The Neighbors of Woodcraft were a
fraternal benefit society that originated as a splinter of the
female auxiliary Fraternal orders often have "side degrees", auxiliaries or appendant (as opposed to primary). Some of these are created as female "sister organizations", youth organizations or side degrees proper which are organizations associated with or within t ...
of the
Woodmen of the World.
History
The origins of the society go back to the Supreme Session of the
Woodmen Circle
WoodmenLife (officially Woodmen of the World Life Insurance Society) is a not-for-profit fraternal benefit society founded in 1890, based in Omaha, Nebraska, United States, that operates a large privately held insurance company for its members.
...
in 1897 when delegates from nine western states led by Mrs. C. C. Van Ornsdall passed a resolution to secede from the parent order and form the Pacific Circle, Women of Woodcraft. The group was headquartered in
Leadville, Colorado
The City of Leadville is a List of municipalities in Colorado#Statutory city, statutory city that is the county seat, the most populous community, and the only List of municipalities in Colorado, incorporated municipality in Lake County, Colorad ...
, but moved to
Portland, Oregon in 1905, where it remained through the 1970s. The Neighbors of Woodcraft merged into the Woodmen of the World in July 2001.
Organization
Local units were called "Circles", regional areas were "District Circles" and the "Grand Circle" was the national authority. Circle officers included the Guardian neighbor, Past Guardian Neighbor, Adviser, Magician, Clerk, Banker, Attendant, Captain of Guards, Flag, Bearer, Musician, Inner Sentinel, Out Sentinel, three Managers, Correspondent and Senior Guardian.
[Schmidt pp.237-8]
Membership
In 1979 the Neighbors had no less than five categories of membership: benefit, social, junior benefit, junior social and family affiliate. Benefit members contributed to the Benefit Fund and were insured by the order. Social members, like social members in other groups, did not contribute to the benefit fund and ordinarily unable to hold office. Junior beneficial and social memberships was much like the adult counterparts, other than the fact that they needed their parents permission. family affiliates were children who were insured under a family rider plan. In 1927 there were 77,000 members, but this had declined to 25,000.
[Schmidt p.237]
Ritual
The Neighbors of Woodcraft had a ritual which included annual passwords, initiation rites and a ritual obligation. Once each year each member was required to reaffirm their obligation on "Obligation Night".
Benefits and philanthropy
Aside from insurance programs, the NOW also operated a home for its aged members,
Woodcraft Home. This Home was originally based in
Riverside, California, but moved to
Hood River, Oregon in 1952. There was also a Grand Circle Scholarship Program open to sons, daughters or grandchildren of members.
References
Further reading
*Yates, Keith L. ''History of the Woodcraft Home'' 1975
See also
*
Neighbors of Woodcraft Building
The Neighbors of Woodcraft Building, also known as the Tiffany Center, is a building located in southwest Portland, Oregon, listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Construction of the building was commissioned by the Neighbors of Wood ...
*
Royal Neighbors of America
Royal Neighbors of America is a Life insurance company targeted towards women.
History
In 1888, Marie Kirkland of Council Bluffs, Iowa placed a notice in her town newspaper asking the wives of Modern Woodmen of America members to meet for a so ...
, another fraternal benefit society that originated as the female auxiliary of a Woodmen group.
Organizations based in Portland, Oregon
Organizations established in 1897
Women's organizations based in the United States
Woodmen of the World
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