List of fraternal auxiliaries and side degrees

Fraternal orders often have "side degrees", auxiliaries or appendant (as opposed to primary). Some of these are created as female "sister organizations", youth organizations or side degrees proper which are organizations associated with or within the larger organization.

AHEPA

The American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association or AHEPA, has three auxiliaries[1]

Ancient Order of United Workmen

Elks

The Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks banned auxiliaries and side degrees in 1907, but unofficial female and youth auxiliaries have still been founded at the local level. Furthermore, female auxiliaries are recognized by the Elks of Canada and the African-American Improved Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks of the World[3]

  • Antlers - for young men under 21. Despite the ban on auxiliaries the creation of this youth group was approved by the Grand Lodge session of 1927, though it had been operating at the local level in San Francisco since 1922. After the membership declined during World War II, the Grand Lodge deleted all reference to the Antlers in its Constitution and Statutes.[3][4]
  • Benevolent and Protective Order of the Does - unofficial female Auxiliary operating at the local level.[5][6]
  • Lady Elks - unofficial female Auxiliary operating at the local level.[5]
  • Order of Royal Purple - Canadian female auxiliary, open to women over 18 who have a close male family member who is an Elk[5]
  • Daughters of the Improved Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks of the World - official auxiliary of the African American version of the order.[7]
  • Emblem Club of the United States of America - founded in 1926 as an organization of female relatives of Elks. Effectively operates as the Elks unofficial auxiliary.[5][8]
  • Sons of Idle Rest - founded in the 1890s, this was a side degree of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. Its purpose was largely "recreative" and for the elaboration of ceremony.[9] Attempts to trace the organization in the early 1920s were in vain.[10]

Foresters
  • Junior Foresters of America - organization for youths 12–18 years of age, attached to the Foresters of America. Also said to be an outgrowth of the English Juvenile Foresters.[11]
  • Knights of Sherwood Forest - an appendant degree of the Foresters of America established in 1879 in St. Louis. It was described as both a "benevolent" as well as a semi-military or uniformed group within the Foresters. It was recognized as the second level degree for the organization at the Philadelphia Subsidiary High Court in 1883. At the time the Knights numbered some 1,700 in 50 Subordinate Conclaves governed by a Supreme Conclave of the World.[12] It was extinct by the early 1920s.[13]

Freemasonry

Shriners
  • Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, now known as the Shriners International
    • Royal Order of Jesters - an invitation only organization open to Shriners.
    • Daughters of the Nile - This organization was founded in Seattle on February 20, 1913 and was originally meant for the wives, daughters, sisters, mothers and widows of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine.[15] Today it is open to women 18 and older who are related by birth or marriage to a Shriner, Master Mason, or Daughter of the Nile, or is a majority member in Good Standing of a Masonic-related organization for girls; or who was a patient, with or without Shrine or Masonic relationship, at a Shriners Hospital for Children.[16] Like the other female groups related to the Shriners, they focus their work on the Shriners Children's Hospitals, including raising millions of dollars through their endowment funds, volunteering at the hospitals, sewing quilts and clothes and donating toys, games and educational materials.[17]
    • Ladies Oriental Shrine of North America - The first court of this women's Shrine related organization was founded in Wheeling, West Virginia in 1903. After two other courts were formed, a national organization was formed on June 24, 1914.[18] However, the LOSNA did not become legally incorporated until 1954. Unlike many male fraternal orders, the LOSNA grew in membership in the latter decades of the 20th century. They had 24,000 members in the mid-1960s, 30,000 members in the mid-1970s and 32,000 in 1994.[19] Today they claim 16,000 members in 76 Courts across North America. Membership is open to women who are at least 18 years old, related to a Noble of Shriners International, or a Master Mason by birth, marriage or adoption or be sponsored by two members of the Ladies' Oriental Shrine of North America. Local organizations are called Subordinate Courtd are headed by a High Priestess. The overall organization is the Grand Council headed by a Grand High Priestess.[18]
    • Shrine Guilds of America - Founded in 1947 by the wives of Shriners of the Murat Temple of Indianapolis.[20] The group currently has 14 local Guilds, located mostly in Indiana and Florida, and concentrates its work on helping the Shriners Hospitals for Children, particularly educating children during their time at the hospital. Membership is open to the wives and widows of Shriners.[21] Local Guild presidents are called Maharanees.[22] The president of the Imperial Council of Shrine Guilds of America is denoted the Imperial Maharanee.[21]
  • Ancient Egyptian Arabic Order Nobles Mystic Shrine of North and South America and Its Jurisdictions - an African American version of the order, founded by a group of Prince Hall Masons in 1893 in Chicago.[23]

Other Masonic side degrees

Kiwanis
  • Aktion Club - for people with disabilities
  • Kiwaniannes - former female auxiliary of the Kiwanis, before women were allowed into the main club in 1987. Some still exist at local level

Youth and schools

Knights of Columbus

Knights of Pythias
  • Dramatic Order of the Knights of Khorassan
    • Nomads of Avrudaka - a female auxiliary to the Dramatic Order of the Knights of Khorassan.[32]
  • Knights of the Orient - Also known as the Ancient Order of the Knights of the Orient[33] or the Orientals.[34] This was a side degree conferred "mostly" to the Knights of Pythias. The professed aim of the order was to "improved the condition of mankind". It also claimed that in the Order there was no discrimination on the basis of political or religious belief, or of wealth.[35] Its ritual was discovered and published by the National Christian Association, as well as in Peter Rosens' The Catholic church and secret societies. The head of a local lodge was called a Grand Chief Orient; other officers were the Grand Vice Orient, Grand Prophet (chaplain) and Grand Marshall.[36] A splinter group called the Ancient Order of the Sanhedrims broke from this in 1895 and offered a benefit to members of "some secret societies in good standing".[37]

Maccabees

Odd fellows
  • Junior Lodges
  • Daughters of Rebekah
    • Theta Rho Girls
    • Ladies of the Orient - Originally an appendant body for the Rebekahs but now operating independently.
  • Ancient Mystic Order of Samaritans - Negotiations between the Imperial Order of Muscovites and the Oriental Order of Humility and Perfection for a merger began as early as 1917. By 1923 plans were drawn up as to how the orders were to be amalgamated and this was officially commenced in August 1924 when they formed the United Order of Splendor and Perfection. However this group was beset by internal strife and was reorganized the next year as the Ancient Mystic Order of Samaritans.[39] While never officially recognized by the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, it has been acknowledged unofficially. In 1995 it had 3,953 members. Has two degrees, Humility and Perfection. Officers include Supreme Kalifah, Supreme Ali-Baba and Supreme Muezzin. Publishes the quarterly AMOS Realm[40][41]
  • Ancient Mystic Order of Cabirians - merged with the rest in 1924.[42]
  • Imperial Order of Muscovites
  • Knights of Oriental Splendor -
  • Veiled Prophets of Baghdad - reported active in 1922,[43] merged with the rest in 1924.[42]
  • Oriental Order of Humility and Perfection - began in the 1880s as simply the "Oriental" side degree in Ontario, Canada. It was organized into a "Grand Orient of Oriental Order of Humility and Perfection" on August 13, 1901, with the approval of the existing "sanctorums". It was incorporated in New York state on February 5, 1919 and began to grow in the United States.[44] Its motto was "We never sleep" and advanced members were awarded the "Sheik" degree, which allowed them to wear a red tassel on their fez. The ritual of the Order was based on the life of Xerxes I, son of Darius I of the Ancient Persian Empire.[39]

Redmen

Woodmen

Other groups

References
  1. Axelrod p.4
  2. Preuss p.129
  3. Axelrod pp.76-7
  4. Schmidt, Alvin J. Fraternal Organizations Westport, CT; Greenwood Press p.44 Schmidts main source is "The Antlers" in James R. Nicholson and Lee A. Donaldson, History of the Order of Elks 1969. The source for the continued existence of the Antlers after 1946 was reported to be an Elks official to whom he had spoken. The text of the relevant portion of the 1907 resolution is on p.109
  5. Axelrod p.77
  6. Schmidt p.93
  7. Axelrod p.76
  8. Schmidt pp.109–10
  9. Stevens, Albert Clark, 1854- The Cyclopædia of Fraternities: A Compilation of Existing Authentic Information and the Results of Original Investigation as to More than Six Hundred Secret Societies in the United States (New York: Hamilton Printing and Publishing Company), 1899, p.284
  10. Preuss, Arthur A Dictionary of Secret and other Societies St. Louis: B. Herder Book Co. 1924 pp.440-1
  11. Preuss p.207
  12. Stevens p.233
  13. Preuss p.229
  14. Axelrod p.11
  15. My Memoirs of the Daughters of the Nile by Mable R. Krows, s.p., s.n. 1951 pp.2-3
  16. "Who We Are and What We Do DAUGHTERS OF THE NILE WORKING TOGETHER FOR THE CHILDREN WHO WE ARE". Archived from the original on 2011-12-01. Retrieved 2015-06-13.
  17. "Who We Are and What We Do DAUGHTERS OF THE NILE WORKING TOGETHER FOR THE CHILDREN WHAT WE DO". Archived from the original on 2011-12-01. Retrieved 2015-06-13.
  18. About the Ladies' Oriental Shrine of North America (LOSNA)
  19. Axelrod p.161
  20. About Shrine Guilds of America, Inc.
  21. Shrine Guilds of America
  22. Shrine Guild
  23. History
  24. Axelrod pp.110-1
  25. Christian Cynosure Vol. XLVII #11 March 1915 p.234
  26. Bogdan, Henrik Western Esotericism and Rituals of Initiation Albany, SUNY Press, 2012 p.43
  27. Preuss p.283
  28. Axelrod p.6
  29. Cambridge Chronicle Vol. LXIX #18 May 9, 1914 p.3
  30. Sacred Heart Review Vol. L Number 13, 13 September 1913
  31. Sacred Heart Review Vol. L Number 11, 30 August 1913
  32. Schmidt p.180
  33. Preuss, p.45
  34. Stevens pp.229, 284 On the latter page Stevens states that this side degree was "formerly" used by the Knights of Pythias
  35. Preuss, pp.45, 238
  36. Rosen, Peter The Catholic church and secret societies Milwaukee : Cannon Printing 1903 pp.248-52
  37. Preuss, p.45, Stevens pp.229, 284 On the latter page Stevens only uses the term "Orientals", which Preuss takes to mean the same group
  38. Axelrod p.183
  39. Fez Museum
  40. Axelrod p.221
  41. Approximate Timeline of Odd Fellows Social Organization Mergers
  42. Magical Fraternities of Marin
  43. Lawrence Journal-World Jun 22, 1922 p.8
  44. Preuss pp.386-8
  45. Axelrod p.114
  46. Axelrod p.217
  47. Axelrod p.264
  48. Axelrod p.265
  49. Axelrod p.175
  50. Preuss, p.385
  51. Axelrod p.28
  52. Preuss p.267
  53. Preuss p.518

Further reading
  • Axelrod, Allan International Encyclopedia of Secret Societies and Fraternal Orders New York; Facts on File, inc 1997
  • Preuss, Arthur A Dictionary of Secret and other Societies St. Louis: B. Herder Book Co. 1924
  • Schmidt, Alvin J. Fraternal Organizations Westport, CT; Greenwood Press 1980
  • Stevens, Albert Clark, 1854- The Cyclopædia of Fraternities: A Compilation of Existing Authentic Information and the Results of Original Investigation as to More than Six Hundred Secret Societies in the United States (New York: Hamilton Printing and Publishing Company), 1899,
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