Evening Republican, Volume 18, Number 36, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 11 February 1914 — KNIGHTS HAD FINE DISTRICT MEETING [ARTICLE]

KNIGHTS HAD FINE DISTRICT MEETING

Large Gathering and Best of Feeling—Spirited Speeches and Big Page Rank Class. The Golden Jubilee of the Knights of Pythias of the third Pythian district of Indiana which occurred in Rensselaer Tuesday, proved to be one of the greatest gatherings of Knights that has ever, taken place in Northwestern Indiana. Grand Chaiicellor Commander John M. Lewis, of Seymour, and Grand Vice" Chancellor Robert Brown, of Franklin, and Grand Keeper of Records and Seal Harry Wade, of Indianapolis, attended the meeting. Mr. Lewis did not arrive until the evening train, owing to the fact that he had attended the 4th district republican organizing convention at Greensburg and had been chosen district chairman to succeed himself. Mr. Brown was the chief speaker in the afternoon and he kept the great gathering in the best of spirits with his witty remarks and good stories, and his sound Pythian doctrine. Mayor Spitlev, who had been slated to make the speech welcoming the visitors, was unable to be present, owing to the fact that he had a public sale to clerk that afternoon and the address of welcome was made by Rev. Winn, of the Christian church and it was a splendid speech and added to the pleasure of the afternoon. The Brook K. of P. band and orchestra played many selections and Perry Horton played the piano and Harry Eger, Elmer Wilcox, Carl Duvall, Mell Haas, Vjrgil Denniston, DR Myer and Art Tuteur sang many inspiring songs. Rex. Warner stood treat at the Rex Theatre jmd admitted all Knights free to hiFsliov?, putting on an extra show for them between 5 and 6 o’clock. Then the big dinner was served in the armory, the Pythian Sisters having arranged to seat 250 at one time. The evening meeting started at about 7:30 and Grand Chancellor Lewis spoke for some time. Vice Chancellor Brown had played a great joke on the Grand Chancellor, having become familiar with Mr. Lewis’s speech and with several stories Mr. Lewis was in the habit of telling, he had related them in the afternoon as well as to prepare the Knights for just the kind of a speech Mr. Lewis would make. The joke proved the real feature of the meeting, fdr every time Mr. Lewis started to tell a story the great crowd broke out in laughter. It is a plan of the Grand Chancellor to say that each district meeting is the best one he has attended and Mr. ' Brown had informed the Knights that Mr. Lewis would relate that here and sure enough he did, greatly to the delight of aIT7 Mr. Lewis was quite equal to the' embarrassment, however, and enjoyed the exposure as much as any one in the hall, responding to the laughter with some extemporaneous wit.

After the roll call of the lodges of the district was completed and it was shown that all lodges in the district were represented but Crown Point, Grand Keeper of Records and Seal Wade asked that all who had' been Knights continuously for 25 years to stand. There were thirty in the hall who had attained the “veteran” class. Mr. Wade then made a good talk about the affairs of the lodge in the state, and about the Pythian building in Indianapolis. • Next came the installation of the Page Rank candidates, a Golden Jubilee class of 38. The work was conferred by Chesterton Lodge, No. 442, the officers filling the stations as follows: Dr. C. O. Wiltfong, Chancellor Commander; A. O. Peterson, Prelate; R. C. Hubbard, Vice Chancellor; C. H. Smith, M^ter-at-Arms. The pages initiated were from the following lodges; Rensselaer 11, Morocco 9, Remington 8, Hammond 6, Kentland 2, Valparaiso 1, Cheslferton 1. The roster showed the following registration: Rensselaer 85, Brook 68, Remington 28, Chesterton 18, Wheatfleld 16, Hebron 13, Kentland 12, Hammond 12, Morocco 10, Goodland 6, Valparaiso 6, Lowell, .Whiting and East Chicago, each 4, Indiana Harbor 1, and 22 from other lodges, a total registration of 308, while there were probably a number who did not register. In addition there were the 38 pages and. one to take the Knight rank. Ben Wolfe was the candidate for the Knight degree and this was also conferred by the Chesterton Lodge. The following composed the team: Dr. C. O. Wiltfong, King; F. E. Johnson, Dr. R. H. Axe, Dr. H. W. Ruge, C. H. Haslett, C. H. Harvil, A. O. Peterson, A. T. Swanson and A. H. Pollentzke and C. W. ( Jensen, Senators; A. O. Peterson, Monitor, and Hallie A. Flynn, Pythagoras. The work was excellently performed, especially was Pythagoras splendidly interpreted by Mr. Flynn, who is a former Rensselaer boy. Then came the midnight cafateria lunch, served by C 4 P. Fate in the armory. It was half after one o’clock when some two hundred and fifty or three hundred Knights began a raid of-the long table, but hungry as they were there was an abundance for all and Mr. Fate received many compliments because of the service. The singers, joined by John Mor-

gan, who was one of the pages, entertained the crowd in the armory, and C. H. Harvfl, the human music box, of Chesterton, proved an excellent entertainer, imitating many things. C. Arthur Tuteur and Editor John Bowie appeared under draft and rendered amusing recitations, and the meeting closed with the happiest feelling imaginable. Resolutions were adopted thanking the Rensselaer lodge and all who had taken part In making the meeting a big success and commending the *work of District Cljfkncellor Jesse E. Foust, of Valparaiso, for his untiring work on behalf of the meeting." Also recommending former District Deputy Reading, of Valparaiso, for Grand Outer Guard, and the appointment of a committee to- boost his election to that position. i >