Scottish Rite Masonic Museum & Library

Independent Order of Odd Fellows Centennial Lodge No. 178 WWI Honor Roll
ca. 1919
Maker not marked
USA
Paint on wood
overall: 34-1/2"h x 23"w x 1-1/4"d
Museum Purchase
2015.030.2

Independent Order of Odd Fellows Centennial Lodge No. 178 WWI Honor Roll. Rectangular with scalloped corners. Black at the top with a gold banner. Red circles inside the banner have gold letters spelling "Honor Roll." Below this is an eagle with a U.S. shield and a gold three-link chain. Gold initials read "I.O. / O.F." Painted in gold and red lettering is "Centennial Lodge 178 / Arthur I. Hunting / Clarence E. Fay George N. Buck / Leon A. Woodcock / Ralph O. Whitcomb Robert E. Lamb / Merton E. Stone / Howard B. Cutler Orrin E. Weston / Ira W. Stewart / Harold N. Keith Harold B. French / Ralph W. Smith / Chester B. Blodgett / Clarence E. Landy Harry W. Trask / Charles L. Rudolph / Ernest J. Oatway." Painted in black at the bottom is "1917-18." Birds are painted along the sides. At the bottom are two pink scallop shells and a striped shield in red, blue and yellow.

Centennial Odd Fellows Lodge No. 178 in West Boylston, Massachusetts, had this sign created to honor eighteen lodge members who fought in World War I, most in the Army. Before the war many of these men worked on farms and in factories. The group also included a doctor, a student and a college instructor. Most were in their twenties when they served overseas and in the United States. Member Harold N. Keith (1890-1918), whose name is listed here, was killed in action. Two of his fellow members were injured. Each survivor had to resume his life and occupation after his months or years in the service. For further information, see blog post, May 23, 2017, http://nationalheritagemuseum.typepad.com/library_and_archives/2017/05/new-to-the-collection-centennial-odd-fellows-lodge-no-178-world-war-i-honor-roll.html