Tiverton Grange hosts 113th two-day institute
TIVERTON – Throughout history, granges used to have a two-day farmer’s institute each year where local farmers could gather and learn about the latest development in fertilizers, grain, growing practices, and other useful information. Today, these two-day institutes have almost vanished. While many granges have scaled back to a one-day institute only, Tiverton Institute is one of the two-day grange institutes left in the state of Ohio.
“We really like to do it,” said Maxine Border. “As long as people turn out every year, we want to continue it.”
This year’s institute will be Wednesday, March 4 and Thursday, March 5 at the Tiverton Grange, located on State Route 206 in Tiverton Township. Each year during the institute, the grange hosts a full house as people from all over the area come to enjoy the event’s many activities.
“When we have had bad weather, we usually have a great turn out,” said Donna Rae Young. “Everyone is just happy to get out of the house.”
Wednesday begins at 10:15 a.m. with the Pledge, an invocation, and group singing with Miriam Mikesell on the piano. A baking contest will follow with adults making cinnamon rolls and children 16 and under creating chocolate brownies. Children can also enter the woodworking contest.
Speakers will be present throughout the day and will include Carolyn Mann on quilts, Glenn Needham on ticks, and a Hospice speaker. A carry-in dinner will be served as noon. Throughout the day, donations will be collected through passing the hat and names will be drawn for door prizes.
“We send out notices to different businesses to see if they want to donate door prizes,” said Border. “Most of them do because they have been to the institute and they want to see it continue.”
Stay for a performance by the Amish School Choir at 7 p.m. and a fun but important lesson on bullying from Casey Claxon and his puppets. Awards from the youth poster contest will also be awarded at this time.
Thursday will begin at 10:30 a.m. with the Pledge, invocation, and group singing with Mariam Mikesell as accompanist. Speakers for Thursday will include Emily Adams and Tammi Rogers, Ken Smailes on history, Alice Hoover as Dolly Madison speaking on the War of 1812, and Mike Bechtol on National Parks. A carry-in dinner will be served at noon, and a business meeting and election of officers will be at 1 p.m. There will also be a soup supper from 4 – 6 p.m. and Maxine Metheney will provide music at 7 p.m. along with the Tiverton news from Fred Gross and a skit performed by the Tiverton Youth.
“The dinners are the most popular,” said Young. “We have a covered dish dinner that everyone seems to like. People also seem to like learning about the history.”
In a time when granges are struggling just to survive, the Tiverton Institute offers some good old-fashioned fun with entertainment, knowledge, and fellowship with family and friends.
“Granges are struggling right now,” said Young. “It’s a loss when we lose some of these buildings where people could come together for birthday parties and family reunions and be together.”
beth@coshoctoncountybeacon.com
Category: Clubs & Organizations
