. Do I think this increase is a “fluke?” No, I do not.
 
In the words of Cade Howerton, a Junior Granger from North Carolina, “Have a Grange Day”.
 
Keep up the good Grange work!




  • Home
  • Who we are
  • Contact
  • Rental Fees
  • Meetings
  • Membership
  • Agendas
  • Officers
  • Grange History
  • Rental Agreement
  • Rental Calendar
  • Minutes
  • Pictures
  • Job List
  • News Letters
  • Reports / Good of the Order