The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1921-06-09


Twenty xeasS. ssxthe records read
! s.nce Dur latuA for this lodge began
Twenty aary I'LL of kindliest deeds,
scan.
May the years that are left be doubly
In the M1ndships we hold so dear
And may memory's light
Always shine as bright
AS 1t does on this twentieth year.
To write an accurate history of Cen
tennial Rebekah Lodge since its or
ganzation twenty years ago would be
task too great to be crowded into a
few days.
feel so wholly unqualified to at
tempt such thing that | am not go
ing to CALI thjsua history but just ask
you to stem,5 with me for a few
moments <whfle4~e recall to mind DIFF
ferent occasions that have been a
part OF our lodge.
Some selemn and sacred, some
worth while, some foolish and sense
less things: but it takes every kind
of an experience to make up a well
rounded life.
1t Is safe to saffat Centennial Re-
bekah Lodge washd\ &ganized on the
spur of the moment" but 1t came into
existence after careful elaboration as
to its maintenance, purposes, and
there must have been a longing in
tho hearts of some for the exemplifi-
cation OF those great principals upon
which the order Is founded, F. L. T.
Cho rfa hou honn Mt Qd
the evening of Dec. 81, 1900 was cho-
sen as the date for the installation
of the lodge.
Grand Master Brother Solomon p.
Felker OF Clinton, Grand Sec. Bro Rus
sell c. Dyer OF Portland and Sister
Maria L. Lowering Of Waterville were
present for the purpose OF insututing
Northern Light Rebekah Lodge, NO.
rs from Scion conferred the degree
: upon rs candidates
Our present Rec. Sec Sister Carrie
Hilton was influential in naming the
. lodge Centennial Rebekah Lodge. The
name seemed very appropriate as 1t
was Centennial year 1900 and because
OF that fact we need never forget the
date Of our birth as Rebekahs.
Most of the charter members recall
the officers who filled the chairs the
first year: Mrs. Alice Goodrich N. G.;
Sadie Andrews, v. G.;, Carrie Hilton,
sec: May Holden. treas; frankie
Chase. w. Belle Clark, Con-; Viola
Colby, chaplain Cora Reynolds, I. G..
Lillian Reynolds. o. c.; Belle Will
lians, R. $, ~ ~ Madeleine Bray
to- Y ': q IBAd Burn! L. s. to v. G.
The lodge was instituted and the de-
gree exemplified in Kennebec Hall but
the regular meeting place was In the
third story Of the same building.
In spite y the fact that 1t was a
little attic room with low ceilings.
poor ventilation, dim lights and
SMOKY iIttls lst6Ne, many pleasant eve
nings have been spent there, many
solemn Vows. taken around the altar
and sdd6 3ay thsres'seems to be a
sacredness connected with that first
home as we think Of the faces OF our
friends who labored with us there and
were neik kpemttted to come into
The first regular meeting OF Cen
tennial -Rehekab-- Lodge New Years
evening, 1901 all the officers were
in their reBpgutfve chairs.
The first few years of our lodge
life were busy ones. Everything was
bought new. The purchasing COM
mittee togeelAr with special commit
tees - b%sy ordering lodge
supul1 re were committees on
regali rtttae on banners and
standards Tor the Same, committee on
paraphernalia and might say dozens
of other committees. You who served
remember we'll. There wereI suppers
and otheH1aoney making schemes, Tor
besides tn current expenses the new
home was ih view. There was hardly
a meeting without an application for
membership and we had voted to tni-
tiate whenever we had candidate.
However hard we worked we never
forgot the good and welfare. AS
glance over the records of those days
i find such programs as this:
Song, Georgia Colby, Edith Collins,
~ Ola ,Balsr and Belle Clark; reading,
Madeline Bray. A short farce by sew
eral members; duet by Geo. Colby ana
MARY Clark a leparks by Bro. Greg
DRY. Thanks to Bro. Harry Baker
and wife for their nice treat OF apples.
, Charades after the meeting
4 At tina meeting held on the evening
of March IS, 1902 the lodge voted to
have a pehpy box for the benefit OF
the sick -1&efnbersV shd fsince that time
it has been an established essential
each year. Its proceeds have carried
cheer and symHe9y p, many hearts.
Sister Sadie Hkdre&s followed as
the second N. G. ParaphFpelia seemed
to be- the priATi1N subject during
most of this year. The third year
when Mrs. Carrie Hilton was N. u.
the material for the robes was pur-
chased at cost of $72. which did not
include sandals. stockings and many
other fxings. Two loyal sisters who
were always ready to help. Sister
Viola Colby and Sister Susan Preble,
cut I believe all the robes and did a
great deal towards making them. al
though each one was supposed to make
her own robe. The robes were dis
played for the first time at an initia-
tory. Nov 3, 1908.
During the summer of 1908 work be-
gan m tho Fraternity Hall, a building