Odd Fellows Picnic at Kelford, July 21, 1921

Odd Fellows Picnic. . . Third District Picnic Held at Kelford—Speaking, Dinner and Singing Class Concert Features

The Independent Order of Odd Fellows of the Third District of North Carolina held their second annual picnic at Kelford on Tuesday, the 12th day of July. The several lodges of the district were represented and a goodly number of citizens of the community were in attendance.

Grand Past Master W.F. Evans of Raleigh made the principal address. He portrayed the principles of Odd Fellowship most beautifully and made a profound impression for good on his hearers. He was introduced by Bro. H.M. Eure, pastor of the Methodist church of Rich Square.

Mr. C.O. Baird, manager of the Orphans Home of Goldsboro, was present and presented the alms and needs of the Home, which were received by his hearers with much interest. Rev. W.H. Hollowell, pastor of the Baptist church of Kelford, presented the aims of the picnic which the Third District Convention has decided to hold annual. Bro. Hollowell was at his best and delighted the crowd with the graphic description he gave of the work that the order was doing and intended to do in the third district.

After a sumptuous spread under the shade of the towering oaks of the beautiful school grounds of Kelford High School, of everything that was good to refresh the inner man, prepared by the good ladies of the third district, together with barbecue, Brunswick Stew, and numbers of other things too numerous to mention, the congregation repaired to the baseball diamond and witnessed the best ball game of the season, which was played by the home team and Edenton, the home boys being the winners.

However, the center of attraction of the day centered around the Singing Class from the Home at Goldsboro which arrived at Kelford that morning and gave their concert at night. It seems that whenever orphan children are present in this community everybody turns out to hear them. Many years ago the Masonic Lodge at Roxobel adopted the open door for the Singing Class Concerts and since then no admission fee has been charged at the concerts of the Orphan Singing Classes and when Kelford Lodge of Odd Fellows was organized and invited the Singing Class from Goldsboro it was decided to open the doors to all who wished to hear the class and take up a free will offering. This plan has been eminently successful and the collections and enthusiasm for orphan children grows each year.

From the front page of the Roanoke-Chowan Times, Rich Square, Northampton County, N.C., July 21, 1921. “Carolina, Carolina, Heaven’s Blessings Attend Her.