280 TEE GRANGER MOVEMENT 



THE GRANGE AS A SOCIAL FORCE 



The social opportunities of the order came primarily in con- 

 nection with the regular monthly, semi-monthly, or sometimes 

 weekly meetings of the local granges. Here the farmers, with 

 their wives, and sons and daughters of at least fourteen and 

 sixteen years respectively, met in secret conclave to perform 

 the work of a pleasing and appropriate ritual; 1 a literary and 

 musical 2 program usually followed and then there was oppor- 

 tunity for games and general conversation. The ritual of the 

 order provided for a monthly " Feast of Pomona " but the women 

 generally saw to it that refreshments of some sort were served 

 at the other sessions as well. These meetings were held at first 

 in the country school houses, village halls, or even in the houses 

 of the members; but many granges throughout the country 

 built grange halls, especially equipped for their needs. Generally 

 the meetings were held in the evening; but sometimes they began 

 in the afternoon, and then there was, of course, an enlarged 

 opportunity for social intercourse. 3 



In addition to the regular meetings of the subordinate granges, 

 Patrons' picnics or festivals were of frequent occurrence in many 

 neighborhoods. On these occasions the members of three or 

 four neighboring granges would usually join together; repair 

 to some convenient grove; and spend the day in getting ac- 

 quainted, discussing matters of local or general interest, playing 

 games, listening to speeches and music, usually furnished by 

 members of the order, and consuming the good things brought 

 in the lunch baskets. 4 Independence Day was commonly chosen 

 as an occasion for these picnics, and in 1874 the farmers' picnics 



1 See Aiken, The Grange, 16-18. 



2 A Grange song-book was compiled by Miss Carrie Hall, niece of Secretary 

 Kelley, as early as 1872. The National Grange purchased the copyright of this 

 for one thousand dollars and issued a revised edition in 1874. Large numbers of 

 these song-books were sold to subordinate granges throughout the country. Kelley, 

 Patrons of Husbandry, 405; National Grange, Proceedings, viii. 33. 



3 Kelley, Patrons of Husbandry, 249; Martin, Grange Movement, 453-458. 



4 Kelley, Patrons of Husbandry, 334; Martin, Grange Movement, 457, 461, 466; 

 Ellis, in Ohio Farmer, c. 495, ci. 12, cv. 18, 399 (1901-04); Massachusetts State 

 Grange, Proceedings, v. 8 (1877); Prairie Farmer, 1873-75, passim. 



