WHEN THE GRANGE GOVERNED TEXAS - TIME TO RETURN TO THE ORIGINS OF TEXAS GOVERNMENT

The Grange understood the value in socialized groups to advance the community.  Today they would be denounced as communists.  But they did not allow big business to control our lives.

They are best known for socialized education.  Without their push for socialized education, Texas would have fallen behind the other states.

History matters.  At UTEP I had a history professor and political science professor who made sure we knew the influence the Grange had on our history.

When I came to Texas there was still no branch banking, something opposed big time by the farmers, and a maximum interest rate of 18%.  It was under the rise of the Republicans both these policies came to an end.  It was also the Republicans who began the process of dissocializing education. 

Now I am the first to say I believe in choice.  BISD is such a failure as a whole.  I know a child on the verge of dropping out because there was no guidance. Endless complaints about the bullying got the parent nowhere.  Now every day is a challenge to get the child to go to school.  She is 16 and giving up.

Look, it is not BISD's job to guide the child.  It is the parents' job. But when you see the parent is not doing their job, the teacher needs to try an intervene.  Also, maybe the parent does not know how to guide the child.  My mom gave me faith I can do it.  But she also went to the school and told them I needed guidance to accomplish my dreams.  Without the social approach, I never would have received the education I received.  But also, it was my desire to actually learn and not merely getting passing grades which made me the educated person I am today. 

So how did we go from the socialist movement of the Grange movement to separatism and individualism?  The capitalist demonized socialism, thereby making it easier for the money makers to take control of the means of production.  

If you know the theory, family businesses are key to the socialist model.  They are not controlled by corporate entities.  They build our economy 

OKAY WHO WERE THE GRANGE?

Half of the membership of the Constitutional Convention of 1875 were patrons dedicated to "retrenchment" in government. Articles providing low salaries for public officers, homestead protection, railway regulation, and restrictions on taxing power show their influence on the convention. 

Laws encouraging immigration, checking land speculative companies, setting maximum interest rates, regulating railways by a commission, and requiring a six-month school term and the election of public weighers originated with the state Grange.

 The Texas Grange supported the national Grange in demanding free trade, an interstate commerce commission, a department of agriculture, a pure food and drug law, inflation, popular election of senators, and reduction of express and postage rates. 

The Grangers' crusade for better education was their most important work. The bimonthly Grange hall meeting was a school for the whole family; there they established libraries, sang songs, read essays, and developed speakers. They worked for free and uniform textbooks, nine-month school terms, consolidation of rural schools, a scholastic age of eighteen, capable teachers, and vocational courses. Granges organized schools under the "school community system."