Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1913-12-05
M. W. A. AWAKE.
Society Making Good Growth Despite
Rather Adverse Conditions.

The local lodge Of the Modern
WOodmen OF America held one Of the
best attended and most enjoyable
meetings in many years on Monday
evening of this week.
The pathway OF the local lodges
OF the NJ. W. A. has been anything
but smooth one for the past year
or more, made so by the unsettled
condition Of the order over the pro
posed incnease in rates, and It has
been mighty hard work for the local
camp, which is one Of the strong
lodges of the state, to hold and
add to their membership on this &C.
count.
But the local officers had faith in
the organization, knowing that it was
one Of the very best fraternal So
eieties in the world, and instead Of
laying down on their oars and wait
ing for the outsiders to break into
the order with a battering ram, they
have had ON their husthng clothes all
the time, and despite the talk OF
dull season and close money and a
possible increase in the insurance
rates, they have managed to add new
members to their list with such reg
ularity that those who were predict.
ing the downfall of the M. W. A. ON
account of the rate question, have Of
late been wondering whether or MOI
they were much Of a success as a
prophet.
Monday night there was a class Of
three candidates to be given the
work, and a number Of the neigh
boring lodges were invited i'm to par
ticipate in the ceremonies. On &C.
count of the weather and the roads
none of the invited camps were rep
resented with the exception OF one,
Harmed has the reputation Of never
"piking" on a proposition, and al
though the roads were In such con
dition that the big crowd could moi
come down in autos as they had
intended, yet six Of the officers and
members came down on the train and
with the assistance Of some Cd
the home boys, put on the work in
a most excellent manner.
District Deputy Bob Sloan, Veneer
able Consul G. W. Cone, Worthy
Adviser Bob johnson, and Captain
Harry Grove, Asst. Captain Frank
Grove, and o. l.. Jones, of the For
ester team, took charge Of the ini-
tiatory work, and better degree work
than that put on by the Larned boys
would be hard to imagine, and it was
to be greatly regretted that on &C.
count of the weather it was impos-
sible for Captain Groves to have his
entire team with him. He has had
the necessary military training to
handle a team in the very best man
ner possible and his work on this &C.
casion was such as to elicit very
flattering compliments from every
member present, as was also that of
all of the Larued officials.
Deputy Sheriff Ed Brown, G. l.
Rudolph and Ray Scott were the can
didates to offer themselves up as
sacrifices on the initiatory altar and
NO complaints were heard after the
completion of the ceremonies that
they had not received the full worth
of their money. Sheriff Brown says
that the nerve displayed by his dep
uty on this occasion was such as to
render any fears groundless that he
might have a streak of yellow i'm
concealment anywhere about his per-
son, but it has been noticed that he
is since inclined to turn rather pale
when the subject of goat is mention
ed in his presence.
After the initiation, the screen
work was put ON by Consul Cone
and Captain Allen and was heartily
enjoyed by all, following which was
a number Of talks ON the good of
the order by numbers Of the mem
bers, and an impromptu entertain
ment in which Adviser johnson and
Sam Kellam gave some pleasing nead-
1ngs, and Mr.. Johnson also rendered
a couple of highly appreciated vocal
selections.
IL was nearing the wee small hours
by the time the program was finish
ed, but the visiting neighbors de-
sired to give the Great Bend men,
0ers the Visitors" degree before
their departure, and about forty
We're given the three hundred and
thirty-third section in most appro--
pirate and solemn form. Sam Kel
lam says it is a "dinger" so you
may draw your own conclusions.