Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks

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Elks redirects here. For other meanings, see Elk.

Grand Lodge in Chicago, Illinois

The Benevolent and Protective Order of 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. Early members were members of 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. Current members are required to be U.S. citizens over the age of 21 and believe in God.

Deceased and otherwise absent lodge members are recalled each evening at 11 p.m. when 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 tolls 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 him by, the light of day sink heedlessly into the west. But ere the shadows of midnight shall fall, the chimes of memory shall be pealing forth the friendly message: To our absent members."

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.

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.

The national headquarters, known as the Grand Lodge, is at 2750 N. Lakeview Avenue, Chicago, Ill. Local Elks Lodges, known as subordinate lodges, are located in about 2,100 cities and towns across the United States and its territories (as of 2006).

The local Elks 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 meeting that delegates from the subordinate lodges vote on the next new Grand Exalted Ruler and conduct other items of business.

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." ^[1] ^[2] ^[3]

1 Local Lodge

[edit] Local Lodge

[edit] Chair Officers

Exalted Ruler
Esteemed Leading Knight
Esteemed Loyal Knight
Esteemed Lecturing Knight

[edit] 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.

[edit] In Popular Culture

In The Honeymooners, Ralph Kramden and Ed Norton are members of the Raccoon Lodge and in one episode they are both candidates to be voted the Raccoons' "Grand High Exalted Mystic Ruler". This is likely a parody of the Elks and the Shriners as well as The Mikado.
In The Flintstones, which takes much of its inspiration from The Honeymooners, Fred belongs to the Loyal Order of Water Buffaloes Lodge No. 26 with a "Grand Pooh-bah".
In The Simpsons episode "Homer the Great", Abraham Simpson claims to be a member of the Elks.
In Stephen King's The Dark Tower, Roland and Susannah come across a skeleton that is wearing a ring that identifies him as an Elk.
In Scene Nine of How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, during the act "Brotherhood of Man", with the lyrics "Now, you may join the Elks, my friend, and I may join the Shriners".
In Hunter S. Thompson's short 1990 essay "Tarred and Feathered at the Jersey Shore", included in his book Songs of the Doomed, he recalls of his time living in the abandoned coal mining town of Jersey Shore, Pennsylvania: "I had to join the goddamn Elks Club in order to get a drink there on weekends."
In The West Wing episode "The Women of Qumar", Rob Lowe's character Sam mentions that his father was an Elk.
In Curb Your Enthusiasm, Larry David lies about being "a moose and an elk" when trying to get a membership in a Protestant golf club.
In Take Me Out To The Ball Game, 1948. Frank Sinatra, Esther Williams, Gene Kelly, Betty Garrett.
- It’s strictly USA (reprise) Lyrics and music by Betty Comden, Adolph Green and Roger Edens

"Like the annual Elks convention... ...They're really here to stay; Cause it’s strictly USA." ^[4]

[edit] References

^ 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..."”
^ 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..."”
^ 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..."”
^ http://freemasonry.bcy.ca/fiction/cinema.html thanks to GL of BC&Y