Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search
For the animal, see Elk; for the Canadian counterpart see Elks of Canada; for other uses, see Elks (disambiguation)
Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks

The Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks (BPOE; also often known as the Elks Lodge or simply The Elks) is an American fraternal order and social club founded in 1868. It is one of the leading fraternal orders in the U.S., claiming nearly one million members.[1]

Contents

History [edit]

The Elks had modest beginnings in 1868 as a social club (then called the "Jolly Corks") established as a private club to elude New York City laws governing the opening hours of public taverns. After the death of a member left his wife and children without income, the club took up additional service roles, rituals and a new name. Desiring to adopt "a readily identifiable creature of stature, indigenous to America," fifteen members voted 8–7 in favor of the elk above the buffalo.[2] Early members were mostly from theatrical performing troupes in New York City. It has since evolved into a major American fraternal, charitable, and service order with more than a million members, both men and women, throughout the United States and the former territories of the Philippines and the Panama Canal.[3]

When founded, membership in the BPOE was denied to blacks. Because of this policy, an unaffiliated, primarily black organization modeled on the BPOE was formed in 1898. This "Improved Benevolent Protective Order of the Elks of the World" (IBPOEW) remains a separate organization to this day. Membership in the BPOE was opened to African Americans in the 1970s, although the Winter Haven, Florida Elks Club was famously segregated as late as 1985, when Boston Red Sox Coach Tommy Harper protested a Red Sox policy of permitting them into the spring training clubhouse to issue lodge clubroom invitations to white players only. Women were permitted to join in the mid-1990s, but currently atheists are excluded. The opening of membership to women was mandated by the Oregon Public Accommodations Act, which was found by an appeals court to apply to the BPOE, and it has been speculated that the religious restriction might be litigated on the same basis.[4] A year after the national organization changed its policy to allow women to join, the Vermont Supreme Court ordered punitive damages of $5,000 for each of seven women whom a local chapter had rejected citing other reasons.[5] Current members are required to be U.S. citizens over the age of 21 and believe in God.

Structure and organization [edit]

National organization [edit]

Grand Lodge in Chicago, Illinois

The national headquarters, known as the Grand Lodge, is located in the Lincoln Park neighborhood of Chicago at the southwest corner of Diversey Pkwy, Sheridan Rd, Lakeview Ave, and Cannon Dr. Local Elks Lodges are located in about 2,100 cities and towns across the United States and its territories (as of 2006). There are several Elks lodges overseas. They must be located in a current or former US territory and only American citizens can be members.

The local lodges are known by their lodge number and the name of the city in which they are located. For example, the first Lodge, located in New York City, is Lodge 1, while the Lodge in Nashville, TN is Lodge 72. When a Lodge is closed, its number is retired, but if re-instituted at a later time, the city name and lodge number can be reinstated by the Grand Lodge.

A Grand Lodge Convention is held each year in a principal city in the United States. It is at this convention that Grand Lodge Members (Current Exalted Ruler or Past Exalted Rulers of local lodges) vote on the next years Grand Lodge Officers including Grand Exalted Ruler (GER), BPOE 'Constitution and Statues' proposed amendments and conduct other items of business.

Elks Magazine is published 10 times a year and goes to all members.[1]

Local lodge officers [edit]

Chair Officers [edit]

  • Exalted Ruler
  • Esteemed Leading Knight
  • Esteemed Loyal Knight
  • Esteemed Lecturing Knight

Other Lodge Officers [edit]

  • Esquire
  • Inner Guard
  • Secretary
  • Treasurer
  • Tiler
  • Chaplain
  • Trustee (5 yr.)
  • Trustee (4 yr.)
  • Trustee (3 yr.)
  • Trustee (2 yr.)
  • Trustee (1 yr.)
  • Organist
  • Justice of the Subordinate Forum

Financial / Legal Governing [edit]

Lodges which are incorporated are required to be governed by a Board of Directors. Otherwise the Board of Trustees are the governing board. The Board of Directors consist of the Chaired Officers and the Trustees. This committee has the following powers: (a) control of the funds, investments and real and personal property of the Lodge, (b) execute all leases, contracts or other papers.

Social Club Management and Supervision [edit]

Lodges may choose in their bylaws between 4 options of governing their club facilities. This committee

  1. Exalted Ruler, Esteemed Leading Knight, Esteemed Loyal Knight, Esteemed Lecturing Knight, and the Trustees of the Lodge
  2. Board of Trustees of the Lodge
  3. By a House Committee (of not less than 3 or more than 13) to be appointed by the Exalted Ruler of the Lodge
  4. Board of Directors of a corporation consisting of Chaired Officer and Trustees

Past Exalted Ruler's Association [edit]

Past Exalted Rulers are not considered officers, but rather a valuable advisory resource. A Lodge's Past Exalted Ruler's Association usually meets monthly, and current officers are encouraged to seek counsel from the men and women who have led Lodges in previous years.

National Charity Programs [edit]

Lodges are encouraged to participate in national Elks charity programs. There are also State Elks Associations charity programs. This usually includes a State Major Project. Elks Lodges are usually involved in other local charitable efforts.

Due to the willingness of most Elk Lodges to respond to community needs and events, it is common to turn the BPOE abbreviation into a backronym for "Best People on Earth."[10][11][12]

Elks National Foundation [edit]

Established in 1928, the Elks National Foundation is the charitable arm of the BPOE. The foundation, with an endowment valued at more than $400 million, has contributed $253.5 million toward Elks' charitable projects nationwide.

Veteran Services [edit]

The Elks pledge that "So long as there are veterans, the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks will never forget them."[13]

  • Elks Veterans Memorial in Chicago IL
  • Army of Hope
  • Adopt-a-Veteran Program
  • Freedom Grants!
  • Veterans Leather Program
  • Veterans Remembrance
  • Playing Cards for Veterans
  • Re-Creation USA

Youth Programs [edit]

Americanism [edit]

Community Investment Program [edit]

  • Impact Grants
  • Promise Grants

Elks National Home [edit]

The Elks National Home is a retirement home in Bedford, Virginia built in 1916.

Traditions [edit]

The Hour of Recollection [edit]

The Elks building in downtown Trinidad, Colorado
Another Elks building in Idaho Springs, Colorado

Deceased and otherwise absent lodge members are recalled each evening at 11 p.m. Chimes or sometimes a bell will be rung 11 times and the Lodge Esquire intones, "It is the Hour of Recollection." The Exalted Ruler or a member designated by him gives the 11 o'clock toast, of which this version is the most common:

You have heard the tolling of eleven strokes. This is to remind you that with Elks, the hour of eleven has a tender significance. Wherever Elks may roam, whatever their lot in life may be, when this hour falls upon the dial of night, the great heart of Elkdom swells and throbs. It is the golden hour of recollection, the homecoming of those who wander, the mystic roll call of those who will come no more. Living or dead, an Elk is never forgotten, never forsaken. Morning and noon may pass them by, the light of day sink heedlessly into the west. But ere the shadows of midnight shall fall, the chimes of memory will be pealing forth the friendly message: To our absent members.[14]

Communal burial [edit]

An interesting physical artifact of the order is the number of communal cemetery plots once favored by the group. Often these are marked with impressive statuary.

Famous Elks [edit]

Military [edit]

Politicians [edit]

Presidents of the United States [edit]

Governors [edit]

Members of Congress [edit]

Other politicians [edit]

Businesspeople [edit]

Entertainers [edit]

Sports figures [edit]

Other influential people [edit]

In popular culture [edit]

  • Classical composer Ferde Grofe won his first major commission courtesy of the Elks. He composed "The Grand Reunion March" for the 1909 Elks Club Convention in Los Angeles
  • In the 1936 George S Kaufman and Moss Hart play You Can't Take It With You, on hearing the biography of character Anthony Kirby, the maid Rheba declares "All them rich men are Elks or something."
  • In Fibber McGee and Molly, Fibber was member of the Elks. McGee is often referred to as being in charge of the Elks' pool table committee, ostensibly because he is usually the person responsible for tearing the felt on the table. McGee was also perpetually behind in his dues. During the show's 1949 season, a new character, Ollie the Elks' janitor, was introduced.
  • In The Honeymooners, Ralph Kramden and Ed Norton are members of the Raccoon Lodge and in one episode they are both candidates to be voted the Raccoons' "Grand High Exalted Mystic Ruler". This is likely a parody of the Elks and the Shriners as well as The Mikado.
  • In The Flintstones, which takes much of its inspiration from The Honeymooners, Fred, Barney, Mr. Slate and some less frequently shown characters belong to the male-only Loyal Order of Water Buffaloes Lodge No. 26 with a "Grand Pooh-bah".
  • In Stephen King's The Dark Tower VII: The Dark Tower, Roland and Susannah come across a skeleton that is wearing a ring that identifies him as an Elk.
  • In Scene Nine of the musical How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, during the act "Brotherhood of Man", with the lyrics "Now, you may join the Elks, my friend, and I may join the Shriners".
  • In Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison, the protagonist Milkman Dead III proclaims, "If this bath and this woman... are all that come out of this trip, I will rest easy and do my duty to God, country, and the Brotherhood of Elks for the rest of my life." Page 285.
  • In Hunter S. Thompson's short 1990 essay "Tarred and Feathered at the Jersey Shore", included in his book Songs of the Doomed, he recalls of his time living in the abandoned coal mining town of Jersey Shore, Pennsylvania: "I had to join the goddamn Elks Club in order to get a drink there on weekends."
  • In Zora Neale Hurston's novel Their Eyes Were Watching God, it is made apparent that Joe (Jody) Starks is a member of the Elks when 'the Elks band ranked at the church door playing "Safe in the Arms of Jesus"' at his funeral.
  • In The West Wing episode "The Women of Qumar", Rob Lowe's character Sam Seaborn mentions that his father was an Elk.
  • In Curb Your Enthusiasm, Larry David lies about being "a moose and an elk" when trying to get a membership in a Protestant golf club.
  • In "Take Me Out to the Ball Game", 1948. Frank Sinatra, Esther Williams, Gene Kelly, Betty Garrett.
  • "It's strictly USA" (reprise) Lyrics and music by Betty Comden, Adolph Green and Roger Edens
"Like the annual Elks convention.... They're really here to stay; Cause it's strictly USA."[18]
  • Frank Barone in Everyone Loves Raymond was a member of the Caribou Lodge (a fictional organization that appears to be inspired by the Elks), although he left the lodge after being named man of the year.
  • In Babbit, by Sinclair Lewis, the main character, George Babbit, is an active member of the Elks.
  • Canadian indie rock group The Weakerthans have a song entitled "Psalm for the Elks Lodge Last Call".
  • Members of the Elks Lodge are served reinvented American culinary classics in Bravo TV's Top Chef.
  • In Chapter 37 of John Steinbeck's novel East of Eden, Adam Trask considers joining the Elks.
  • In the Law & Order episode "Helpless", it is revealed that Captain Don Cragen is an active member of the Elks.
  • In Sister Carrie by Theodore Dreiser two of the protagonists, George Hurstwood and Charly Drouet are members of the BPOE.
  • In the 1991 romantic comedy-drama film Only the Lonely, John Candy's character Danny Muldoon tells Ally Sheedy's character Theresa Luna that his bedroom is beginning to resemble "an old Elks Lodge."

National Convention sites & presiding Grand Exalted Rulers [edit]

The first Grand Lodge meeting was held on February 12, 1871 at 114–116 East 13th Street New York City, NY. The Grand Lodge Officers were, George J. Green elected to preside, E.G. Browne as Secretary and Hugh P. O'Neil, Fernando Pastor, J. C. Pinckney, S.K. Spencer, Claude Goldie, Henry P. O'Neil, A.H. Mulligan and Antonio "Tony" Pastor in other offices.[19][20][21]

Year: Convention Site, Grand Exalted Ruler Year: Convention Site, Grand Exalted Ruler Year: Convention Site, Grand Exalted Ruler Year: Convention Site, Grand Exalted Ruler
1871: No Convention, George J. Green 1871: No Convention, Charles T. White 1872: No Convention, Joseph C. Pinckney 1874: No Convention, James W. Powell
1874: No Convention, Henry P. O'Neil 1876: No Convention, Frank Girard 1878: No Convention, George R. Maguire 1879: No Convention, Charles E. Davies
1879: No Convention, Louis C. Waehner 1880: No Convention, Thomas E. Garrett 1882: No Convention, John J. Tindale 1883: No Convention, Edwin A. Perry
1884: No Convention, Henry S. Sanderson 1885: No Convention, Daniel A. Kelly 1886: No Convention, William E. English 1887: No Convention, Hamilton E. Leach
1889: No Convention, Simon Quinlin 1890: Cleveland OH, Simon Quinlin 1891: Louisville KY, Edwin B. Hay 1892: Buffalo NY, Edwin B. Hay
1893 :Detroit MI, Astley Apperly 1894: Atlantic City NJ, Edwin B. Hay 1895: Atlantic City NJ, William G. Meyers 1896: Cincinnati OH, Meade D. Detweiler
1897: Minneapolis MN, Meade D. Detweiler 1898: New Orleans LA, John Galvin 1899: St. Louis MO, B.M. Allen 1900: Atlantic City NJ, Jerome B. Fisher
1901: Milwaukee WI, Charles E. Pickett 1902: Salt Lake City UT, George P. Cronk 1903: Baltimore MD, Joseph T. Fanning 1904: Cincinnati OH, Wm. J. O'Brien, Jr.
1905: Buffalo NY, Robert W. Brown 1906: Denver CO, Henry A. Melvin 1907: Philadelphia PA, John K. Tener 1908: Dallas TX, Rush L. Holland
1909: Los Angeles CA, J.U. Sammis 1910: Detroit MI, Aug. Herrmann 1911: Atlantic City NJ, John P. Sullivan 1912: Portland OR, Thomas B. Mills
1913: Rochester NY, Edward Leach 1914: Denver CO, Raymond Benjamin 1915: Los Angeles CA, James R. Nicholson 1916: Baltimore MD, Edward Rightor
1917: Boston MA, Fred Harper 1918: Atlantic City NJ, Bruce A. Campbell 1919: Atlantic City NJ, Frank L. Rain 1920: Chicago IL, Wm. M. Abbott
1921: Los Angeles CA, W. W. Mountain 1922: Atlantic City NJ, J.E. Masters 1923: Atlanta GA, James G. McFarland 1924: Boston MA, John G. Price
1925: Portland OR, William H. Atwell 1926: Chicago IL, Charles H. Grakelow 1927: Cincinnati OH, John F. Malley 1928: Miami FL, Murray Hulbert
1929: Los Angeles CA, Walter P. Andrews 1930: Atlantic City NJ, Lawrence H. Rupp 1931: Seattle WA, John R. Coen 1932: Birmingham AL, Floyd E. Thompson
1933: Milwaukee WI, Walter F. Meier 1934: Kansas City MO, Michael F. Shannon 1935: Columbus OH, James T. Hallinan 1936: Los Angeles CA, David Sholtz
1937: Denver CO, Charles Spencer Hart 1938: Atlantic City NJ, Edward J. McCormick 1939: St. Louis MO, Henry C. Warner 1940: Houston TX, Joseph G. Buch
1941: Philadelphia PA, John S. McClelland 1942: Omaha NE, E. Mark Sullivan 1943: Boston MA, Frank J. Lonergan 1944: Chicago IL, Robert S. Barrett
1945: New York NY, Wade H. Kepner 1946: New York NY, Charles E. Broughton 1947: Portland OR, L. A. Lewis 1948: Philadelphia PA, George I. Hall
1949: Cleveland, OH, Emmett T. Anderson 1950: Miami FL, Joseph B. Kyle 1951: Chicago IL, Howard R. Davis 1952: New York NY, Sam Stern
1953: St. Louis MO, Earl E. James 1954: Los Angeles CA, William J. Jernick 1955: Philadelphia PA, John L. Walker 1956: Chicago IL, Fred L. Bohn
1957: San Francisco CA, H. K. Blackledge 1958: New York NY, Horace R. Wisely 1959: Chicago IL, W. S. Hawkins 1960: Dallas TX, John E. Fenton
1961: Miami Beach FL, William A. Wall 1962: Chicago IL, Lee A. Donaldson 1963: San Francisco CA, Ronald J. Dunn 1964: New York NY, Robert G. Pruitt
1965: Miami Beach FL, R. Leonard Bush 1966: Dallas TX, Raymond C. Dobson 1967: Chicago IL, Robert E. Boney 1968: New York NY, Edward W. McCabe
1969: Dallas TX, Frank Hise 1970: San Francisco CA, Glenn Miller 1971: New Orleans LA, E. Gene Fournace 1972: Atlantic City NJ, Francis Smith
1973: Chicago IL, Robert Yothers 1974: Miami Beach FL, Gerald Strohm 1975: Dallas TX, Willis McDonald 1976: Chicago IL, George Klein
1977: New Orleans LA, Homer Huhn, Jr. 1978: San Diego CA, Leonard Bristol 1979: Dallas TX, Robert Grafton 1980: New Orleans LA, H. Foster Sears
1981: Las Vegas NV, Raymond Arnold 1982: Chicago IL, Marvin Lewis 1983: Honolulu HI, Kenneth Cantoli 1984: Houston TX, Frank Garland
1985: Seattle WA, Jack Traynor 1986: Denver CO, Peter Affatato 1987: Atlanta GA, Ted Callicott 1988: Las Vegas NV, Robert Sabin
1989: New Orleans LA, Donald Dapelo 1990: Las Vegas NV, James Damon 1991: St. Louis MO, Lester Hess, Jr. 1992: Dallas TX, Vincent Collura
1993: Portland OR, Charles Williams 1994: Chicago IL, Kenneth Moore 1995: New Orleans LA, Edward Mahan 1996: Las Vegas NV, Gerald Coates
1997: Chicago IL, Carlon O'Malley 1998: Anaheim CA, C. Valentine Bates 1999: Kansas City MO, James C. Varenhorst 2000: Dallas TX, Dwayne E. Rumney
2001: Philadelphia PA, Arthur Mayer, Jr. 2002: Reno NV, Roger R. True 2003: St. Louis MO, Amos A. McCallum 2004: Minneapolis MN, James M. McQuillan
2005: Reno NV, Louis James Grillo 2006: Orlando FL, Arthur H. Frost III 2007: Charlotte NC, F. Louis Sulsberger 2008: Anaheim CA, Paul D. Helsel
2009: Portland OR, James L. Nichelson 2010: Orlando FL, Michael F. Smith 2011: Phoenix AZ, David R. Carr 2012: Austin TX, Thomas S. Brazier
2013: Reno NV, 2014: New Orleans LA, 2015: Indianapolis IN, 2016: Houston TX,
2017: Reno NV, 2018: TBA, 2019: TBA, 2020: TBA,

See also [edit]

References [edit]

  1. ^ a b "Elks magazine online". Retrieved 2008-10-17. 
  2. ^ "Why not buffaloes". Elks website. 
  3. ^ "Lodge Locator". Elks Official Website. The Elks. Archived from the original on August 10, 2011. Retrieved 8 August 2011. 
  4. ^ Margaret Boule (2008-02-24). "The last bias: Elks lodge bans woman because she's an atheist". 
  5. ^ John Curran (2008-03-28). "Vermont Supreme Court Upholds Fraternal Club Sex Bias Ruling". 
  6. ^ http://www.manilaelks.org/main1/
  7. ^ "Lodge 1281 Elks.org". 
  8. ^ "Lodge 1414 elks.org". 
  9. ^ "Lodge 972 elks.org". 
  10. ^ Beck, Bill. "in A Message From Bill Beck". "I will forever remember that BPOE also stands for the Best People On Earth, a line you have used often..."  More than one of |author= and |last= specified (help)
  11. ^ Kelly, Mike. "from "The origins of The 11 O'Clock Toast "". elks.org. "I will forever remember that BPOE also stands for the Best People On Earth, a line you have used often..."  More than one of |author= and |last= specified (help)
  12. ^ Sparks, Eva. "Elks Walk 2,223 Miles to Attend 1912 National Convention". elks.org. "Four athletic young men, members of the local B.P.O.E Lodge (Best People On Earth) and employees of..."  More than one of |author= and |last= specified (help)
  13. ^ http://www.elks.org/programs/vetsprograms.cfm.  Missing or empty |title= (help)
  14. ^ http://www.elks.org/history/toastarchive.cfm
  15. ^ http://www.elkshistory.org/ "April 1943 Elks Magazine reported that the Life membership card of Brother Eddie Rickenbacker was featured in several national weekly magazines. This was bestowed upon him by the LA Elks on June 18, 1919"
  16. ^ "Christian, John "Jack"". Louisiana Historical Association, A Dictionary of Louisiana Biography (lahistory.org). Retrieved December 23, 2010. 
  17. ^ Kelly, Mike. "Name That Elk". elks.org. "Although the original Elks were actors and entertainers, members of other professions soon joined the organization. Today's Elks represent just about the full spectrum of occupations in America."  More than one of |author= and |last= specified (help)
  18. ^ Thanks to GL of BC&Y
  19. ^ Haas, Ralph. "THE HISTORY OF THE PENNSYLVANIA ELKS STATE ASSOCIATION". Retrieved 2011-04-26. "first Grand Lodge meeting. Held on that date at 114–116 East 13th Street in New York City" 
  20. ^ "Facts and Dates about the Elks". Retrieved 2011-04-26. "On Feb. 12, 1871, Claude Goldie received a New York State Charter for the B.P.O.E.'s New York Lodge No. 1, and the first Grand Lodge meeting was called to order at 4:15 PM at 114–116 East 13th St. in New York City." 
  21. ^ http://www.elks.org/who/history/pgers.cfm.  Missing or empty |title= (help)

External links [edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Benevolent_and_Protective_Order_of_Elks&oldid=555883345"