SOCIAL AND EDUCATIONAL FEATURES 291 



education reported that gratifying progress had been made in 

 this direction. 1 



In the southern states, where the local schools were very 

 inadequate, steps were taken by some of the granges to increase 

 their number. The North Carolina State Grange recommended 

 that the subordinate granges of the state interest themselves 

 in the establishment of good local schools and make appropria- 

 tions for their support. When practicable, it was suggested 

 that primary and even high schools be established in connection 

 with county and local granges. 2 Grange schools, established 

 by the local branches of the order, existed in parts of Alabama, 

 North Carolina, Louisiana, and perhaps in some of the other 

 southern states. 3 In Michigan, also, it was reported in 1879 

 that there were seven grange schools in active operation in one 

 county, parts of the Grange halls being used for school rooms. 4 

 Another step in this direction was the establishment of primary 

 granges for the entertainment and instruction of the children 

 of Patrons. This was tried in California with considerable 

 success and was recommended by the secretary of the National 

 Grange in iSyy. 5 



During the seventies the various agricultural and mechanical 

 colleges and state universities, which profited by the land grants 

 made by Congress in 1862 for the encouragement of education 

 in agriculture and the mechanic arts, were just getting on their 

 feet. But few students in agriculture presented themselves 

 at these institutions as a rule and so the funds were used for the 

 support of other departments. Some of the farmers were inclined 

 to complain of this and to demand that college farms be estab- 

 lished for more practical work in agriculture and that manual 

 labor on the farms be required of the students. Where separate 

 agricultural and mechanical colleges were established, there 

 seems to have been less difficulty; but where the work along 



1 National Grange, Proceedings, xii. 99, xiii. 113, xiv. 52, 63, 129 (1878-80). 



2 North Carolina State Grange, Proceedings, ii. 22, iii. 28, iv. 30 (1875-77). 



3 National Grange, Proceedings, xvi. 38 (1882); Randall, in Johns Hopkins 

 University, Stitdies, vi. 505. 



4 National Grange, Proceedings, xiii. 36 (1879). 

 6 Ibid. xi. 42 (1877). 



