VOLUME IL. yy f ay Y rettiy states BELOIT, KANSAS, AUGUST, 1900. NUMBER 8 LILY CAMP, NO. 1. This Camp, Located at Council Bluffs, Ia., Ten Years Old, July 3, 1900. Editor ROYAL NEIGHBOR: We wish to correct the statement of Ivy Camp, 2, in last month’s issue,in claiming to be the oldest camp of Royal Neighbors. The NeigeborI am glad to say, is laboring under a mistake. Lily Camp, 1,never disbanded, therefore, we never reorganized. The birth of our camp was July 3, 1890, and we organized with twenty-four charter members. The writer one of them. Before the or- ganization of Lily Camp we were called the ‘‘Ladies’ Auxiliary,’’ and were a band of wives, sisters and daughters, of the Modern Woodmen of America, working together to promote sociability and fraternity. Many, many happy afternoons were spent planning for the advancement of our cause, and many pleasant evenings were the re- sult. Our camp grew in numbers and when a little over nine months old, we had the honor of instituting Ivy Camp, 2, at Omaha, Neb., April 23, 1891, with twelve charter members. Shortly after- wards the degree staff of Lily Camp was invited to Lincoln, Neb., and Camp 3 was organized with a large membership. This camp in a short time surrendered its charter. Harmony and good will prevailed in our camp for some time; then a little cloud arose, which grew, and at last, at our regular meeting, January 22, 1892, thirteen of our members were granted withdrawal cards, others followed, and Golden Rod Camp, 7, was organized. This camp surrendered its charter prior to our annual meeting at Peoria, Il. Lily Camp was left with only eleven mem- bers. The ‘‘Gideon Band,’’ the faith- ful few, struggled on, adding new members to their numbers. Our _ pres- ent recorder, Laura J. Morris, was among the first to seek admission, and was elected recorder December 15, 1892, and she has filled that office credit- ably ever since. Her duties have not always been pleasant, but the cheerful way in which she performs them, is worthy of the highest praise. Much of our prosperity is due to her untiring efforts, and her motto is, ‘‘Never say die.’’ We are glad to know of the suc- cess of Ivy Camp, and of a member- ship so large, with the other camps of Omaha to compete with, but Lily Camp, No. 1,claims the honor of being the oldest camp of Royal Neighbors. FLORENCE BROWN. Are Pleased With the Paper. Des Moines, Ia.: The members of Fern Leaf Camp, 98, wish to express their pleasure in THE RoyAL NEIGH- Bor. We have long wished for such a paper, and now that we have it, it fully gratifies all we could wish for. It is the only way of learning how our neighbor camps are prospering and we are glad to know that Royal Neighbors every where are having as good times as ourselves. In our city are three other Royal Neighbor camps, all pros- pering and having a steady and health- ful growth. Fern Leaf Camp and Lincoln Camp, of the Modern Wood- men, of which we are an auxiliary, often entertain each other, just for the sake of sociability, thus keeping up the interest that should exist be- tween Royal Neighbors and Modern Woodmen, everywhere. I think if more Woodmen would spend some of their leisure time reading THR ROYAL NEIGHBOR, still more sympathy would arise between our Neighbor societies. KATE MINKLFR, Oracle. A Fraternal Family. West Superior, Wis., July 16.—As I look over the Royal Neighbor paper every month I have seen letters from other little girls, so I thought I would try my luck at it. Iam alittle girl 14 years old. I goto school every day, but as we have no school now I am not going. My mamma is a Deputy Supreme Oracle for the Royal Neigh- bors. Her name is Mrs. Essie Burt, of West Superior. Papa is a deputy for the Modern Woodmen. He is also a Royal Neighbor. I still have a sister older than I, who is a Royal Neighbor ; making three Royal Neighbors in the family who all belong to Friendship Camp, of West Superior, which my mother organized some time ago. I still have another sister, and myself, who expect soon to be Royal Neigh- bors with the rest. The Royal Neigh- bors of Superior all have such nice times together. I would like to be one now, but, of course, my time will come soon enough. MINNIE OLLIE BURT. Pleasant Times in Kansas. Paola, Kan., July 16.—I have read each number of THE ROYAL NEIGHBOR as it was issued and always noticed the absence of an article from our camp, so I have decided to inform our sister camps that while we cannot be counted among the rustlers, we are a live and wide-awake camp. We were organized as Miami Camp, 1280, Jan- uary 5, 1898, with twenty charter mem- bers and we now have twenty-three beneficiary and twenty-two social members. We enjoy our meetings very much and have never been obliged to adjourn on account of not having a quorum present, though our attend- | ance is sometimes small in inclement weather. We surprised our Modern Woodmen camp last Thursday night and served ice cream and cake, which, we think, they appreciated very much, as they had just finished taking a can- didate through the mysteries of their degrees. We serve refreshments once a month and usually have a short mu- sical and literary program, and we al- low each member to invite a friend. We think we have added to our mem- bership in this way and we know we have enjoyed the occasions socially. We have our own dishes and expect to purchase robes in the near future. All our members appreciate THE ROYAL NEIGHBOR and we look forward to its coming with great pleasure. Our camp meets on the first and third Monday nights of each month and visiting Neighbors are always extended a royal welcome. CLARA HIGHLEY, Ass’t Marshal. Merry Times in Minnesota. Fairbault, Minn., July 12.—Prosper- ity Camp, 1888, was organized in No- vember, by Deputy Supreme Oracle Mrs. Bertha L. Topping, of Minneap- olis. We have a membership of thirty- two, most of whom are _ beneficiary members. A short time ago we were invited by our Vice Oracle, Mrs. Ara Turner, to spend an afternoon with her. A number of the Neighbors took advantage of the kind invitation to visit her pretty home, a few miles from the city. The purpose of that visit was to organize a ‘'Flower Fund’’ which was successfully done. Just before returning home we were invited to the dining room where we spent a pleasant half hour at the table. We then returned home declar- ing we were royally entertained by our hostess. June 13 we visited Vic- toria Camp, Owatonne. We were met jat the depot by a committee of Neigh- bors, who escorted us to their hall. They had work on hand that evening which was very nicely done, and proved very beneficial to us. Their drill was exceptionally good and we en- joyed it very much, as some of us had never seen it before. Camp was closed and the folding doors then thrown open disclosing the dining hall, which was beautifully decorated with plants and cut flowers. We had a jolly time during refreshments, after which we returned to the depot, accompanied by some of the ladies who remained with us until our train left. We shall long remember that pleasant visit, as we were most royally entertained by Vic- toria Camp, and hope to return the compliment in the near future. A NEIGHBOR. Get Closer In Our Work. Decatur, Ill, July 4.—Since the Modern Woodmen and Royal Neigh- bors of America are destined to be- come two of the greatest fraternal so- cieties in the world, (the Woodmen is already the greatest, and its auxiliary ig fast following its foot-steps up the hillside to success) it has many times occurred to me, we _ Royal Neighbors and Modern Woodmen should work more together in a few particu- lar directions, at least. I believe the women are abundantly able to attend to the business management of our society. We have demonstrated this fact by our successes in the past, but we are still ignorant in many things and need information and help from our ‘‘big brothers.’’ Now, if the two societies could hold their state and su- preme camps in the same cities and at the same time, I believe it would be of great advantage to both. The Wood- men would come to better realize that there is such a society as the Royal Neighbors of America, (a fact some of them, apparently, have not yet dis- covered.) The Royal Neighbors could, by attending some of the sessions of their brothers’ Head or state camp, gain practical ideas which would aid them in gaining broader views of fraternity and fraternal work. With the Supreme camps held at the same time, laws of mutual advantage and interest, such as recognition signs, com- bination emblems, old members’ homes, and kindred topics could be con- sidered intelligently. This arrange- ment would permit many from each society to attend the others, Supreme Camp who cannot now do so. It would give the Woodman delegate a chance to take his Royal Neighbor wife to his Head Camp, and, perhaps, some Royal Neighbor: delegate might consent to take her Woodman husband to her Su- preme Camp, if he was so unfortunate as to fail in his attempt to go asa dele- gate to his own. At any rate, I would like to see a change made, and instead of the Royal Neighbor Supreme Camp meeting in May and the Woodmen Head Camp in June, have both meet in June and both meet in the same town. Why can it not be done? SOPHIA E. TATE. Have Forty Woodmen Members. Mazon, Ill, July 9.—We were or- ganized in February, 1897, with twenty charter members. We now have eighty-eight members in good stand- ing, thirty of whom are beneficiary, with two new members to initiate at our next meeting. Our camp meets the second and fourth Saturday even- ings of each month, and is in a flourish- ing condition. From time to time we hold banquets, give parties, surprisc the Woodmen, or one of our members, and in various ways try to keep up an interest for the good of our order. We have purchased an organ, floor cloth and badges and hope to have some nice robes soon. Since our or- ganization we have lost but one mem- ber by death, Neighbor Robert Dewey, about one year ago. On Woodmen Memorial Day the Modern Woodmen and Royal Neighbors met, then pro- ceeded to the cemetery to decorate the resting places of our departed Neigh- bors, then to the M. E. church, where the ministers of the Methodist Epis- copal and Congregational churches made appropriate addresses for the oc- casion. The Woodmen of this place held their annual picnic in Sykes’ Woods, June 27, with Head Consul Northcott the orator of the day. In the evening the Royal Neighbors gave a social and ball. The social was held in a hall, the use of which was kindly donated by a ‘‘big brother,’’ and the ball was given inthe opera house. It was a great success, socially and financially, $50 being netted. ‘The Modern Wood- men do not seem to be afraid of our ‘‘lamb’’ as we have about forty gentle- men members. We do not agree with some of our sister camps in regard to the gentlemen joining, as we would not like to get along without them. We find them quite an advantage to our camp, as they are well up in the work of fraternal orders, and give us much assistance, and we feel their useful- ness in various ways. Some of our best and ablest workers are social mem- bers. and we beneficiaries feel under obligations to them for the interest and assistance they render us. During the past year we have been royally enter- tained by two sister camps at Morris and Streator. We all receive THE RoyaL NEIGHBOR and are well pleased with it. Success to it and the Royal Neighbor order. Mrs. GENEVIEVE E. MURRAY.