The Irish standard., 1904-10-08
AUXILIARY A.0.H
What the Flower of Irish Chivalry
Has Accomplished.
Brief Sketch of the Society From a
National Standpoint.


bernim movement among men have
assisted the members cf the Ancient
Order in their efforts to elevate the
race, but prior to the year 1894 these
women had no organization, and
worked in their individual localities
separately, says Catherine Tierney i'll
the Boston Republic. Finally the idea
ef uniting these separate bands of wo-
men into a society, having for its mis-
sion the same line Of work for women
that the Ancient Order of Hibernians
carries OH for men, took root and
spread rapidly all over the land.
AT the thirty-ninth convention of the
A. q. H., held in Omaha, Neb., on May
s, 1894, ii petition, submitted to the
convention by the women Of Omaha,
WAS approved, giving power to organize
auxiliaries throughout the country.
This convention, notable in many 9th
sr respects as one of the most i'm
portant held by the society, will go
down in the history of the order as Il
red letter convention, because it ere
ated Il new and wonderfully potent elc-
ment to assist in the great task of the
elevation of the Irish race.
At the next convention, held in De-
troit Mich, in July, 1896, the national
president of the A. o. II. in his address
emphatically indorscd the Ladies
Auxiliary. At this convention repre-
sentatives of the Ladies' Auxiliary
from several states held sessions as
sisted by committee from the mems
convention, and a report from the Ma.
tional Board of Directors submitted Il
draft Of a constitution giving the asso-
citation an organization i'll states, terri
tories and provinces. The unanimity
with which this report was adopted by
the convention proved that the women
of the Irish race had already proved
their capacity for the struggle in aid
Of the cause Of Hibernianism.
At the fOrty-tirst national convention,
held in Trenton, N. j., on June 81, 1898,
the progress of the auxiliary was noted
with great satisfaction.
The fOrty-sccOnd convention was
held in Faneuil hall in Boston in May,
1900, and was distinguished by the fact
that the Ladies' Auxiliary sat in their
first general assembly, and accomp-
pliShed much towards the more perfect
organization of the order
The fOrty-third convention met in
Denver in July, 1902. and the report Of
Denver in July, 1902. and the reports
of the auxiliary submitted ut this con-
yention displayed Il wonderful growth
sf the order i'm aIl sections of the
country.
The Orty-f0urth convention met in
st. Louis last August and the society
records showed Il total of G22 divi-
sions. with Il membership of 39,502,
and balance of .O5 in the
treasury of tile society. During the
past year alone the society has paid
for sick and funeral benefits SOL 500 333
and for other charitable purposes,
$7,O24.3l. OF the G22 divisions 139 be-
long TO Massachusetts. which has II
membership Of 1l.433. In our state
alone we have paid for sick and fune
raj benefits in the past year S1S,307.45
and for other charitable purposes ST.,
S3G.S9. and we have balance in our
treasures of $52.S2iS1.
How many families were clccrcd by
the distribution of this gigantic charity
the records of Ollr society do not show
but when it is recalled that this is the
only safeguard many have had in time
of need we can roughly estimate the
breadth of the charity administered by
this order.
Work and its accomplished results
haye ever formed the story of the So
eicty's existence between conventions.
At each successive convention the dele
gates lave found themselves standing
higher in the estimation of their fcl-
low citizcns In all the work of the
erdcr in state and nation there can be
found no record of one frivolous sug-
gestion CT unworthy scheme. Every
record of our society shows honest
thought. broad activity. earnest Ell
deavor for the highest heights Of inspi
ration. elevation and education. Wher-
ever our order exists among women
there YOU will find the glorious essence
of true Hibernianism.
As we members of the Auxiliary con
template the gior!nns work Of the past
ten years our hearts Cry out, eve car
beat that! Give us one more chance!
Having done the past ten years work
well we are under bonds to do the next
len better. for we have given proof
of our power. and our sharpest com
petition is always with our past. There
are still hundreds of women of Irisf
birth or descent who can be reached
and helped by us. We can assist il
aIle building of halls for the Hibernial
society in every city and town i'll the
commonwealth where such halls do no
already exist. We can encourage tht
vork7Of the Irish language society
We can start work along the variOu:
educational lines and encourage thu
work in such directions already start