812-Lancaster Farming, Saturday, June 8, 1996
Honored at the Wilis Grange #1690 80th anniversary celebration were from left, El
mira Knepper and Leon Knepper, the organization's two, 50-year members. Next is
Wilis Grange master, Bill Rfngler, then Mary Hiller, first lady and her husband, Gordon
Hiller, master of the Pennsylvania State Grange and John Scott, past national and
Pennsylvania state grange master.
Wills Grange
GAY BROWNLEE
Somerset Co. Correspondent
WILLS (Somerset County)
The Wills Grange $1690, in cele
brating its 80th anniversary at the
Faith Lutheran Church, was not
merely an evening when approxi
mately 75 persons did nothing but
reminisce, although they certainly
did that, but they looked, as well,
to the future. And “future,” to the
grange is synonomous with to
day’s young adult population.
Guest speaker Gordon Hiller,
the Pennsylvania state grange
master, said that keeping the
grange strong is essential. “Seven
ty years ago there were twice as
many grange members as today,”
he said. “The grange needs to be
strong.
“We need to think like young
people,” he said. “Challenge
young people between 18 and 30
to become grangers.”
As a trustee at Penn State. Hill
er has opportunities to stay abreast
of advancing communications and
a world of technology that spins
change almost faster than a turn
ing crystal ball.
Recently, when the president
was on the Penn State campus to
address the graduating class, Hill
er and others had an opportunity to
talk with Pres. Clinton. Hiller said
he was surprised when the com
mander-in-chief knew about the
grange.
Further, the president’s idea for
the grange to launch a $5OO scho
larship for a young person who
does community service, to be
matched by the federal govern
ment, impressed Hiller, who was
accompanied by his wife, first
lady, Mary Hiller, to the Wills
celebration.
You look back, and know you
have to do better, today. We are
developing communications today
as they did 80 years ago,” he said.
“We have the talent, tools, and
technology to do better.” He ob
served that early grangers didn’t
know stress in the way that stress
affects people today.
He also discussed the potential
problems. “The two challenges
are animal rights and animal pre
servation,” he stated, adding that
these threaten property rights.
Grangers need to stand tall in sup
port of agriculture, he told them.
Hiller also said that freedom of
speech and freedom of religion arc
being threatened, citing as an ex
ample a male Penn State.student
who was almost, but not quite, de
nied his right to publicly thank
Celebrates 80th
God for his blessings.
“I advise you,” he told his lis
teners, “to continue to thank God,
and do it publicly.”
Hiller’s speech had followed
several religious and patriotic an
thems such as “How Great Thou
Art,” ‘The Battle Hymn of the Re
public,” and others.
Wills Grange master William
Ringler introduced John Scott, the
past national and past PA state
grange master; Mildred Shultz,
past lecturer of the state grange;
Mabel Shultz, the Somerset Coun
ty state deputy master and Wil
liam R. Lloyd, state representative
of the 69th District, who read a
proclamation from the state House
of Representatives. A second pro
clamation, coming from the
Somerset County commissioners
was also read, although commis
sioner Robert Will was unable to
make the official presentation.
A commemorative flag from
United States congressman John
P. Murtha, was also presented in
celebration of the Wills’ 80th oc
casion.
Joining the Wills Grange in
1946 were Leon Knepper and El
mira Knepper. They were recog
nized for SO years of membership.
The 25-year members are Lois
Duppstadt, Robert Duppstadt,
Helen Handwork, Robert Hand
work and Karen Walker.
“Memories of Grandma’s
Apron,” was aptly presented in the
form of a skit by Kathryn Brown,
Dorothy Glessner, Meryl Miller,
Rachel Miller, Mildred Ringler,
Jean Torrence, Emily Weaver and
Mary Wilk.
With dustcap in place, each
lady entered wearing her own ver
sion of Grandma’s apron to de
lightfully illustrate, the numerous
uses to which grandma put her
utilitarian covering with its vast
pockets.
Among those demonstrated
were hauling wood, grabbing hot
skillets, handling hot plates, dry
ing tears of children, allowing
them (children) refuge in its folds,
dusting, gathering eggs or fresh
veggies from the garden, rescuing
pins, marbles and odd puzzle
pieces, relocating a kitten litter,
and wiping sweat. If her neighbor
was espied coming up the walk,
grandma quickly reversed her ap
ron so only the clean side was ex
posed toward her guest.
Wills Grange, with a member
ship of some SI persons, is one of
eight in Somerset County. Its first
meeting was held on May 30,
1916, at the Wills School House.
J.B.W. Stufft, then state deputy,
organized it and installed officers.
Harvey F. Menser, grandfather
to the current master Ringler, was
the first master. There were 28
charter members of whom the last,
Mae Menser Ringler, after 66
years in the Wills Grange, died in
1982.
The grange hall got under con
struction in December 1916 on
land donated by Charles C. Mos
grave. For approximately $2OO,
the stone wall with dimensions of
24 by 36 feet and nine feet high
was built with donated labor. On
May 24, 1917, the first meeting
was held in it. By year’s end the
membership had climbed to 48
grangers.
In 1924, after purchasing land
from John Winters, the structure
was moved across the road to its
current location. The bills incur
red totaled $l,lOO.
Wills Grange programs have in
cluded such diverse topics as
political issues, health, wellness,
medications and drugs, hip and
knee replacements, canned foods
labeling. Habitat For Humanityk,
acid mine drainage, deaf aware
ness, estate planning and prepar
ing a living will; and lours and tra
vel.
Community service projects
find Wills Grange involved with
the American Red Cross, the
former Somerset State Hospital,
American Cancer Society and the
Salvation Army.
The Wills Juvenile Grange
#441 held its first recorded meet
ing on October 9,1920. Later dis
banded, a reorganization took
place in 19SS and a number was
given. Today it is called the Junior
grange and Esther Mowry serves
as junior matron.
Besides Ringler, Charles Gless
ner is overseer, Lorraine Glessner,
lecturer; Esther Mowry, assistant
lecturer; Ted Glessner, steward;
James Torrence, assistand ste
ward; Mary Wilk, lady assistant
steward; Dorothy Glessner, chap
lain; James Mowry, treasurer;
Barbara Handwork, secretary;
Wilmer Coughenour, gatekeeper;
Meryl Miller, ceres; Rachel Mill
er. pomona; Dorothy Reffner, flo
ra, and Kathryn Brown, pianist.
As Hiller said, grange represen
tation on government and ag advi
sory boards is necessary and an ef
fective tool for influencing policy
making of government officials.
“The grange has provided an
opportunity for leaders to
emerge,” said Hiller.
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