The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1911-12-21
SKOWHEGAN A jim
ER'S" PARADISE
Societies For All Sorts
and Conditions Of Men
Something Doing Nearly Every Night
of the Week in Winter.

SkoWhegan is a regular liners
paradise. Thirty-four or forty lodges,
societies and clubs, with total mem
bership of nearly four thousand, offer
so many and attractive opportunities
of social nature, than married
man can readily find a perfectly good
excuse for going out any night in the
week. Incidentally they contribute
something like $4,000 per year to the
cost of living problem in the town
Societies never trust to luck or the
higher powers when it comes to ques-
ton of finance. Every member admit
ted is assessed his per capita dues
every year, generally on top of a sub
stantial initiation fee. The individual
rarely stops to think how the expense
totals up, even in a town like Show
hogan, and probably no thought would
have been given the matter here, ex-
cept for a lively debate between two
of our we'll known liners recently
The younger of the pair was looking
for charter members to organize a
new fraternal insurance combination
but the elder took a firm stand that
enough was as good as a feast. He
insisted that Skowhegan had been up
to the limit along that line for years,
all of which raised the question as to
the real facts.
The Grange is the largest of the
various fraternal organizations, and
the only one that owns its own hall.
Four hundred and thirty three mem
bers pay in dues $519.60 each year,
while those also in Somerset Pomona
swell both of the above totals very
materially. The Free Masons main
tain five separate bodies, lodge, chap
ter, council, commandery and Eastern
Star, with total membership of 585
and an annual budget of $1425. The
Odd Fellows, with four bodies, lodge,
encampment, canton and Daughters
of Rebekah, have 610 members pay
ing $3.50 in annual dues. The
Catholic Order of Foresters is next in
point of size with 200 members, each
paying $3.50 in dues. The Knights of
Pythias support three bodies with
total membership of ia. and the other
organizations in the order of their
membership are as follows: w. C.
T. e. 100; Ladies of St. John the
Baptist 1872, Independent Order of
Foresters 1870; X. o. T. NJ. 1923; Board
of Trade 1926; A. o. U. w. 100; F. o.
E. 112; Town improvement Society
40; N. E. o. P. 1902; G. A R. 80;
Sorosis rs; Womans Club 10; Relief
Corps IS; Milburn Club so; ST. John
the Baptist Society so; Poultry Asso-
citation 40; Degree of Honor 80; and
the Union Veterans Union 20.
In addition to the above, many of
the Skowhegan people are also men,
bers of organizations whose head
quarters are elsewhere. Add to the
expenses of all these the sums spent
for entertainment and amusements
such as the former generations knew
little or nothing of, and it is easy to
see the source of at least a part of
the cost of living problem now loom
ing so large upon the social horizon.
Men are but children of a larger
growth.
To do two things at once is to do
neither.
The two noblest things, which are
sweetness and light.
One life, little CLEAN of time be-
tween tw oeternities.
Property has its duties as we'll as
It's rights.
Example is the school of mankind,
and they will learn at no other.
The animal contamination of wine in