Rensselaer Journal, Volume 12, Number 13, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 4 September 1902 — FORESTERS’ PICNIC. [ARTICLE]

FORESTERS’ PICNIC.

Excursion Sunday Brought Over 1,000 Members Here. Sunday was Catholic Forester day in Rensselaer, some 1000 or 1200 members of the order from out-of-town points being present. A special train from Chicago brought 600 and the regular trains perhaps that many more. The gathering was for the purpose of confering the exalted degree upon eight members of the local order. The excursion train was met upon its arrival here by the College band and Father Boebner, rector of the college. Immediately after the arrival of the excursionists special low mass was held at St. Augustine’s church, after which the visitors were mart hed to the college grounds, where addresses were made by Father Boebner, Theodore B. Theile, of Chicago, high secretary of the order; J. F. Scanlon, deputy assistant U. S. treasurer, of Chicago, and first high chief of the order; Thos. J. Johnson, of Chicago, first chief attorney of the order; Thos. J. McNerny, Chief Ranger of Illinois, and F. F. Schmidtt, of Chicago, business manager of the high court. Meals were served in the basement of the college, and the local order of the Foresters and the new parochial school will clear between S3OO and S4OO as their share of the proceeds.