Cultural Influences

CULTURAL INFLUENCES

Author Unknown
Found at the Pendleton County Library
Generously transcribed and submitted by Nancy Bray
Thanks Nan!

In 1871 a new organization, known as Patrons of Husbandry, was started in Washington, D. C. for the purpose of improving the home, social and business life of the American farmers and their families. The local, or sub-ordinated societies, were called granges and the members were called grangers. In a few months Pendleton County was visited by organizers and granges were instituted in practically every farming section of the county. Falmouth was designated as the meeting place of the Pomona Grange. Monthly sessions were held and on those days scenes of rural activities were very noticeable.

The granges accepted anyone over sixteen years of age, so whole families, representing the majority of citizens in every agricultural district of the county were active members of the grange.

Falmouth had a grange cooperative store, with Ira Sharon as manager. Butler had a store with a grange hall above it, and L. C. Taylor managed the store. There was also a grange store at Morgan. The spirit of practical cooperation was everywhere that farmers resided. Grange picnics held in groves were interesting events in the seventies. Grangers from every section of the county attended important meetings in other sections. At times there were such crowds that many could not enter the halls or schoolhouses where the meetings were held.

The Grange Bulletin, official paper, was published at Cincinnati and distributed to the various organizations. The organization flourished for many years, then its numbers diminished until it has ceased to exist in the county. 

Pendleton County has been the home of several newspapers, edited and published by its citizens, directly interested in the uplifting of the social, educational and commercial agencies of a better and stronger civilization. The papers have generally been of the partisan political class, but they have been considered great forces in the expansion of the social, educational and commercial life of the county.

Probably the first paper ever published in the county was published at Falmouth in 1867. J. K. Wonderlohr, as editor and publisher, published this paper under the name of The Falmouth Independent. This paper was published for a number of years and was one of the representative county newspapers of the State of Kentucky. 

Around 1884 Dr. George F. Henry bought a part of the printing presses from Mr. Wonderlohr. The Guide, edited and published by Dr. Henry was at one time printed as The Patrons Guide, an official grange paper, but was converted into a regular county newspaper, devoted to the interests of all citizens.

Dr. H. A. Fabra for a time was editor and publisher of the Falmouth Republican. Other newspapers such as The Pendletonian by Joe Williams, The Leader, Democrat and others were published and circulated throughout Pendleton County.

The Falmouth Outlook, edited and published by Warren J. Shonert, has been the great Pendleton County newspaper for the past twenty eight years. The Falmouth Outlook is one of the outstanding county papers of the State of Kentucky and is so recognized by the editors and publishers of other newspapers in Kentucky and elsewhere in the nation. It is the only paper at present in the county.

The Butler Reformer was founded several years ago by J. M. Wilson and became a weekly record of events in Butler and vicinity. F. L. Billings then published the Reformer. The plant of the Butler Reformer was sold to Mrs. A. K. McDowell, who improved the plant and changed the name to the Butler Banner which has since gone out of existence.

There are various lodges in Pendleton, namely, Masons, Odd Fellows, Juniors, and D. of A. All of these lodges have on the whole ideas of the uplift of the citizens, the betterment of social life and more cooperative spirit in the communities.

There has been a Red Cross organization in the county with headquarters at Falmouth for a number of years. The Red Cross was established during the World War doing its part toward helping the soldiers. To each boy who went to the service from the county the Red Cross presented a small kit, called the "Little Housewife," which was of great importance in helping them to repair their clothing.

During the war the Red Cross was of the greatest importance. A room was maintained in which the workers made sweaters, socks, and other things for the soldiers. Boxes and boxes of supplies for the comfort of the boys were shipped to the front ranks in France.

Since the war the Red Cross maintained a nurse in the county for two years who taught home hygiene and who examined all the school children in the county. She assisted greatly in establishing better hygienic conditions throughout the county. The roll call has never been neglected and the quota has always been maintained. Not only was it of great importance during the World War in siding the comfort of the soldiers but since that time it has been of valuable assistance in caring for the needy in the county.

During the present distressing depression the Red Cross has distributed food and clothing to the needy families in the county.

The Woman's Club has been a great cultural influence in the county. Although it is called the Falmouth Woman's Club its members are numbered from many of the farm homes. It was organized in 1919 and since that time has done much towards bettering community life. Some of the most notable things which the club has accomplished are the sponsoring of school lunches for needy children for two years at the Falmouth Graded School, donating the piano and victrola to the school, and sponsoring a drive for beautifying the school grounds. Trees and shrubbery have been planted which have done much toward making the surroundings of the school more conductive to higher ideal and better living standards. Community Christmas Trees have been sponsored by the club from year to year and Christmas baskets have been distributed by the Club. It has done much toward directing the ideals and thoughts of the community to higher intellectual planes by bringing lecturers of renown before the people.

The County Agent and his influence in organizing 4-H Clubs probably was of greater influence than any other factor toward establishing higher standards of living and creating better farming methods. It was through his efforts that grade sires of the various stocks were relegated to the stock yards and were replaced by purebreds. Since the advent of county agents better farming methods are being employed, farmers are turning from the old methods of cultivating their fields and breeding their stock to newer and better methods which have done much toward bringing the farming industry to the fore. The farm wives through their daughters and the 4-H Clubs have learned better methods of canning and preserving their garden products, have gained much valuable knowledge in the caring of their homes and in sewing for themselves and their families. 

Fathers and mothers have been greatly benefited through their children by the 4-H Clubs which have lifted the moral standards, the living conditions, and the home surroundings to higher levels.

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