HISTORY OF 335
The History of Elks Lodge 335
Looking Back...
Charles A. Vivian was elected "Right Honorable Primo". Vivian was an English comic singer from Southampton. On his arrival in New York November 15, 1867, he dropped into the Star Hotel, where he met piano player Richard R. Steirly, who, before the evening was out introduced his new friend to several other "congenial spirits" at the boarding house where Steirly lived.
One thing led to another; one get-together led to another, and soon there was an organization of good fellows known as "The Jolly Corks," most of whom were professional entertainers. Together one day, shortly before Christmas of that same year, they attended the funeral of a friend, Ted Quinn, of local concert fame. Gradually they began to share the belief that as some sort of a "benevolent and protective" society they could perform other acts of brotherly love and charity while continuing their good fellowship and fun.
It is recorded that the name "Elks" won out by one vote over "Buffalos," a name used by a similar English organization. "Elk Street" in New York was so named in 1939 to commemorate the area where the Jolly Corks and later the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks were founded.
WHAT ELSE WAS NEW IN 1867-68?
Andrew Johnson was finishing out the second term of Abraham Lincoln as President, for Lincoln had been assassinated on April 15, 1865. One of the very serious purposes of the B.P.O.E. was to help bind the wounds of north and south. Even in those days the early Elks abided by the principles described by Fred Harper, Past Grand Exalted Ruler, in these words:
"The Order questions no man's religion; nor bars him on account of his creed. It is not concerned with one's political affiliations. And it does not permit either religion or politics to be injected into, or to have any affect upon, its fraternal deliberations, national or local . . .
"It . . . seeks to draw into its fraternal circle only those who delight in wholesome association with congenial companions; who are deeply imbued with the spirit of patriot loyalty and devotion; who recognize the obligations of hu-in.in brotherhood; and who desire, without the fanfare of the trumpets of publicity, to share with their associates in the endeavor to feed the hungry, to shelter the homeless, to relieve those in distress, and to prove themselves true friends to all in need."
IN ARIZONA . . . President Lincoln in 1863 had signed the organic act creating the Territory of Arizona. Richard C. McCormick, who had published the first newspaper north of the Gila River, "Arizona Miner," was Territorial Governor, of Arizona during those years, 1867-68, when the Order of elks was founded in New York. In 1868 the first citrus crop was harvested in the Territory by the famous trio of Jack Swilling, John Y.T. Smith and Darrel Duppa along “Swilling’s Ditch, dug right where evidence of mounds and weeds indicated a vanished race had made the desert bloom hundreds, or thousands , of years before.
And in 1870 the little town of Phoenix, Arizona, was born, christened after the Phoenix bird, "who rose from its own ashes"—perhaps the "ashes" of the ancient Ho Ho Kam. The town already had its horse drawn street railway with fare of 5^ (set by law and continued for 40 years), and it was served north and south by stagecoach. The automobile had appeared but most transportation was on foot, with bicycles and horse and buggy supplementing the streetcar.
Population explosion was not a problem; by 1890 there were 88,243 souls in the entire Arizona Territory, and in Phoenix, by then the State Capital, there were 3,152.
Not so long after that, Phoenix Lodge No. 335 of The Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks arrived on the scene.
CHARTER MEMBERS OF LODGE NO. 335
The charter for Phoenix Lodge No. 335 was applied for on February 24, 1896 and granted by the Grand Lodge in session July 7 to 12, 1896. It was on March 27, 1897 that Phoenix Lodge was ushered into Elkdom with the following original members, who signed the constitution and bylaws on that date:
Mark H. Heissman
A.M. Tuttle
Vic E. Hanny
Scott Helm
Hans Herlick
Perry M. Williams
T. J. Carrigan
J. M. Dowsing
O. E. Robbins
Otto Waldick
Sam Levi
J. M. Ford
S. J. Michelson
J. B. Kraber
W. E. Doty
P. B. Field
Ben M. Crawford
Fred D Schofield
H. E. Stroud
E. D. Ruppert
J. E. Teeter
Ira P. Smith
S. W. Bayley
C. F. Morrell
Frank H. Hughes
Robert F. Doll
G. H. hirschfield
L. J. Wood
The first meetings of the Lodge were held in the old Monahan Building, then for a time in City Hall, and then in various office buildings.
The address, 324 West Washington, means to Elks, of course, their home. For in 1905 this building and theater were purchased by Lodge No. 335 for $18,000, and it came to be known as "Elks Theater". It was both a theater and a Lodge Home.
By April of 1936 the Elks Home at 324 West Washington was being thoroughly remodeled at a cost of over $40,000. It was July 3, 1936 that, according to the Lodge's newsletter, "Elks Tracks" of that month, "Phoenix will be presented with its latest and most modern sound picture theater, the "Phoenix", located in the Elks Home on West Washington Street . . . The former Elks' Theater, for many years the bright spot for stage productions in Phoenix, has been completely remodeled and thoroughly modernized and reopened as one of the finest theaters in the southwest . . ."
Elks Tracks details the description inside and out: ". . . modernistic refinish in white plaster . . . ground floor faced with green, tan and black structural glass . . . foyer enlarged and redecorated . . . modern fireproof projection booth . . . new fireproof screen and stage . . . interior walls lined with acoustical gypsum blocks which will produce the finest sound efects in Phoenix . . . latest R.C.A. Photophone sound equipment . . . the latest word in dry cooling . . .
"Popular prices will prevail . . . Matinees will be 16 cents, with 16 cents and 21 cents after five o'clock ..." and "bargain shows on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, 11 cents, children 10 cents at all times."
The Grand Opening Party lasted all night and was remembered for years to come.
Operators of the Phoenix Theater were the Diamos Brothers.
Remodeling of the club and lodge rooms continued through the fall months. In October the Theater inaugurated a 15 cents rate for "all Elks ladies presenting identification cards the night the men meet."
By December of 1936, the Lodge announced its "First Annual Canned Foods Show" on a Saturday morning, when "a picture suitable for children" was shown, with admission being a can of food for the Elks Christmas baskets. This custom continued through the years.
Phoenix Lodge continued to use this building until their move to the present home at 44th Street and Thomas Road. The mortgage on the Washington Street building had been paid off with another all night celebration . . . "the burning of the mortgage" . . . March 29, 1928.
By 1940, however, more space was needed, and in 1941 the second floor of an adjacent building (3600 square feet of floor space) was leased for ten years and a passageway built through the dividing wall.
THE NEW PROPERTY . . .
On December 15, 1949 the Lodge approved purchase of the first ten acres at 44th Street and Thomas Road for a price of $23,250.00. Subsequently, the additional purchases brought the total holdings of the Lodge at this location to 22V2 acres.
On August 31, 1950 the first construction at the new site was approved: a club building to cost not more than $23,000, plus $1,100 for the concrete slab for the patio. This new facility was dedicated on March 3, 1951.
Construction of the swimming pool was approved on April 23, 1951 at a cost not to exceed $45,650.
700 feet frontage onThomas Road, to a depth of 240 feet, for a purchase price of $300,000. The Lodge then voted to impound all proceeds from this sale for building construction and remodeling. On October 6, 1966 the Lodge authorized construction of the new Lodge Hall and remodeling of the existing building, at a cost of $324,500.00. Dedication ceremonies for these new facilities took place Friday and Saturday, September 1 and 2, 1967. FLAG DAY FLAG DAY . . . June 14 ... is the anniversary of the day in 1777 when the Flag of the United States was adopted. In 1916 President Woodrow Wilson issued a proclamation calling for observance of a day to "Honor the Flag". In 1949 President Truman signed a joint resolution of Congress providing that Flag Day be proclaimed each year as a nation-wide observance. For years ceremonies were held by Lodge 335 in the Lodge Hall on West Washington Street, after which a march to the old Library Park, 13th Street and West Washington, would take place for an outdoor presentation to a larger audience. The Lodge also takes part in the annual memorial service for war dead at Sun City Bowl, "The Massing of the Colors," which is also participated in by veterans' organizations and others under sponsorship of the Military Order of the World Wars. This year the Lodge inaugurated another outstanding annual event, "Law and Order Night," held January 20, 1971, to honor outstanding Arizona Highway Patrolmen and Phoenix Police. Awards were given to individuals, and checks supplied for memorial funds of law officers who gave their lives in public service. In May the Lodge participates in the annual Law Day observance, having speakers on Law Day at the regular Lodge sessions. An in June the Lodge sponsors Naturalization Ceremonies; in the U.S. District Court, Phoenix, in cooperation with other organizations. The Lodge presents each new citizen with an American Flag. Another outstanding activity in the Americanism program is participation in the annual Eagle Scouts Awards Banquet. It this program, Lodge No. 335 presents each new Eagle Scout with a certificate and a new American Flag. When an Americanism Committee was established within the Lodge several years ago, Flag Day became a part of this committee's responsibilities. As the years went by a collection of state flags was completed and displayed, and this with the recounting of the story of the Flag from 1777 to the present, made a beautiful and moving ceremony for the ever widening TV audience. This year, 1971, in addition to presenting the ceremony on Channel 12, the Americanism Committee also managed to display the Elks collection of state flags for a Flag Day program of the D.A.R. and the Tempe Elks Lodge. During the World War II years, the charity emphasis seemed to be even more on the needs of children. It was also broadened and stepped up to include numerous activities on behalf of service men and women.An especially successful activity was the payment of a weekly salary for a handicraft instructor at the Avondnlo Farm Labor Supply Center during the war, where a large number of children of agricultural workers were given the means of learning to make things they liked with their own hands. This activity was carried on with the cooperation of' the Save the Children Federation. Its success became known in other places and this kind of help "snow balled" around the country.
Even before the war was over the Lodge had made Its contributions to anticipated veterans' needs. The "Eyes-for-Heroes" Foundation fund (providing seeing eye dogs for blind veterans) received substantial aid. The war also increased contributions to such activities as , the Nurses Ambulance Unit, the outfitting of . 11 I" mi. hospitals, and (while racial segregation was still apart of the Phoenix scene) contributions to the Colored service Men's Center for rugs and furniture. The soldiers of the 9th Service Command at the Prisoner of War Camp in Papago reported: "The cooler is simply perfect. The men are flocking to the Service Club every chance they get to.enjoy the cool breeze put out by the cooler." The greatest World War II honor the Lodge received was picture of a medium bomber, christened “Spirit of Phoenix Elks Lodge”. It was formally presented on February 17, 1944 by the U>S> Treasury Department in response to the Lodge’s sale of $260.000 of bonds in the Third War i Many of the Lodge's social affairs in those days became Bond selling affairs, and many of the regular charity events •also included bond rallies as rallies as well. They also kept the also kept the dollars pouring into such additional war-related activities as a$6,000 Servicemen’s Aid Fund for Lodge members returning From the service, coolers for the WAACS at Williams field, Blood Bank contributions, headphones for patients the U.S. Naval Hospital in San Diego, day room furnishings for U.S. Coast Guard at Luke Field, promotion of enlistment campa Even before the war was over the Lodge had made Its contributions to anticipated veterans' needs. The "Eyes-for-Heroes" Foundation fund (providing seeing eye dogs for blind veterans) received substantial aid. The war also 
MONEY RAISED FROM SALE . . On July 7, 1966 the Lodge voted to sell approximely
This day was first observed by Elks in 1907, when the Grand Lodge adopted a resolution urging all Lodges to observe the day. In 1911 such observance was made mandatory upon every Lodge by the Grand Lodge.
After Encanto bandshell was built, the Elks' annual Flag Day ceremony attracted a capacity audience every year, until, alas the advent of TV. Then, according to Elks Tracks, the members decided philosophically: "If you can't beat 'em, join 'em!" And they moved the whole ceremony to Channel 12, which presented the program free as a public service. That was in 1958, and the Flag Day program has been presented by Channel 12 every year since.
Bond Drive.
igns in the SPARS AND WAVES, mass mailing of gift boxes for those in service, collectiong rubber for funds to be used in the USO center, sponsoring of the refresher aviation service for scholastic reasons.
