MICHIGAN STATE GRANGE. 343 



auspices of each system during the past year. The design has been to so 

 completely cover all parts of the State that no Grange will be at an 

 objectionable distance from both forms of meetings. Patrons everywhere 

 and as a whole should anticipate all efforts of the State Grange where 

 local help is contemplated and by attendance give added strength to such 

 efforts." 



The history of the changes in lecture work inaugurated within a few 

 years is described by State Lecturer, Mrs. F. D, Saunders : — 



''While in the past the State Lecturer depended entirely on the per- 

 sonal visit among the Granges to impart instruction, suggest new work 

 and in general enthuse to greater activity, the new plan was to do all 

 this by and through the printed page. And so it came about that in 

 January 1899, the Michigan State Grange Lecturer's Bulletin, dated 

 Vol. 1, No. 1. bearing the motto "Work to Succeed" found its way into 

 every Grange in the State by way of the Subordinate Lecturer. At the 

 end of the first year's work we were authorized to appear in an enlarged 

 form of four pages, containing programs for two meetings each month 

 and to devise some method of getting returns from the Subordinate 

 Lecturers. 



The plan devised was that of sending out with each issue of the Bulle- 

 tin a two page supplement sheet to be returned to us at the end of each 

 quarter containing information bearing upon the lecture hour in each 

 Grange. The information gained in these reports proved the wisdom of 

 the course. One year ago the supplement sheet was enlarged to four 

 pages with additional headings concerning distinctive lecture work, viz., 

 extension work, essay writing, discussion of topics, suggestions, queries 

 and monthly reports asked for. These supplement reports furnished the 

 Lecturer's News Department, a feature of the bulletin during the past two 

 years, which disseminates to all the lecturers a successful program car- 

 ried out by any one lecturer. We believe t)iis one wrought out plan has 

 proven of great benefit to the lecturers in giving ideas of diversity of pro- 

 grams. And more than that, by its use it creates a closer union among 

 the lecturers with the State Lecturer. This is an advantage; it gives 

 opportunities to give as well as receive and the conscientious lecturer 

 strives to do this. 



Grange extension work has been a regular part of each bulletin for the 

 past three years. The reading or discussing of a good book by all the 

 members of the Grange centers the mind upon certain questions, it gives 

 information to those not advised and gives permanency to the program. 

 We believe this is both helpful and needed. The study of parliamentary 

 practice during the past year has not been as general as has been the 

 extension work of the previous year. There are reasons for this — it was 

 more difficult, requiring a closer application, nevertheless there has been 

 221 copies of Waples' Parliamentary Practice placed in the Granges. Its 

 usefulness will not end with this year. It will always be a handy refer- 

 ence book upon all questions involving parliamentary decisions. In 

 contemplating the furtherance of this part of the lecture work, we have 

 given much thought to the selection of such a book as will appeal to 

 all progressive farmers as instructive and practical in the daily work 

 of farming. Therefore, we would recommend to our successor and to this 

 State Grange the adoption of James' Practical Agriculture for the course 

 of reading in Subordinate Granges for the year 1903." 



