St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1908-05-27
VERMONT NEWS
Grand Lodge |. 0. @. F.
Officers Elected-PrOperty value-Benefits
The Years Work.


The Years Work.
The ed annual session of the Grand
Lodge of Vermont. l. o. O. F., was held
at Rutland last week Tuesday, Wednes-
day, and Thursday. The grand lodge
degree was conferred on 50. Charles W..
Farr, of st. Johnsbury, grand scribe,
reported that the membership of the
Grand Encampment December 81, 1907,
in the state was l ,S55, a net gain dur
ing the year of S4. There were 1873
initiated during the - months. Twenty
four members died, 81 were dropped for
non-payment of dues and 40 withdrew.
The total available cash assets of the
subordinate encampments December 81
last was $7,1796S The debts amount
ed to $SSS7 The encampments own
regalia and other property to the value
of So, 543.56. There was received dur
ing the year from dues, etc, S927.26.
OF this amount $3.50 ~ was paid to the
grand treasurer, the rest going for sup
plies, etc.
Grand Patriarch W. Z. Coombs rec
commended several changes in the con-
stitution, one of which provides tor the
raising of the minimum admission fee
from So to $40.
Among those at the Gill home at Lud-
low are Meldon Wadsworth, of Benning-
ton, now in his Goth year and an Odd
Fellow in good standing for SO years,
and Z. b. HOLSTER, the oldest past
grand master in the state The latter
was grand master in 1866 and has been
GII III. e., q n bet-, 4
realized during the year by the tax for
the Gill Odd Fellows home S1657. The
total receipts for the home were $7S79.-
As and there was paid out $6399.01,
leaving cash on hand of $14s0.47. The
financial assets of the home at present
are $544S.25. 1t is insured for $40
800. There are now I persons at the
home Eight were admitted during the
year and one died.
There were 100 people at the banquet
of the Past Grand Officers Association
Wednesday night, a seven course dinner
served by the ladies of the Uniyersalist
church. W. l.. Havens of Chester, the
president, was POSTMASTER.
The following officers were elected
Thursday: Grand master, Frank w.
Jackson, Barre; deputy grand master,
Frank L. Perry, Brattleboro; grand
warden X. =. Hatch Bristol; grand
marshal, E. Z. Sargent, St. Johnsbury
grand conductor, F. G. Nichols, Rich
mond; grand guardian, Z. L. Ingalls,,
Vergennes; grand secretary, O. II. Hen
derson, st. Johnsbury; grand treasurer,
l.. {. Grant, Burlington; grand chap
lain, |. Alphonso Belanger, Wells River
grand herald, ]. c. Cameron, Proctor
grand representatives, Calvin A. Endress
of Bennington, S. A. Reed of Windsor.
Grand Master Calvin a. Endress OF
Bennington stated in his report that he
had visited IS lodges and attended 10
district meetings during the year ending
December 81, 1907. He instituted two
subordinate lodges and three Rebekah
lodges during the year. They were as
follows: Rebekahs, Fairview of Hard
wick, Silver Of Swanton, Algonquin OF
Warren; subordinate lodges, Orleans OF
Derby, Royalton of South Royalton
He recommended that when there
occurs death Of a resident of the Gill
Odd Fellows home at Ludlow, the
death benefit be paid direct to the secre-
tary of the board of trustees instead OF
the grand secretary; that a law be
passed compelling subordinate lodges to
require a bond from their financial Off
GERS that the custom OF districts nom
mating their district deputies be abol-
ished and that the incoming grand
master be authorized to appoint such
officials.
0. H. Henderson of St. Johnsbury,
grand secretary, reported that the net
gain in membership for the year 1907
was 1870. Thirty-nine lodges show an
increase, u a loss, and y hold their
own Hamilton lodge of Burlington
made the largest gain, 81, Vermont
lodge of Montpelier the next largest, p
and Pico of Wallingford is third with 49,
Four hundred and sixty-eight have been
initiated Hamilton receiving 2S, Gale
donia of St. Johnsbury %, Green
Mountain of Burlington and Springfield
each 20, Pico with 10, and four lodges
report that no candidates have crossed
their thresholds.
One hundred and thirty-hve have with
drawn, 173 have been suspended for non
payment of dues, an average of one ii
| each 40 members. Forty-one lodges re
| port that 90 brothers have passed away
the greatest mortality being in the Older
lodges, Caledonia reporting 10, Wan
tastiquet of Brattleboro, eight.
The membership December 81 by rank
was Is initiatory, 3 each pink and blue
! 6,93S scarlet a total Of $500, Of which
| 971 are past grands or bout one seventh
of the membership.
Wantastiquet still holds the banner
for membership, having 46S members
Caledonia has 271; Bellows Falls ha,
252, Killington OF Rutland POI. Mn,
lodges have a membership between 15(
and 200, eight lodges between 10 ant
$50, Al lodges between 80 and 100 tel
with less than so, the smallest lodg,
enrolling % but being one of the most
| prompt, accurate and Jealous.
Since January l, but during tn,
present official year, two new lodge,
have been instituted. Orleans, at DERBY
with 40 members, and Royalton, a
South Royalton with 10 members
There are today IA subordinate lodges
The amount paid out for relief worl
during the last year was $16,o31. 95
The Odd Fellows paid the funeral ex
penses of 95 men and 40 women.
The receipts of the subordinate lodge
for the II months amounted to $50,
1855. The fraternity now has
property valuation of 1925, 76s. 46, in
Guiding cash on hand OF $1O,310.52.
There were in the State January l last
5,991 Rebekahs, the net gain for tn
year being 443. There are &c Rebekal
lodges.