In 2012 the Connecticut State Grange conducted an anonymous survey of members asking a series of questions about their Grange experience.  The answers to these surveys have become the focus of workshops conducted by the State Master with the officers of the State Grange.  Working in groups, the officers have responded (and will continue to work on responses) to some of the comments made by members on the surveys.  The Connecticut Granger and the CT State Grange website will continue to publish the answers as they become available.

WHAT DO YOU DISLIKE ABOUT THE GRANGE?

State Officer Working Group #1:

COMMENT:  Ritual  (intimidating, frightening to new members)

RESPONSE:  The Grange ritual is actually an organized agenda which is used to run our meetings. It explains our history and is the base on which our organization is founded.

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COMMENT:  “The same people do everything”/Need more new people in offices

RESPONSE:  Our organization is all-inclusive, open to everybody participating. You need to let your voice be heard and encourage participation by all.  Our elections are open to any member and it is a democratic process. If names are not suggested how will the membership know others are interested in holding office?

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COMMENT:  “Opening and closing ceremony seems useless…” not enough community service work, need different activities/meetings are too long, etc.

RESPONSE:  Opening and closing adds structure; it actually saves time compared to an open meeting. Again, make your voice heard and feelings known regarding programs and activities. Offer to chair a committee, do some investigating into projects that would interest people, members and non-members alike.

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COMMENT:  Grange not working to its potential/contest rules not communicated/program books hard to come by.

RESPONSE:  The Grange needs to look at ways to improve communications; we have The Granger, newsletters, website. Program books are available in every grange and copies can be made of contest information. The Master and Secretary should have books available at all times since each Grange receives 5 copies. Work with your Grange to improve communications.

State Officer Working Group #2:

COMMENT:  For the money we pay per member annually, I see no value back:  what exactly do we get for the $23 per member per year?

RESPONSE:  The money paid to the State and National Granges helps to support the programs and resources provided by the State and National Granges.

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COMMENT:  “That the State Grange takes a good portion of our savings we worked hard for to keep our Grange going.  Perhaps the State should start doing more to raise their own money for projects and stop making it more difficult for small Granges to survive.  I'm sure the small Granges would be willing to help the State in raising money through their own projects.”

RESPONSE:  All Granges need to review their dues structures to decide if they are charging enough to sufficiently cover the outlay to the State and National Granges.  The State Grange is working on non-dues related funding and the first project in that effort is a raffle of a John Deere lawn tractor that will be held this spring.

COMMENT:  “We must change with the times or the Grange may no longer be.  We must have more community activities.  Less secrecy.”

RESPONSE:  We have changed to allow Community Grange meetings to be more inclusive of visitors.  Granges can vote to not take up the word, to not work in our out of meetings and to have guests who are not members sit in on meetings.

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COMMENT:  “The wasted time on rituals that are out-dated and how people use the traditions to criticize others, as well as turn off people who want to accomplish goals.  Why would the flag ceremony for example be more important over say the best community interaction.  Salute the flag and be done.  Use your meeting time productively so people will want to join what they see as a meaningful group that contributes to the well-being of the community.”

RESPONSE:  There are alternative meeting formats available.  The ritual and order of business are there to provide dignity and to keep proper order over the meeting.

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COMMENT:  “I think that there is room for the Grange to become more modern in its thinking.  I dislike the old fashionedness of the meetings.  I think we need to look at ways to make the organization appeal to a younger group in order to guarantee that the Grange continues.”

RESPONSE:  It is up to the local Grange to incorporate modernity.  The “old fashionedness” is really just that meetings have order.  The structure of the Grange meeting helps Granges to avoid unproductive "free for all" meetings.

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COMMENT:  “The disconnect between the National Grange and local/State Grange needs.”

RESPONSE:  There really is not disconnect if the effort is made to be connected.

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COMMENT:  “The Granger should be out by the 1st of the month.”

RESPONSE:  Consult with the Editor and he will explain the logistics of producing the Granger and preparing it for mailing.  (Editor's Note:  We have addressed this issue in the last issue and steps have been taken to improve delivery.)

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COMMENT:  “State Grange is not taking into consideration that most of the men who were here are no longer alive.  As in most organizations with both sexes, women out number men at least 6 to 1.”

RESPONSE:  The gender distribution can be changed at the local level by recruiting younger people.  The imbalance as you see it is a demographic fact due to life expectancy differences between men and women.

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COMMENT:  “The meetings, but got to have them.”

RESPONSE:  We cannot have an effective organization without meetings.

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COMMENT:  “Really hate having the State Master called President.  Think it's because of the Civil Rights movement, and era when slaves had masters.  Our ritual is based on a farm that had a master, not a president.”

RESPONSE:  You can still call him “Master” in meetings where we appreciate the term and its meaning.  Outside the public understands the term “President” and could be offended by the title “Master.”