Fairfax Grange Chronicles · 1954
1954 ~ Cement, Cotton, and a Changing World
Previously, in Part 16…
The earthquakes settled, and 1953 got to work. Grangers installed new lights, moved basement supports, served breakfast to dads, and raffled off a hamper of linens. A mimeograph machine joined the Hall, oranges were delivered to sick kids, and dances kept the community coming. The Moyniers orchestra stayed on, and Dorothy Donahoe joined as a member. The year ended with lights, pies, and the neighborly warmth that defines the Fairfax Grange.
1954
The new year began with big plans. The Scout dinner was on the books for February. Brother Kofahl’s push for more cotton acreage was sent to Congress. Assemblywoman Donahoe urged the Grange to send a representative to conservation and public works meetings in Visalia . Water, as always, was top of mind.
The State Master sent word that Fairfax Hall had been chosen to host the statewide Master’s meeting on January 24. Sister Kofahl asked for the piano to be tuned—after all, the hall had to sound as good as it looked.
In February , members voted to buy sickroom furniture for those in need. The women were sewing robes for veterans at the hospital in Sawtelle. The Grange was always thinking beyond its walls.
Come April , things got busy. Members sent greeting cards to hospital patients . They prepped a Sunday Social potluck and birthday party . Additionally, they served the Shelton Dance group . Behind the scenes, the master reported cement had been poured under the stage , improving fire safety. Eyeglasses were being collected for the needy. Plans were in motion to extend Brundage Lane past the railroad tracks . Meanwhile, Fairfax School invited the Grange to their new building’s dedication . It was built after the quake that claimed the old one.
In the fields, cotton chopping paid between 75–85 cents an hour . The Grange’s charity fund now supported a bed, wheelchair, lap tray, mattress cover , and side table , all available to loan. Sixteen pairs of glasses had been collected.
By July , the heat was brutal. The Grange reported 153 members . One poultry man reportedly lost 9,000 hens . Still, a picnic at Bro. Wattenbarger’s ranch was on. Everyone was to meet at China Grade Loop. Inside the Hall, members were sheetrocking and sealing the basement walls . The insurance agent even donated back his commission.
September brought the Kern County Fair , and the Home Economics Committee built a fine booth. Members had finished the basement upgrades with donated time and materials. A Booster Night was set for October to celebrate.
Dances were now a dollar. The Grange looked to rent property north of the Hall for parking , having lost land to Brundage expansion. Supervisors still hadn’t fixed the high bank on the southwest corner , now a hazard due to road widening. Cotton yields were up. Prices? Not so much. Picking paid $2.50 per hundred.
The Grange leased land for $5 a month , paid quarterly. Then they asked the County to install a stop sign at the now-busier Fairfax and Brundage intersection. There were also wasps , and someone suggested burning sulfur .
The Grange even talked about starting a blood bank . Big changes were coming. In 1955, Social Security would take effect for agricultural workers . That was news. The safety net was shifting.
Looking Ahead
Was this the start of something new? The Grange Credit Union was struggling . The State Grange noted declining membership and urged local chapters to recruit harder .
For generations, Grangers had relied on each other. Now, the government was stepping in. Would the Grange stay relevant in a changing world?
Part 18 takes us into 1955. The questions get bigger, and the answers even more important. Stay tuned.