The Elks. The Moose. The VFW. AMVETS. Eagles. Where did they come from?

[filfoster]

Dead groups

It's not a critter name but ever hear of The Knights of Pythias? They are still around! Any Knights posting here?

 

["Skeet" McD]

It's not a critter name but ever hear of The Knights of Pythias? They are still around! Any Knights posting here?

To the best of my knowledge, they are history...but I guess we're likely to find out very soon if that's not true!

In the meantime....I just posted a K of Pythias sheet music cover from 1902...that may have to suffice....

"Skeet"

 

[Dinerman]

Elks lodge. PA? OH?

Does the elk on this one look particularly sad to anyone else?

 

["Skeet" McD]

Elks lodge. PA? OH?

Does the elk on this one look particularly sad to anyone else?

Great shot; great quote Dinerman! Not only sad (or perhaps caught with his hoof in the cookie jar)....but suffering from severe right-sided ptosis, as well (pop-eye)...he should have GREAT binocular vision....the only thing better would be to have his eyes on stalks. Now that I think of it...he seems to have a set of "My Favorite Martian" antennae too....perhaps.....HEY WAIT! What's going ON in that Elk's hall!

"Skeet"

 

[Lincsong]

http://elks616.org/pg/176/pg/ip6706.html[/URL]

But lots of comments that, should you be in Waikiki traveling with any Elks...make sure to go there: a "members only" Paradise with.....very low prices....yet another reason to join!

The Eggs Benedict and malasadas (Portuguese donuts) are mouth watering.

 

[Lincsong]

The Lodge in Alameda, CA is Golden Era. I drove by the Lodge in San Mateo, CA last week, it's more 50's style.

 

[LizzieMaine]

It's not a critter name but ever hear of The Knights of Pythias? They are still around! Any Knights posting here?

My grandfather and great-grandfather were both K of P -- I still have my great-grandpop's very ornate commission certificate designating him Supreme Captain of his lodge for 1911. If I can find it, I'll post a pic.

 

[carebear]

One issue the VFW's had for a while after Vietnam (until a few years back)was the limited number of servicemen who met the criteria for membership. We didn't have massive numbers of men actually fight overseas for almost 20 years.

For example, I was in the Marine Corps Reserve from '91 to '04 and never got deployed. I'm in the American Legion now and will probably join AMVETS, but I don't qualify for the VFW.

 

[Cigarband]

I can't say much about the other org's listed, but just an interjection into the roots of VFW and AMVets. Right after the Civil War, veterans groups representing both the Union and Confederate soldiers began to form. The largest one was the GAR-- Grand Army of the Republic, which grew to pretty sizable numbers by the turn of the century. They became highly influential politically (for quite a while, every Republican who ran for Pres. and was backed by the GAR won the election, if I remember correctly...). They were also pretty heavy into lobbying for veterans rights, established Memorial Day, etc. Since only Union vets could join, other Vet groups which were more inclusive were established after later wars to continue the fraternity and progress that the GAR had started.

In 1881 the GAR formed the Sons of Veterans of the United States of America (SV) to carry on its traditions and memory long after the GAR had ceased to exist. Membership was open to any man who could prove ancestry to a member of the GAR or to a veteran eligible for membership in the GAR. In 1925 the SV name was changed to Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War (SUVCW), under which its federal charter was issued in 1954. The SUVCW is legally recognized as the heir to, and representative of, the GAR. http://www.suvcw.org

 

[Cigarband]

[QUOTE="Skeet" McD]To the best of my knowledge, they are history...but I guess we're likely to find out very soon if that's not true!

In the meantime....I just posted a K of Pythias sheet music cover from 1902...that may have to suffice....

"Skeet"[/QUOTE]

Just checked on Wiki, and The Knights Of Pythias are going strong, as are the Odd Fellows. I didn't know that FDR was a K of P.
And the Eagles was founded by Vaudevillians so that they would have somewhere they were welcome when on the road. Travelling Players were thought to be dubious
characters way back when.lol

 

[Story]

From the official VFW website:
"The VFW traces its roots back to 1899 when veterans of the Spanish-American War (1898) and the Philippine Insurrection (1899-1902) founded local organizations to secure rights and benefits for their service: Many arrived home wounded or sick. There was no medical care or veterans' pension for them, and they were left to care for themselves.
"In their misery, some of these veterans banded together and formed organizations with what would become known as the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States. After chapters were formed in Ohio, Colorado and Pennsylvania, the movement quickly gained momentum. By 1915, membership grew to 5,000; by 1936, membership was almost 200,000."

I'd read a paper recently on Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, that postulated (with cited primary references) that the VFWs served as 'boot strap' therapy wards for the WWI vets - either by providing verbal outlets (where telling war stories among those would would understand) or self-medicating (with cheap booze).

I'd been privy to a tour of one VFW (built @ 1921), a gothic-looking building of hewn granite blocks, tongue-in-groove oak floors and slate roof that had fallen into severe disrepair (missing shingles and years of rainwater damage creating gaping holes in second story floor) even as the last members continued to drink in the basement bar.

I know of at least one contemporary VFW Post that was purchased and is now the private residence of an artist.

Philadelphia is a city where families still have roots - the bronze plaque inside the front door listing the casualties from that Ward included familiar names, family names of people I knew from grade school. Great-grandfathers and uncles, most likely.

It'll be interesting to see if the VFW expands from the veterans of this conflict, since we have better VA programs and tools like the internet for tackling PTSD issues. [huh]