Evening star., 1940-01-07

ington, the present occupant Of
that ONCE.
Now 40 Chapters.
From the original six subordinate
chapters necessary to form the
Grand Chapter there are now 10
chapters In existence in the District
of Columbia, the combined member
ship being about 10,500. The present
elective officers Of the Grand Chap
ter of the District of Columbia are:
Worthy grand matron, Mrs. Ruth 8.
Cromelin; worthy grand patron,
Richard E. Titlow; associate grand
matron, Mrs. Minnie ]. Burdine: as
sociate grand patron, Edward G.
Steagall; grand secretary, Mrs. Rose
A. Yost; grand treasurer, Mrs. Lille
Mckenzie; grand conductress, Miss
Mildred M. Hicks, and associate
grand conductress, Mrs. Hazel r.
Engelbrecht. The grand secretary,
Mrs. Rose A. Yost, has occupied this
Office continuously since 1900, and
prior to that she served as grand
treasurer. The grand lecturer, Mrs.
Mary E. Teachum, has also served In
her ofIice since 1900, and Is one Of
the most beloved women in the
order.
The Eastern Star has not only been
Of service to the Masonic fraternity
but has been q valuable factor for
public good, and the work done by
it for the Masonic and Eastern Star
Home is certainly one of the princi-
pal high lights of its useful existence.
The dedication Of this home, which
is at 5000 New Hampshire avenue
NE, took place on october is, 1906.
The exercises being under the aus
pices of the Masonic Grand Lodge,
Walter A. Brown, grand master, de-
livered the principal address, after
which the following program was
rendered:
Music, Marine Band; invocation
Mrs. Charlotte M. Pine, grand chap
lain of the Grand Chapter; vocal
music, Masonic Choir, composed of
w. D. Mcfarland, Alex Mosher, j.
Henry Kaiser and j. Walter Hum
phrey; remarks, Mrs. Alcena La
mond, president Board Of Directors;
vocal solo, Mrs. Thomas c. Noyes
remarks, Mrs. jeanette r. Newton,
worthy grand matron; music, Marine
Band; dedication, by Grand Lodge,
F. A. A. NJ, of the District of Colum-
bia; vocal music, Masonic Choir, and
benediction, Rev. D. w. Skellenger,
grand chaplain, Grand Lodge, F. A.
A. M.
The beginning of this project
started in 1897, the matter being
called to the attention Of the Grand
Chapter in 1899 by the then grand
matron, Carolyn Handy, with .
recommendation that a committee
be appointed to plan for the estab-
lishment of the home. Her recon-
mendation was approved and the
committee appointed. This commit
tee composed of nine grand ofncers,
took up the work.
Evidence Of Progress.
The first tangible evidence OF
progress was a gift of 500 by
C. B. Okey, chairman of the home
committee. In 1900 three little chill
dren of a deceased Mason fell to the
care of the committee and melted 1t
to greater activity. A "tea" was held
at Scottish Rite Cathedral and sew
eral hundred dollars were collected.
In 1901 suflcient progress had
been made to warrant the Grand
Chapter in petitioning Congress to
incorporate the Eastern Star Home
of the District of Columbia. This
act was passed by Congress March
10, 1902. A board of directors was
chosen. A Is cents per capita tax
levied upon the entire membership
of the Eastern Star was by vote OF
the Grand Chapter ordered at the
same time. A series of luncheons
added $500 to the fund. This gave
enough to begin and made the home
reality.
In 1903 the incorporators began
preparations for a fair. One Of the
first donations received was the sum
of $500 from the Grand Lodge, F. A.
A. NJ, of the District Of Columbia.
The fair was opened October is,
1903, and continued two weeks, re-
sulting in a net profit of $12,500.
During the time Mrs Sarah A. Seek
donated five acres of ground on the
Metropolitan branch Of the Balti-
more & Ohio Railroad near Stotts.
D. c.
Subsequent to this, the grounds
have been considerably increased,
the main building enlarged. and a
separate building erected for the
care and maintenance Of children.
The cornerstone of the home. was
laid on May II, 1905, and today 1t
is occupied by 81 adults and II
children who are deemed guests"
of this fine institution, which Is
managed by a board of directors, of
which Mrs. Julia N. Streater is
president.
A more recent undertaking by the
local Grand Chapter Of the Eastern
Star was the purchase last May Of
the Marshall Field Mansion ut Six
teenth and Euclid streets NV. The
Pink Palace, by which name this
ine residence Is known, is In the
vicinity Of the Scottish Rite Cathe-
oral on Sixteenth street, and close
to number Of embassies and legs.
tions.
J After completion in 1906, this
mansion was first occupied by Oscar
s. Straus, Secretary Of Commerce
and Labor, under President Theo-
dore Roosevelt. Later, Franklin
McVeagh, Secretary Of the Treasury.
under President Taft, lived there
two years before Mrs. Marshall Field
took the property in 1912. On her
death, the latter left the estate to
her niece, Mrs. Beveridge, who, with
her husband, the late Senator, lived
there short while.
The forthcoming 44th annual ses-
sion Of the Grand Chapter, Order