Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1922-02-15


met there. with music. songs, stories
and mock courts al which fines were
imposed for various whimsical of
lenses" to provide the fund for next
weeks beer and sandwiches The fes-
Invites cost them their home. Irate
at the noise, Mother" Geisman drove
them out
Then they hired a hall" and form
ed their fra1ernal order. II was near
ly named the "Buffaloes." after the
Royal Antediluvian Order of Buffa-
Ices" of England. to which Vivian. the
ruling Cork. belonged The vote stood
seven 10 seven, deadIocked on Buff
aloes" and "Elks."
Only a handful recall the name of
W. L. Bowron OF New York, today
Yet it is to him that the "Elks' owe
their name. On the second ballot he
switched his vote from Buffalo to
Elk Vivian, in the chair. though
an ardent advocate OF "Buffaloes,
ratified the majority of one, and the
Benevolent and Protective Order of
Elks was born.
One other circumstance. little
known, paved the way for the name
of "Elks." The committee charged
with selecting name was to meet at
Broadway and Ann street. New York.
Some were tardy. Others, weary OF
waiting, strolled into Barnums Mus
cum on that corner. and wandered
through the famous animal collec-
tom
Bears" was suggested. but dis
carded as animals Of few inviting
traits. coarse, brutal and morose.
Beavers were brought up as ex-
amples of industry, but cast aside as
too destructive. Foxes" suggested,
were voted down as too cunning and
crafty. A large moose-head attracted
attention, but was at last turned
down. Then an Elk's head. with grace
full. spreading antlers, met with gen
eral approval and divided honors with
"Buffaloes," which Vivian had adyo-
Gated strongly but which half the
committee opposed because they did
not wish 10 copy the name of an ex-
listing order
From this trip TO Barnum's Museum
the committee went to the meeting
where the name of "Eks" was
chosen.
Since then the Order has grown by
giant strides. 1t embraces American
citizens from the humblest. to Warren
G. Harding. President Of the United
States. and life-member of Marion
Ohio Lodge No 80. b. p o. Elks
In 1922. Elkdom, with gifts to
charity already totalling more than
;2O,0O0.000, stepped out of the role OF
he purely fraternal organization in
10 the rank of one of Americas great
est humanitarian brotherhoods.
William W. Mountain, of Toledo,
Ohio. Grand Exalted Ruler of the
Order. announced his policy:
Make every Elk lodge the civic
and humanitarian center of the com
munity in which ii makes it's home. ="
In Chicago. by Lincoln Park, over
looking Lake Michigan, the Elks are
building their 100000 National
Memorial to the 10000 Elks who
served the United States in the World
War, and the more than 1000 Elks
who died in that service. The build
ing will also house the Orders central
executive organization, and the Ma
tional Elks Magazine
Only men of q years or more,
American citizens, are eligible to
membership.
The faults of our brothers we
write upon the sand - their virtues
upon the tablets of love and memory,
is Elkdom's motto.
The four cardinal principles of the
Order are Charity - Justice - Bro
therly Love - Fidelity"
Il guess we built a little better than
we knew" says old Joe Norcross,
only surviving charter member.
And from the Great Beyond. where
those long-dead Jolly Corks" look
down upon this earth, they probably
agree with him.