Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1914-05-06
ODD FELLOWS AGAIN
SHOW Their METTLE
AS Hosts They Entertain a
Large Company SpIendidIy.

Celebrate the s5th Anniversary of
the Order in Acknowledgment
and Refreshments
Last Wednesday evening the local
lodge, l. 0. 0. F., celebrated in most
fitting style the 95th anniversary of
the Americanization of the order. At
7:3O the lodge convened and went
through the regular opening exercises,
but no other work was attempted.
Soon after o'clock invited guests of
the members began to arrive and in a
short time every seat in the large
room was occupied.
Each member of the local lodge was
entitled to bring two guests, and
these, with the members of the local
order of Rebekah, made large and
jolly company. Every arrangement
that could be suggested by the laws of
hospitality was complete. Ushers
met the guests at the door as they
arrived and showed them to seats.
And then the real good time began.
Without any preliminary the follow
ing program was launched:
Selection. ........... CROSS Orchestra
Selection by Male Quartette-
H. A. Studebaker,
Chester Croker,
III. E. Gross and
E. H. Hyde
Two n
Piano Duet Misses Mabel Stone
Ruth Ziegler
Vocal Solo. ............. Miss Elva Doll
Piano Solo. ...... Mrs. G. F. Budworth
Recitation. ............ Ira ID. Totman
Baritone Solo. E. III. Hyde
Selection by Male Quartette
Selection OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. Orchestra
Address -Rev. j. Hardcastle, Platteville
Every item on the program was
we'll received and heartily applauded.
Mr.. Totman brought down the house
with his song, which was exceedingly
unique and pleasingly given. Besides
the numbers mentioned in the pro-
gram, the orchestra was very obliging
and filled in all gaps with volunteer
selections.
Mr.. Hardcastle's address was very
much enjoyed. He did not go into
the history of the order as much as
many of the audience wished, but he
did discuss the ethics of Odd Fellow
ship in a masterful and interesting
manner. He was frequently inter
rupted with applause, and although
the hour was already late when he
began he held his crowd to a person
until the very closing sentence.
Then came another interesting part
of the program. Members of the
local lodge passed plates and napkins.
which work was quickly followed with
splendid quality, and generous
quantity, of ice cream, crackers and
cake. There was nothing short about
the entertainment in any of it's
features, and this closing act was
especially handsomely done.
A punch bowl, containing a whole
some and wholly innocent mixture of
pleasant tasting fruit extracts, and
distilled water, was on tap in the
front room. After the more sub
stantial refreshments had been dis
posed of, the company was invited to
form into II platoons, arranged by
the months in which they were born,
and charge down on the punch. This
was done with much enthusiasm.
1t was from beginning to end, a
finely conceived and splendidly execut-
ed entertainment, one that showed the
hospitality for which Odd Fellows are
famous the world over.
Odd Fellowship was first organic
ed in England in the year 1745. At
the beginning it was purely bene-
VIOLENT, and had many of the features
now Incorporated into the systems of
trades unions. A member of the
early order, if out of work, was taken
care of at the expense of his lodge,
and sent to another town in which
there was employment TO be had in
his peculiar trade.
In the year 1919 Odd Fellowship
was introduced into the United States
and the first lodge instituted. That
was in Baltimore. The first grand
lodge was instituted in 1921. Now
the membership of the order exceeds
a million of persons; the annual
income is about eight millions of
dollars, and there are expended in
benefits among the members more
than four millions of dollars each
year. The Lancaster lodge is very
prosperous, having membership of
over 100 and the rolls are growing
steadily.
MasOnS Attention.