Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-02-25
KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS.

peace, harmony and a friendly fra
ternal feeling prevail among the lodges
in this domain. Some lodges are weak
numerically and are not in a very
prosperous condition financially" With
this paragraph leading his annual re-
port under the caption, Estate of the
Order" Retiring Grand Chancellor S.
H. Bassett briefly reviewed existing
conditions in the Pythian ranks Of the
District during his term and presented
remedies for situations that in his
judgment seemed to need them. The
report was one of the features Of the
meeting Of the Grand Lodge which
has been in session nearly every day
throughout the past week, eliminating
Friday evening in the installation of
its newly elected officers.
The new roster of the Grand Lodge line.
as furnished The Star by the newly in
stalled grand lecturer, William A.
Kimmel, is as follows: George w. Ha-
ley, grand chancellor; Robert Sroufe,
grand vice chancellor; Harry j. Gas
son (seventeenth term), grand keeper
Of records and seal; Frank b. Crown,
grand master of exchequer: MARI
Stearman, grand master-at- II.
Nj. Vandervoort, grand inner guard.
and Thomas E. Landon. E. Lodge Hill
and j. F. Skidmore. grand trustees.
Last Monday evening was devoted to
the reading OF reports from the officers
and their reference to proper commit,
tees and the comforting of the Grand
Lodge rank on all the retiring chan
cellor commanders who were present.
Tuesday evening the election OF officers
and regular business occupied the
time Of the session. and the regular
business was continued through We'd
nesday evening. Thursday, being a
holiday. there was no session OF the
Grand Lodge. and the installation of
the new officers occupied the session
Friday evening.
To remedy the evil Of numerically and
financially weak lodges the retiring grand
chancellor recommends consolidation.
holding that the expenses OF maintaining
large lodge are but little, II any, more
than those of maintaining a small one.
while the receipts are naturally much
larger. He thinks, too. 1t will result in
larger attendance at the meetings, greater
zeal and enthusiasm among the members
and an increase of the membership.
The payments Of sick benefits of stip-
ulated sum, regardless Of the financial
status Of the member. is regarded by
Grand Chancellor Bassett as bad business
policy. but that, he says. has been reme-
died in the bylaws OF some OF the
lodges.
There was a net doss OF sixty-two in
the total membership during the year.
according to the report. and the subject
of non-attendance at lodge meetings Is
mentioned in connection with the causes
of the former. Greater care in the selec-
ton of new members is enjoined, that
Pythian knighthood. which always has
meant much,'' may he made to mean
more. The retiring grand chancellor does
not favor 'class limitations" he says.
Many matters of internal interest are
discussed in the report OF the retiring
grand chancellor. among them the use
Of Pythian Hall for, any function. by any
organization. whens spirituous or malt
liquors are used, which he condemns;
representation Of the Grand Lodge in the
Knights Of Pythias Hall Association
board Of directors; the flftieth anniver-
sary OF the order. joint installations on
the same evening Of the week to be
called Jubilee week." the formation of