The San Francisco call., 1899-10-18
GRAND CHAPTER
EASTERN STAR

@AHE Grand Chapter of the Eastern
Star held it's first session yesterday
afternoon in the Sherman-Clay
Hail. There were present all the
grand officers, whose names have
already been published in The Call, and
delegates from all the chapters of the
Jurisdiction, which embraces California
and Nevada
After the preliminary business of or
ganizing the grand body the time was
taken up in the reading of the annual re-
ports of the worthy grand matron, Mrs.
Maria A. Pierce of Oakland. and of DR..
Joseph Martin Laurance of Los Angeles,
the worthy grand patron.
The grand matron gave an account OF
good result of the schools of instruction
held in all parts of the jurisdiction during
the year. She recommends that the juris-
diction be divided into ten districts, with
one grand instructor for each district,
and that the appointments be solely con-
trolled by a standard of qualification;
that it shall be optional whether the
grand officers or corps selected from
various chapters shall eXemplify the work
for the Grand Chapter; that commit
tee on ritualistic work shall be the au-
thority on ritual; that the time for elect
ing officers for subordinate chapters be
changed so that such shall be held prior
to the meeting of the Grand Chapter, IN
stead of so closely following it as at pres
I.
The grand patron in his report says
that during the year there were insti-
tuted nine chapters. He recommends
the alteration of the burdens OF new
chapters; he recommends several changes
in the private work of the order and tnat
August 81 of each year he set apart by
States as ''our Natal day., It being ehe
anniversary of the birth OF Robert Nor
ris, the father and founder OF the Order
of the Eastern Star. He suggests that
= |, chO he
Eastern Star Home for the wives,
mothers, daughters and sisters of Master
Masons, where they may find refuge:
The officers for the ensuing term will be
elected tomorrow afternoon and that
night Ivy Chapter will exemplify the
work in Masonic Temple before the Grand
Last evening there was very brilliant
assemblage of the members OF the order
in the Sherman-Clay Hall. the occasion
being a reception rendered by the seven
local chapters to the grand officers. The
function was under the direction of the
following named, who constituted the
r. Duncan (chairman), E, K. Head, En-
ma Ella Bradley, Dr. James M. Gassa-
way, Mrs Lydia A. Steele, Mrs. Frances
Bonnefield, NJ. J. Savage, Mrs Anna
sen, Mrs. James A. Wilson. Mrs. Hickey,
M Rohlmann, Mrs. Mcdonald. Mrs.
Bonales, DIR. A. Miles Taylor, Mrs. Olive
Schmidt, Miss McConskey, A M. Blade,
Mrs A M Blade and Mrs. F. NJ. Wood.
DR.. Gassaway was master of ceremo-
nies, and he called for the overture from
Tampa" by the orchestra, then followed
a grand march led by DR.. Gassaway,
patron and Mrs. Lydia A. Steele, matron
of Ivy Chapter. After that the worthy
grand matron, Mrs. Maria A. Pierce, and
the worthy grand patron, DR.. Lawrence,
received the delegates and shook hands
with each
May Frances Code favored with con-
traIto solo, '"To All Eternity" rendering
it in most charming voice; Mrs. Celina
Ciprio recited 1.-The Dandy Fifth by
Frank H. Gassaway, and for an encore
same writer. The programme concluded
with vocal selections by the Knicker-
booker quartet Then followed a pro-
gramme of dances, Ernest K Head being
the floor director. The four hundred ladies'
and gentlemen who composed the party
did not depart until midnight.