HARRISBURG - The Penn
sylvania State Grange, a 111-year
old fraternal farm organization
with the largest rural membership
of its kind in the state, played a key
role in the creation of what we now
know to be the popular annual
State Farm Show in Harrisburg.
Because the “State Com Show”
started in 1917 and grown in
popularity and outgrown its
facilities, the Pa. State Grange
launched a movement the fall of
1920 for the establishment of a
State Fair to encompass a wide
area of agriculture. An article in
the Pa. State Grange News
brought it to the attention of then
Governor William C. Sproul, who
liked the idea, as did several other
farm leaders. An Act passed by the
Pa. legislature of 1921 created a
Fair Commission of eleven
members including John A. Mc-
Sparren, Master of the State
Grange at the time. The com
mission was empowered to for
mulate plans for establishment,
organization and management of a
State Fair. The result was the
Farm Show.
Every year finds the Grange a
major exhibitor and participant in
the organization of the Farm Show.
At the Grange booth, prospective
members are given information.
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Grange involved
friendships are renewed, and the
name GRANGE is placed before
the public as thousands of people
receive free literature regarding
its history, lobbying efforts, and
many services.
Historically, the Grange was
initiated following the ravages of
the Civil War by Oliver Hudson
Kelly, a member of the newly
formed U.S. Department of
Agriculture, who conceived the
idea that a fraternal organization,
united by farmers, would help
improve the economic and social
position of the country’s farm
population. Kelly then acted to
form the first official unit of the
Grange, with six other founders,
called, the Potomac Grange §1 in
Washington, D.C. in 1867.
The formation of the first
Grange in Pennsylvnaia occurred
in 1871 in Lycoming County. The
first state Session (a yearly con
vention at which legislative policy
is set and elections take place) was
held two years later in Reading. At
that time, there were 25 local
Granges from 10 counties with
delegates representing most of
them at the Session.
Today, membership in the
Grange totals over 42,000 with 551
local units in 64 counties.
Nationwide, membership totals
in Farm Show development
450,000 organized in 37 states.
Pennsylvania holds about 1/lOth of
the national membership and is
one of the largest state Granges.
The Grange itself is the second
largest farm organization in
America and the largest in Penm
sylvania.
While known primarily as a farm
organization, the Grange opens its
membership to everyone, and
concerns itself with the well-being
of all people, with policy sup
porting better schools, improved
highways, and an equitable form of
taxation.
The Grange is the first
organization to include women on
an equal basis with men, with
equal voting priviledges, long
before women had voting rights.
Children aged 14 and under are
also included on an equal basis
with the availability of Junior
Granges.
The Grange has helped sponsor,
without exception, all the major
legislation enacted for
strengthening agriculture and
generally for the well-being of
rural America. Many state and
national programs, historically, as
well as today, such as rural free
delivery of mail, an end to rail
freight rates that discriminated
against agriculture, and in Penn-
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ders are gentle on your crop.
Last but not least, you’ll find that the
Vicon SP square balers give you the conve
nient range of bale sizes and weights to meet
your haying needs. The unique counter
balanced flywheel eliminates drive line
vibration. The result is a smooth running
baler with less strain on the PTO, tractor
-*- and operator. The Vicon SP is
' For more
information on the Vicon Hay Systems, or
the name of your closest Vicon dealer, just
call or write. We think you’ll see that when
you can’t beat the system,
there’s only one thing left
for a grower to do.
Join it.
YOU CAN’T BEATTHE SYSTEM.
Lancaster Farming, Saturday, January 7,1984-Al5
sylvania, proper labeling and
standards for oleomargarine, cr *J“t union, food cooperative, oil
came about with strong lobbying 3,1(1 .8®® leasing, and investment
support from the State Grange “ijlo®B
- in concert with the . e Pennsylvania State Grange,
National Grange in Washington. um^ue j ll its historic prominence,
In Pennsylvania, the Grange can . well claim to be one of the
also provides a full line of services emulators of the Farm Show, a
for members, <»nch as insurance, yearly event in the nation.
Lancaster DHIA meetings
LANCASTER Current
economic conditions are forcing
dairymen to make some difficult
manageraeht decisions. DHIA
records can be a valuable source of
information to help them make
more informed decisions.
Several informative meetings
have been scheduled to help
dairymen learn more about their
records, and how to use them.
Dairymen are invited to bring
their own records and pocket
calculators and attend any of the
following meetings: January 19th -
1:00 p.m., Union Grove School Ag
Room, 7:30 p.m., Solanco High
School Ag Room. January 20th -
1:00 p.m., Lancaster Farm and
Home Center.
A special meeting is also being
held for farmers who are not on
DHIA, but would like to learn more
about it and what it has to offer
them. This meeting will be at 10:00
a.m., January 20th at the Lan
caster Farm and Home Center.
Anyone who is possibly interested
in getting on test should attend this
meeting, or contact the Lancaster
Extension Office (telephone: 717-
394-6851) before the next DHIA
Board meeting on January 26th.
Instructors at the workshops will
be John Kline, DHIA fieldman, and
Glenn Shirk, Lancaster County
Extension Agent.
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SHOE SERVICE
107 E. STATE ST.
QUARRYVILLE, PA
17566
717-786-2795
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