Hoosick Grange News – 5/27 & 6/10

Hoosick Grange had it’s regular business meeting on May 27 with Master David Cornell. After the Master conducted the business, the Lecturer had her program. The theme for the program was “Childhood Memories.” The Lecturer called on each member. They reminisced about many things. Most members remember their childhood as happy times with brothers and sisters. They had someone to play with, and, if the weather was good, they were outside all day. After chores and supper the whole family would play. Some members told stories about what they did when parents weren’t around. They ate the whole box of chocolates, and another ate too much ice cream, and one small one ate a powdery filled jelly doughnut that got all over him. Some told of the chores they had to do – feed the chickens – and the angry rooster, and one had to carry the milk strainer to the house and accidentally dropped it into the cistern. I bet that caused a commotion. One member had a dog. Her father made a harness for the dog. They would hitch the dog harness to the cart, and she could ride in the cart. One member remembers riding the dayliner boat from Albany to New York City with her mother and brother. Another remembers going on a trip to Germany and going to a costume party. During a thunderstorm one member remembers being afraid – another being afraid of a parent who was sick. All and all, there were some great recollections of childhood memories.
The Lecturer had a reading about a “Psycho Rooster” and had a game, “Sagebrush Sonatas,” where the members had to finish the cowboy song titles. Louise Slingerland won the prize. The Lecturer had a closing thought – “Cheerfulness strengthens the heart and makes us persevere in a good life.”
Hoosick Grange had its regular business meeting on June 10 with Master David Cornell presiding. The Grange draped its charter for the death of one of its members, Roy Herrington. Reports were made from the various committees. The Grange welcomed a new member.
The Lecturer had the program on the history of cherries. Cherries are a small round fruit that grow on trees and are usually red. Bing cherries are nearly black and some other varieties are flesh colored. Cherry trees grow both wild and cultivated in almost all countries in the Temperate Zone. There are three basic kinds of cultivated cherry tree, (1) sweet cherry, (2) sour cherry and the Duke. The most important kinds in the United States are the sweet cherry and the sour cherry. The Duke is a hybrid that results from a cross between the sweet cherry and the sour cherry. Hundreds of varieties have been developed from these three basic types. Michigan produces the most cherries then New York, Oregon and California, Ontario, Washington, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin and others. Sweet cherry trees are tall and stout. Sour cherry trees are smaller and grow well in both cold and warm climates. Cherry trees are a member of the rose family, in my opinion sour cherries make the best pies.
The Lecturer had an article on bees and their importance with cherry tree pollinating and how one man helped the bees to be set free. She also told about spring cleaning in the old days and beating the rugs to get the dirt out – wow, what fun – and putting curtains on stretches – little nails. She told about helping someone put up a sign five stories up and had to have help putting her leg over the edge to come down. The Lecturer had four jokes and a Father’s Day Prayer and a closing thought – “Behold the turtle, he makes progress only when he sticks his neck out.”
Norma Brenenstuhl announced the cherry pie contest winners. First place, Corinne Philpott, second place, Martha Babbitt, and third place, Norma Brenenstuhl. Norma thanked the judges.
Our next meeting is on June 24. It will be an open meeting with a covered dish supper at 7 pm. The program is at 8 pm with Mr. Ned Pratt showing slides of stain glass windows of churches in the area.