The Dickenson County herald. [volume] (Clintwood, Va.) 1927-1930, 1928-05-24
HISTORY OF MOUSE
STORY OF ROMANCE

than 200 to a great internati-
onal organization with more
than 100000 members is the 70
mantle story OF the Loyal Or
| der of Moose. 1t is the story,
too, of one man inspired by an
ideal who had the energy ana
perspective to put it over :
lac man was James j. Da-
US, director OF the order ana
Oniteu States Secretary of La
uor.
| In 1906 the Moose was falter
ing and as an organization was
ready to expire. In fact, at the
very meeting in which Mr.. Da-
Wis joined in Charlottesville,
md, there was movement to
ashland and hold suitable OBJ
sequies over the remains. But
DAVIS was young and inspired.
He Decame the 247th member
| of the order.
A native of Wales, an iron
lpuddler in the iron mills of
pennsylvania, his life had been
rich Win experience. Often ne
had seen the families of work
men who uled from disease or
who were killed by accident,
separated from one end of the
country to the other, the chill
dren coming to adulthood with
out remembering their BROTH
rs or sisters.
Speaking about it later, Mr..
| Davis said:
Il had had a great deal of
fraternal experience. Fraterni-
| ties were the hobby of my life.
In all of them | had been a
strong advocate of a home for
orphaned children, widows and
ne aged,
II saw in the Moose an op-
)ortunity to put over my views
and on condition that be al
lowed to re-organize the frater
nifty and name the = Supreme
Dictator, I consented to enter
it." -
Of course, there were early
struggles and diGsapointments.
The organization had to learn
| IS it grew. Enthusiasm flowed
Ind ebbed. But through it all
the young leader kept steadily
headed toward the goal of a
city for suffering childhood
| and comfortable home for the
..ged within the fraternity. He
communicated his enthusiasm
20 others. He said, Wait. Be
,atient until we can grow. In
1nity-and numbers-there is
trength."
He surrounded himself with
.ble,- willing and. thoughtful
nen and in the years that came
he Order blossomed and fruit
ID. Aside from the great world
vide influence of lodges in the
United States, in Canada, in
England and Wales, and in
South Africa, with it's army of
members numbering more than
100000, Mooseheart, it's beauti-
'ul Child-City situated thirty
| even miles west of Chicago,
nd Moosehaven, it's home for
he aged near Jacksonville,
Florida, testify to the gallant
md loving labors of Davis and
lis associates.
More than 1000 orphans o
| .ependent children of deceased
.loose are being given the OPP
,ortunity for high-school du-
..rion and a trade, among sur
oundings not only pleasant
,ut inspirational. And in Moose
laven elderly folk on whom
lie has frowned need not be
eparated in pitless almshouses
out can go down into the sun
set of life hand in hand.
An iron puddler with vi
sion and that vison blossoming
into a gigantic force of men
and women the world over, tes-
5ifying to the truth that there
is love in this old world yet
that is the history and the ro-
nance, of the Loyal Order of
Moose.
Among the necessaries pro-
vided in 1927 for the support
and maintenance of the nearly
1000 orphaned children who
are being given home and ar
education at Moosehaven, III.