Cloverleaf Grange starts new junior program
A row of children lining a bench at the Cloverleaf Grange in Post Falls fidget and shush one another while waiting for their turn to be initiated into the Grange.
One by one, the kids took up their elected offices in a new junior Grange last Friday to the tune of a gavel, an oath and piano music in the background.
“They’ve got this energy I haven’t seen in a long time,” said Arvilla Allen, lecturer and junior Grange organizer.
The junior Grange has been in the works for about a year, but it didn’t start to take shape until a family camp held in July in Clark Fork. The number of kids interested nearly tripled to 17, which was more than enough to start the first active junior Grange in the county since the 1960s.
“The Grange is getting older, not only in terms of age of the Grange, but the people in the Grange, so we’re working on getting younger people in,” said Hollis Allen, the Grange’s history buff and newly elected master (president). “The juniors love it because we teach them responsibility and leadership.”
He said the Cloverleaf Grange at 3232 N. McGuire Road in Post Falls is the oldest in the state. It was organized in 1906 so farmers could fight high shipping costs imposed by railroad tycoons. Members of local, or subordinate, Granges gather monthly and a quarterly meeting, is held at a rotating Grange site in the county, or Pomona. State meetings are held each year. The secret knock and password for entry to Grange hall meetings is still passed on as tradition.
The focus of Granges has moved from farming issues to community service, such as sponsoring needy families at Christmas time. The Grange typically organizes events for holidays and picks one policeman, firefighter and teacher of the year. And Granges still work together to lobby for or against new laws, Allen said.
The junior Grangers conduct their own meetings and form their own resolutions, just like the adults. They also learn to drill for ceremonies and how to recognize Grange superiors.
Elizabeth Roman joined the adult Grange shortly after her kids got involved at the summer camp. She now holds an office as ceres, where she carries the American flag during ceremonies.
Her three daughters are officers and she said they’ve gained confidence about speaking in front of peers. Her youngest, Jenny, 10, also is a ceres. Her eldest, Stephanie, 13, is master. Emily, 11, serves as secretary for the junior Grange.
“I have seen them really blossom about getting involved and raising their hand and speaking up,” she said.
They have been active for the last two months by sending a resolution to the national Grange for their own charter and have a resolution in the works at the state level to change the maximum age for junior Grange membership to 17 from 14.
Stephanie said the move to increase the age limit would ease the transition into the adult Grange.
The young group is learning ways to provide community service through grounds maintenance at the Grange and by serving meals at some of the holiday events. They also hope to start raising money soon for care packages to send to soldiers in Iraq.
Their charter arrived last Friday in time for the installation ceremony. Adult Grangers from around the state will meet to vote on the age resolution at the end of October during the state meeting, which will be held in Post Falls this year.