Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 23, Number 197, Decatur, Adams County, 20 August 1925 — Page 7

second section |

DECATUR WELCOMES VISITING PYTHIANS

I DECATUR LODGE I ORGANIZER IN I AUGUST, 1875 I Lodge At Itelnception I GROWTH is LARGE I \ e ,v Home Completed I 1.. 1910; Mortgage On I Home Burned In 1921 I Kekionga No 65. Knights of ■ Pythias, was born August 20. 1875. ■ f |,,n a number ot representative citi. M fnJ ratli’-red in •' room 11,1 ,he Bhwr of a " n the Past ■ „f Seco"'! street on tlie site of ■fc Yager Urns.' furniture stora, ■ »iiere the grand lodge officers instl- ■ f|M | ■y.uiization. with thirty- ® -ire charter members. The men were: By K Bell. Fred Schafer. 'l. DorB pi Godfrey Christen, W. \V. Van- ® It v Curran. B. S. Thompson, ■ « W West. .1 ihn P. Quinn, William I m. Walt-rs. L. I> Phcjps, Jleorge ■ jlotgret. Seymour Worden, Millen ■ Barns. M V B. Simcoke, Chester Burt. ■ Itavi-i EL-v. W S. Congleton. Ansel ■ Blossom. John .1. Chubb, Harry CanI Boter. F. M. Thymus. Martin Huffman, ■ Charles Helicon, E. S. Edmunds. I. C. ■ King. Frank Railing. David King. E. ■ G. Parker. N. Blackburn. E. F. Num■Bers. S. Cast. It The building- committee was com- ■ posed of 0. L. V .nce, E. B. Lenhart. ■ Janes Hurst. H. F. Callow, James L. ■ cay. 0. X Erwin and Orval Harrttff. ■ The trustees were Janies Hurst, E. m Lenhart, and 0. L. Vance. Oncar ■ Hodman was t iiarchitect, and .Tames ■ Hi.ct at e d a-superintendent of conH struct ion from the time file buitling ■ ns started in July. 1909, until it was B complete*!, in January, 1910. v ■I The growth of the lodge was steady. Hthe nit’inbetship at the time of dediHation being slightly more than 200. ■ The list remained neap that mark un'til 1919, while W. Guy Brown was rthMiellm eoinmatider. At that time a nwubership drive netted forty live [■embers. I ’in- years ago the roster i showed am, tnbersliip of 239. Early fin the spring of 1921, while John H. Stewart w.i> chancellor commander, the unlooked for happened. It was then that the movement started that made possible the mort~ gage burning on December 1. 1921. The lodge had been ploughing along, paying interest on ss.tmo from the time it-' the dedication until 1919, when the Pythian Sisters furnished SI,OOO Ito apply on the mortgage. This was | the only sum paid on the principal ' *Mil that time. This left the remain- • itg indebtedness $4,000 on the inort- ; fare, with a few additional sums which K had been borrowed from local banks I » Ude through times of unexpected ■ troubles along the way.'* The total K amount of indebtedness, with the in- | tetest, was near the $4,500 mark. I Tom Neal, of Crawfordsville, was I the grand chancellor, and during his I he employed a field I tunn. in the person of Mr. Ray OB Snyder, of Bluffton, whose duty it was

LIVING CHARTER MEMBERS ' "'x *t»‘ t : > ■ afeSP I*. HSf* HL, ffiNtt:' ■.' A SEatei& fc toMmMwSwM! XA w^Kis 1 - *’ ■ i f • ? <jß j - \ 'SC K jHk I SmmL ’jL K-k -I '■/' 'C I k. K V‘ \ ■ _■•■ ■ C^S^%r ;T - V ’ ‘ wk A are the charter members of KekUga Jodge. Kaights of Pythias, who are now living and in good stand- * *'th the lodge. They are, left to right, A. R. Bell, Fr Jd Schafer and C. T. Dorwin. Mr. Bell and Mr. Schafer ' a this city, while Mr. Dorwin. resides in LafayettJ. • I

to travel over the state and Increase the membership of the lodges in the grand domain of Indiana. Mr. Snyder dropped in one evening, and arrangements were completed for him to spend some time In Decatur, working in the interest of Keklonga lodge No. 65. He called Mr Stewart over the telephone and the matter was talked over. The chancellor commander urged his return. to assist in the work. He came back and the membership here would have been satisfied if twenty-five applications had been received. Mr. Snyder worked, with the faithful assistance of loyal Knights, and at the end of four days, fifty applications had been written. Mr. Snyder was compelled to leave for another field, but the Decatur men kept up the work until 102 applications had been written and accepted, and sixteen reinstatements had been secured. It was a remarkable record, and unequaled anywhere in a city the size of Decatur. While the (membership campaign was on in full blast, the matter of paying off the mortgage was considered. Dallas Hunsicker approached the chancellor commander one day and unfolded a plan whereby the could be raised. Mr. Stewart of course, w»s in favor of liquidating, as was every member of Kekionga lodge. At the first meeting following the conversation the matter was presented to the lodge, and it developed that the matter had been talked over by Mr. Hunsicker. Charles Burdg and Sam Shamp. These men were placed on a committee to do the job. It looked impossible to some, especially in a time of business depression. The last few hundred dollars were the hardest to get The money was al! pledged, and then some, but so many of the members were out of work that it was impossible for some of them to do as they had promised, much as they regretted the fact. When the mortgage came due on September 16 1921, all of the money was in with the exception ot $650. The Pythian Sisters came to the rescue with another SI,OOO. making two of the five thousand they had given to the building fund. The trustees borrowed $650, with .the expectation git’ paying it back as the pledges came in. That amount was raised in full by December 1, 1921, the date of the mortgage burning. Since that time the lodge has prospered and enjoyed a large active memliership. At present a member of the local lodge, Dore R. Erwin, is Grand Chancellor of tlie lodge in Indiana. o County School Superintendents Re-elected Indianapolis, Aug. 20 —Os the ninetytwo county school superintendents who took office in Indiana this week for the coming year, fifty-seven were Ve-elected. it was anonunced today by the state department of public instruc. tions. The other thirty-five were serving ' for the first time or were going back into office after a year or more of re-' tirement. Twenty-seven of the newly elected superintendents have college or university degrees. Twenty-four were serving as high school principals when elected. Only two were not engaged in active work of some nature.

DECATUR DAILY DEMOCRAT

DECATI’R DAILY DEMOCRAT, THURSDAY, AUGUST 20, 1925.

W'lHK' ‘ SOL fr -1 ■ faKJk •» - W ra ■ 4 ■» - 1”' J* < BUI

PYTHIAN SISTESS ORGANIZED, 1891 Twenty-five Ladies Form First Class Taken Into. The Order Here The Eureka Temple, No. 39. Pythian Sisters, was organized in Decatur,. March 5, 1891, the members of Eden Temple, No. 35, of Portland.' assisting in the work. Mrs. James Bain, then a member of the Portland Temple, and Mrs. James Fristoe were! instrumental in building up the class of twenty-two charter members, who were Mrs. Robert Boyd. Florence * Baiu. Kannie Fristoe, Dora Bell. Christena Vail. Lizzie DeVilbiss, Callie Schirmeyer, Mrs. Barton Quinn. Belle Fristoe, Mrs. J. C. Patterson. Mrs. L. Adams. Mrs. John Rice, MrsFred Schafer, Mrs. Alex Hoyer. Mrs. Jessie Burds, Mrs. John France, Miss Cora Miesse. Mrs. Hattie Graham. Mrs. Belle Phillips, Mrs. Charles | True. Mrs. Dan Beery. The first officers of the temple' were: Past Chief—Mrs. Robert Boyd. Most Excellent CHief— Florence Bain Excellent Senior—Kannie Fristoe Excellent Junior —Dora Bell Manager —Christena Vail Mistress of Finance —Lizzie DeVilliiss Mistress of Records and Correspondence —Callie Schirmeyer Protector—Mrs. Barton Quinn Outer Guard—Belle Fristoe At the time of tlje dedication of the home, there were sixty-four mem-j bers. The ladies took no active part. in the building of the home, but every one of them felt a certain amount of | pride in the fact that the Knights were building for them a fine new building, which was to care for them many years to come. Women-like their plans were to furnish it in a way tliat would harmonize with the beauty of the building and make it as cozy a place as possible for both men and women This work they accomplished, provid ng all of the

( AST OF THE DAMON AND PYTHIAS DRAMATIC TEAM.

furnishings for the reception rooms, hallways, dining roont kitchen and other departments, which cost them a snug little sum of money. The Pythian Sisters helped to raise the funds to pay for the new home, also. They donated $2,000 to the building fund. Following the closing of the charter, the first to become a member was F. M. Schirmeyer, prominent Decatur citizen. At the time lodge was the Henry Dierkes building, now occupied by the Holt house Drug company, was under construction, and arrangements were made by the officers of the lodge for the owner to erect a third story to the building that the organization might have a meeting place, and this room, which was built according to their needs, remained the home of the lodge until the present home was completed and occupied February 17. 1910. o — — DISPLAY OF OLD MONEY AT DANK First National Bank Has Interesting Exhibit Os Bills And Notes An interesting display of old I'nited States currency is being shown at the First National Hank through the courtesy of Mrs. Charity E. Hooper of this city. The bills are on a large card board in the bank window. Many interesting pieces of money, some in use during the Civil War and others tn use later are being shown. The bills have face value of from ten cents to five-hundred dollars and while some have become worthless others are still good. Several Confed- 1 erate bills are on display. One bill of | interest is a one dollar note, dated 1857, on an Indiana bank at Gosport. This currency was in use when the state treasury system was still hmn». used Several small denominations of bills and notes that still have their face value, in use about fifty years ago bring back memories to local business men of their first pay checks. The display will be changed from time to tima C. A. Dugan president or cirsf. National Hank said today and many interesting exhibits w’ll be shown the next few weeks. —— o Missionaries Captured By Japanese Bandits Shanghai. Aug. 20 — Nine British missionaries, including Bishop H. W. K Moweii, former dean of Wyoklif college. Toronto, his wife and four other women, were carried off by bandits at Chengtu, Szechwan province. Aug. 6, according to an announcement today from the Church Missionary society. o •— Marion. — Hoosier condensed Milk company at Marion has sued the H. C. Bay Piano company. Plaintiff charges defendant’s dust ruined the milk.

FIRST OFFICERS OF LOCAL LODGE R. A. C’urran First Chancellor Commander Os Kekionga Lodge The first officers of Kekionga lodge ■ Knights of Pythias were: Past Chan- ' cellor. W W BanNess; Chancellor ! Commander. R. A. Curran; Vice-Chan- ( cellor. B. S. Thompson; Prelate. S. W. t West; Aiastor of Ex-cnequer. John P. 1 Quinn; Keeper of Records and Seals, ( Wiiam M. Walters; Master of Finance, , L. D. Phelps; Master of Arms, C. T. , Dorwin; Inner Guard. Fred Schafer; Outer Guard. George Morgret; Trustees, Seymour Worden. Millen Burns and M. V. S. Simcoke. Four charter members were living at the time of dedication of the new home, they being A. R. Bell, Fred Schafer, C. T Dorwin and Godfrey Christen, All were present at the dedication. Since that time Godfrey Christen has passed away, and the other three remain on the honor roll of the lodge, Messrs. Bell and Schafer residing in this city and Mr. Dorwin at Lafayette. • th of ol REIHdON HELD BY EX-TRUSTEES Annual Meeting Held At! Gus Conrad Home In Preble Township T'.te Ex-trustees Association of Adams county have declared the Gus i Conrad home in Preble township one ’ j of the most hospitable and about the I finest spot to be found anywhere I Their annual meeting, held there yes- ' terday, was a great success, with more than plenty to eat, and a good I time every minute. The Conrads are j wonderful hosts. So say the tnem--1 i bers of the asociation who attended, namely. J. A. Fledding. Charles Magley, O. J. Suman. Samuel Butler; John Mosure, John T Kelley, Walter ’ ; Thornhill, C. C. Beer, and their fam- ! Hies and sb also say the following friends who were there: L. Fuhrman and family, William Melcher and family, Vernon C. Miller and (family, ; John Smith and family, Bobbie Suman. j Dora Suman, Theodore Koenemann Robert Mollen, and Mrs. Norman Stalter and son Keneth. Charles Magley won the cake-eating contest by large margin. J. Mosure led in the pie-eating race with Kelley a close second and Beer took the chicken speed and quantity meet with Fleming second and Suman . The atter dinner horse shoe tournament resulted in a victory for Mosure and Butler while the booby prize went to Magley and Thornhill. It was a fine f old time and the association is very ) grateful to Mr. and Mrs. August Conrad and family.

A Bumble Bee “Sits Down” Too Hard On Judge Sutton’s Leg Judge Jesse c. Sutton stated today that a bumble bee treated him In a manner that one treated A. J Smith, Decatur citizen, recently, when the insect crawled up beneath bls thousei leg and “sat down". Judge Sutton was touring in Ohio, near Wren, last Saturday and just as he climbed fron. his car, Mr. Bee "sat down” with great force on the Judge's leg. While Judge Sutton made an effort to dislodge the bee. it stung him twice more One of His Honor’s ankles is still slightly large from the effects of the stings. Judge Sutton and family spent several days last week in Warren, (thio and other cities in Ohio and Pennsylvania. They returned home the first of this week. o D. ERWIN IS GRANO OFFICER Member Os Kekionga Lodge Is Grand Chancellor Commander In Indiana Dore B- Erwin, well-known Decatur attorney, is the first an donly member so far, of the Decatur Knights of Pythias lodge to become a state officer in the order. Mr Erwin now ho.ds the title of Grand Chancellor Commander the highest position in the Grand Lodge. Mr. Erwin became a member of Kekionga lodge No. 65. in 1892, thirtythrree years ago. Since then he has occupied all of the chairs in the local elected to the office <of Grand CUaii lodge and in the Grand lodge, being cellor Commander last fall. Mr. Erwin has done much to elevate the Decatut lodge and give it a high standing among other lodges of the state. o Marl Turning Poor Land Into Productive Soil Milford, Ind., Aug 29 —Hundreds ot Northern Indiana farms, tlie owners of which have been at a disadvantage because of sour soils, are being turned into rich producing areas by the use of marl taken from pits scattered throughout the country. Fully eighty per cent of the tests made by Tom Parker, agricultural agents have revealed the need of lime on farms and the sourness of the soil has disappeared from those farms where marl has been used.

SPEAKS AT PYTHIAN JUBILEE HERE ' ?'W'WI ‘ ■ f • ' , '***•&■ Pw? I r .. .. ■ • • ■ ;> I t .-*■ I SENATOR JAMES E. WATSON Senator Janies E Watson, senior senator from Indiana, was one of the principal speakers at the golden jubilee celebration held here today by the Decatur Knights of Pythias lodge. Senator Watson is a Past Grand Chancellor Commander of the lodge in Indiana.

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OFFICERS CF LOCAL UM Charles Brodbeck Chancellor Commander Os Kekionga Lodge Now’ Charles Brodbeck Is Chancellor \ Commander of Kekionga lodge, No--65, Knights of Pyth'as at present. He is assisted by an able corps of officers. The entire list of officers of the local lodge at present is : Chancelor Commander, Charles Brodbeck. Vice-chancellor. Ed Beery. Prelate, Marion Hoagland. Master of Work. Howard Weller. Keeper of Records and Steals,. Joseph A. Hunter. Master of Finance, John R. Parish. Master of Exeehequer, W. A. Lower Master of Arms, John FL Nelson. Inner Guard, Doyle Amspaugh. Outer Guard. George Myers. Trustees, A. D. Suttles, Fred 810 - ser and R. E. Mumma. Irodge Deputy James Bain Representative to Grand Lodge, Howard Weller and Freeh Hower. TO STAGE QAM ah" mums Dramatic Team Os Decatur Lodge To Present Play At Park Tonight Thp presentaton of Damon and Pythias by the Decatur K of P. dramatic team, which will complete the I day’s program of the Golden Jubilee celebration tonight, will be given in front of the grand stand at Bellmont Park. Arrangements have been made for the seating, comfortably, of lOdO people, and the entire public is invited. All people, whether members of the Knights of Pythias lodge or not. are cordially invited to attend the pro sentation and the other program tyso. The play will start at 7 o’clock 10. . night, it was announced today. 0 Missionary To Speak At Monroe Next Sunday Miss Anna Harrod, a Missionary in India, wil speak at the Methodist church in Monroe, ut 10:30 o'clock Sunday morning. The public is invited to attend.