Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks
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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]
History
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
National organization
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.
- Lodge #761 Makati City, Metro Manila, the Philippines[6]
- Lodge #1281 Agana Guam, Guam[7]
- Lodge #1414 Panama Canal, Panama[8]
- Lodge #972 San Juan, Puerto Rico[9]
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
Chair Officers
- Exalted Ruler
- Esteemed Leading Knight
- Esteemed Loyal Knight
- Esteemed Lecturing Knight
Other Lodge Officers
- 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
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.
Elks National Foundation
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.
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]
Traditions
The Hour of Recollection
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.[13]
Communal burial
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
Military
- General James M. Gavin
- General Dwight D Eisenhower
- General George S. Patton
- General Douglas MacArthur
- General John Pershing
- General Frederick Funston
- Captain Eddie Rickenbacker[14]
Politicians
Presidents of the United States
Governors
- Joseph Flores
- Robert Ehrlich, Towson, Maryland, Lodge No. 469
- Daniel Jackson Evans, Governor [Washington] The Seattle Elks Lodge #92
- Albert Rosellini, Governor [Washington]
Members of Congress
- Tip O'Neill – United States Representative representing Massachusetts
- Carl Albert
- William F. Knowland Oakland, California # 171
- John McCormick
- Harry P. Cain – United States Senator representing Washington
- Warren G. Magnuson – United States Senator representing Washington The Seattle Elks Lodge #92
- Henry M. Jackson – United States Senator representing Washington Everett Elks Lodge #479
- Edward L. Bartlett – United States Senator representing Alaska
- L. Mendel Rivers – United States Representative representing South Carolina
- Frank Murkowski – United States Senator representing Alaska
- Sam Rayburn
- Tom Foley – United States Representative representing Washington
- Hale Boggs
- Arthur H. Vandenberg
- Walter Evans Edge – United States Senator representing New Jersey & United States Ambassador to France
Other politicians
- Overton Brooks, member of the United States House of Representatives from Louisiana's 4th congressional district, based in Shreveport
- Mack Cleveland, member of both houses of the Florida State Legislature from 1953 to 1965; attorney from Sanford, Florida
- Robert F. Wagner, Jr., Mayor of New York City; Past Exalted Ruler of New York Lodge No. 1
- Percy Saint, Louisiana State Representative
- Goodwin Knight, Governor of California
- James Record, Alabama State Senator
- Charles F. Smith, Jr., Wisconsin State Senator
- Robert Grant, Kansas House of Representatives
- Gerry E. Hinton, former Louisiana State Senator
- J. M. Whorton, Missouri House of Representatives
- Thomas Z. Morrow, one of twenty-eight men who founded the Kentucky Republican Party
- Ryan Kiesel, Oklahoma House of Representatives
- Charles Langford, Alabama state senator who represented Rosa Parks in the famous civil rights case of the 1960s
- Frank W. Parker, American judge who served on the New Mexico Supreme Court for 35 years
- David Roberts, Mayor of Hoboken, New Jersey
- James Keller, member of the Minnesota House of Representatives and the Minnesota Senate
- Joe Fine, Major of Marquette, Michigan
- Jason Glennon Crowell, Missouri Senate
- Ron Richard, Missouri House of Representatives
- Dan W. Gray, Mayor of San Jose, California
- Joseph Poindexter, Territorial Governor of Hawaii
- Robert A. Costa, Maryland House of Delegates
- James W. Newman, Ohio House of Representatives, Ohio Senate, and was Ohio Secretary of State
- Philip Willkie, Indiana House of Representatives
- Lloyal Randolph, Maryland House of Delegates
- Charles W. Lyon, California State Senate
- Richard A. Sossi, Maryland House of Delegates
- Percy Saint, Louisiana House of Representatives
- Parley P. Christensen, Utah and California politician, Esperantist
- George M. Borg, Wisconsin State Senator
- Isaac P. Witter, Wisconsin State Senator
- Gary R. Goyke, Wisconsin State Senator
- Charles A. Barnard, Wisconsin State Assemblyman
- Charles L. Valentine, Wisconsin State Assemblyman
- Michael J. Barron, Wisconsin State Assemblyman
Businesspeople
- Dave Beck, President International Brotherhood of Teamsters, Past Exalted Ruler, The Seattle Elks Lodge #92 1928–1929
- Caleb Bradham, Inventor Pepsi Cola, Past Exalted Ruler New Bern, NC #764
- Jack Christian, Automobile dealer, former Mayor/President of Baton Rouge, Louisiana[15]
- Jim Cramer
- Julius Curtis Lewis, Jr.
- Gordon L. Park, Chevron Oil Company manager and former member of the Wyoming House of Representatives
- Andrew Querbes, Shreveport mayor and banker/planter
- Samuel Lapham VI, The architectural firm of Simons & Lapham was influential in creating the first historic preservation ordinance in Charleston, South Carolina in 1930
- Edward Everett Cox, newspaper publisher
- Henry Frank, early Montana businessman and political figure
- Andrew Jackson Zilker, political figure and philanthropist in Austin, Texas
Entertainers
- Ben Affleck, Actor
- Lawrence Welk, Band Leader
- Will Rogers, Comedian
- Jack Benny, Comedian
- Edward Arnold
- Ruby Bishop (Jazz Pianist), The Seattle Elks Lodge #92
- Andy Devine, Past Exalted Ruler of San Fernando, California, Lodge No. 1539
- Clint Eastwood, Monterey, California, Lodge No. 1285
- Gene Autry, Burbank, CA Lodge No. 1497
- Arthur Lyman, Band Leader, Honolulu Elks Lodge #616
- William F. Cody (Buffalo Bill)
- Donald O'Connor, Actor
- Billy Barty
- Richard Moll
- Tim Moore (Comedian)
- Rod Long (Comedian), The Seattle Elks Lodge #92
- Nathaniel Carl Goodwin, vaudeville entertainer
- Nat M. Wills, vaudeville entertainer
- Randall Parrish, author
- Charles Hale Hoyt, dramatist
- Daniel Sully actor and playwright
Sports figures
- Honus Wagner
- Bobby Jones[disambiguation needed], Atlanta GA Lodge #78
- Vince Lombardi
- Casey Stengel
- Mickey Mantle
- Whitey Ford
- Zack Wheat
- Petros Papadakis, San Pedro, California, Lodge No. 966
- Joe Glenn (American football)
- Jim Finks
- King Kelly
- Katy Easterday
- Eddie Blair, early professional football player with the Latrobe Athletic Association
- Willis Glassgow, early professional football player
- Ace Parker, NFL Hall of Fame Quarterback and MLB Player, Portsmouth-Chesapeake Lodge No. 82
Other influential people
In popular culture
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National Convention sites & presiding Grand Exalted Rulers
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.[18][19]
Year: Convention Site, Grand Exalted Ruler | Year: Convention Site, Grand Exalted Ruler | Year: Convention Site, Grand Exalted Ruler | Year: Convention Site, Grand Exalted Ruler |
---|---|---|---|
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 |
See also
References
- ^ a b "Elks magazine online". Retrieved 2008-10-17.
- ^ "Why not buffaloes". Elks website.
- ^ "Lodge Locator". Elks Official Website. The Elks. Archived from the original on August 10, 2011. Retrieved 8 August 2011.
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(help) - ^ Margaret Boule (2008-02-24). "The last bias: Elks lodge bans woman because she's an atheist".
- ^ John Curran (2008-03-28). "Vermont Supreme Court Upholds Fraternal Club Sex Bias Ruling".
- ^ http://www.manilaelks.org/main1/
- ^ "Lodge 1281 Elks.org".
- ^ "Lodge 1414 elks.org".
- ^ "Lodge 972 elks.org".
- ^ 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...
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specified (help) - ^ 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...
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specified (help) - ^ 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...
{{cite web}}
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specified (help) - ^ http://www.elks.org/history/toastarchive.cfm
- ^ 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"
- ^ "Christian, John "Jack"". Louisiana Historical Association, A Dictionary of Louisiana Biography (lahistory.org). Retrieved December 23, 2010.
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(help) - ^ 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.
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specified (help) - ^ Thanks to GL of BC&Y
- ^ 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
- ^ "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.
External links
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