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HISTORY OF FRIENDSHIP LODGE

Part 2

The first member raised in Friendship Lodge was William Henry Haley on December 18th, 1901.

On December 31, 1904, the members voted to purchase the Hiller Tower Building, the present lodge apartments. During 1905 extensive repairs and alterations were made, and the first meeting of the lodge in its new home was held on January 17, 1906. The building was dedicated by Most Worshipful Grand Master John Albert Blake and Grand Lodge Officers on February 21, 1906.

A brief resume of the early financial transactions of the lodge given by Worshipful Brother Harriman at the Annual Meeting, in December 1920, follows:

Friendship Lodge started its financial structure with $46.00, contributed by its members. At the close of its first year, the cash balance was $8.44. To pay for the Hiller Tower Building, the members subscribed $1725, receiving in return, notes at 5% interest. For repairs, alterations, etc., $3300 was raised by a mortgage on the real estate. In 1910, it was found necessary to borrow $1000.00 more, on a second mortgage. This was paid in full in March 1918. The last payment on the first mortgage, $400.00 was paid in 1920, and the mortgage burned by Right Worshipful Brother Hill, at the Annual Meeting of that year.

Following the burning of the mortgage, a banquet in the lower hall was tendered Worshipful Brother Harriman, retiring Treasurer, who served from January 1909 to January 1921, and to Right Worshipful Brother Hill, retiring Secretary, he having served from January 1906 to January 1921. A bounteous dinner, gifts to the retiring officers, addresses by Right Worshipful Fredrick L. Putnam, Right Worshipful Robert W. Oliver and Worshipful Guy Ham, singing and music by an orchestra made up an enjoyable evening.

The social activities of the lodge during the early days consisted principally of fairs, ladies nights, dances and card parties, which were very successful and added materially to the lodge treasury.

Visits by members to Thomas Talbot Lodge, Billerica; Mount Horeb Lodge, Woburn; and Good Samaritan Lodge in Reading, were frequent, and made principally by horse and buggy, or trolley.

On December 19, 1906, Worshipful William L. Kelley presented the Lodge with a gavel made from a piece of the original wood taken from the United States Ship Constitution , expressing the wish that it be used only when the Master opens his lodge on entering and closing the lodge when retiring from office. The lodge voted to accept the gavel, with thanks, and to respect his wishes by considering them a condition of its acceptance.

Although taken as a matter of course in today s life, the installation of electric lights in the summer of 1913, thereby replacing the kerosene lamps; town water in 1935, when the hand pump in the kitchen was retired, and the purchase of the present organ in the Fall of 1926, at a cost of $2691.00, were important events and added to the comfort and pride of the members. The expenditure of the latter sum was no small item in those days. Credit should here be given to the Officers and members of Acacia Chapter N. 80, Order of the Eastern Star, for their liberal contributions toward the cost of the organ.

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