Oscar Rogstad 1947-1948
Marshall Roberts 1949
O.C.C. Foster 1950-51
Fielden L. Poirier Jr. (Sonny) 1952-1953
Don Roberts 1954-1955
Lou Capellen 1956-1957
Fielden L. Poirier, Jr. (Sonny) 1958
Glenn Rusho 1959
Stanley Rusho 1960
Leslie Eddy 1961
Ray Mason 1962
Clarence Bragg 1963
Claude Blanchard 1964-1966
Don Roberts 1967
Clarence Bragg 1968
Lou Capellen 1969
Wilbur Leaf 1970
Adelia (Tilly) Perman 1971-1972
Lou Capellen 1973
Edwin Perman 1974-1975
Don Roberts 1976-1977
Harold Pinkham 1978
Adelia (Tilly) Perman 1979-1981
Doug Yergens 1981-1982
Richard Carson 1982-1984
Don Roberts 1984-1986
Ila Strange 1987-1992
Don Roberts 1993-2002
Becky Roberts 2002-2006
Carl King 2006-2008
Chuck Hodge 2009-Present
The Blanchard Grange
Join the FUN at the
Blanchard Grange!
"Thank You" to all the Blanchard
Volunteers that helped us at the
Grange!
2011
Schedule
Oct 10: Business
Meeting, 7 pm
Oct 24: Community
Potluck, 6:30 pm
Oct 30: Children’s
Halloween Party (time
TBA)
Nov 11: Veterans
Day--(time TBA)
Nov 12: Pomona Grange
Meeting (time TBA)
Nov 14: Business
Meeting, 7 pm
Nov 19: Craft Fair (time
TBA)
Nov 28: Community
Potluck/Chili Cook-Off,
6:30 pm
Dec 12: Business
Meeting, 7 pm
Dec 17: Children’s
Christmas Party (time
TBA)
Dec 26: No Potluck
scheduled
Dec 31: Masquerade Party
& Raffle--(time TBA)
History
of the Blanchard Grange
#440
The
Blanchard Grange
building was originally
a school house, built in
1905 by the school
district. It was the
first schoolhouse in
Spirit Valley. Church
services were held there
and it was operated as
the Blanchard Community
Club for 20 plus years.
A brick
two-story schoolhouse
was built next to the
old school (Grange). In
1922, Pete Young built
the school and students
moved into it on January
10, 1924. Unfortunately
the school burned down
in January of 1958. The
students finished out
the school year in the
grange building and in
the fall of that year
they began going to
school in Newport. The
Spirit Valley school was
open from 1888 to 1958.
Today, students from
Blanchard are bused to
Idaho Hill Elementary
School in Old Town, 12
miles away, and/or to
Priest River schools, 22
miles away.
The
Blanchard Grange has
been an active chapter
of the national Farmers
Grange since it was
organized and chartered
on September 15, 1947.
The first master was
Oscar Rogstad. The
grange purchased the
building from the school
district on December 22,
1959 for a price of $10.
The building was
expanded and doubled in
size.
Even
with the decline of
farming in the area, the
Blanchard Grange still
remains involved with
agricultural endeavors,
community activities and
the building serves as a
polling place for the
Blanchard area voters.
Members of the grange
hold monthly meetings on
the 2nd and 4th Monday
of every month. The
second Monday is their
business meeting
starting at 7 PM and the
fourth Monday is their
social potluck meeting
starting at 6:30 PM.
Several grange sponsored
events are held annually
for the benefit of the
Blanchard community.
Activities presently
include refurbishing the
grange building and the
grounds. The Blanchard
Grange today, remains as
a major focal point of
our town.
Although
there have been many
grange masters who have
dedicated their service
over the years, the
Robert’s family was
involved with grange
activities for nearly
three generations.
Marshall Roberts (Don
Robert’s father) was
active in politics and
served on the school
board. He was the
secretary of the grange
for 16 years and was the
second master, serving
in that capacity for 2
years. Don Roberts (son
of Marshall and Amelia)
and Don’s wife Marlene
have followed in his
parent’s footsteps. Don
was grand master for 10
years. Marlene has
served for 9 years as
secretary and is the
voter registrar for the
Blanchard area. Their
daughter-in-law, Becky
also served as master
for several years.
