Second of a Series of Articles in a History of Lodges Located in Altoona.
ORGANIZED JANUARY 15, 1890, HAS 355 MEMBERS
Following is the second of a series of articles on the history of Altoona lodges:
A society that has done much for the Catholic young men of Altoona, and which plans to do much more, is the Young Men's Institute. With rooms in the McHale block, 1321 Eleventh avenue, Christopher Columbus council, which has 355 members. These hope to spread the scope of the organization and before many years to see the council in a beautiful home of its own. The building boom has been smouldering but is expected to break into flame again in the not-distant future, and to result in a home wherein the society can have a gymnasium and other features, in addition to what it already enjoys.
Columbus council was organized on January 15, 1890, and had a charter roll of fifty-five. Within a few months the organization will celebrate its twenty-second anniversary. William Davis was mainly responsible for the organization of the local branch. He returned to Altoona in 1889 from California, where he had joined the Institute. The society was then but five years old, so that the Altoona branch is only six years younger than the order itself.
Mr. Davis was a district deputy grand president at the time he organized the local council and initiated thirty-three members on the first night. The remainder were taken in within two weeks. The following officers were elected at the initial meeting: President, H. J. Davis; first vice president, Herman F. Ball; second vice president, Thomas Canty; recording secretary, P. W. Hudson; financial secretary, Charles A. Kelly; corresponding secretary, T. F. Conrad; treasurer, Charles A. Rigel; marshal, Joseph H. Butler; medical examiner, Dr. F. M. Christy; executive committee, L. A. McIntire, J. M. McIntosh, William Conrad, Thomas Gunn and Joseph J. Gehrdes; inside sentinel, Joseph Quinn; outside sentinel, Joseph McGarry; chaplain, Rev. Father N. J. O'Reilly.
The members other than officers initiated on the first night were: Charles J. Brammell, M. T. Neylon, John A. Craig, Hugh P. McTamany, Thomas Gill, Philip F. Reilly, Frank Cox, Anthony V. Early, Ralph A. Vaughn, John M. Rigel, James A. Smith, William R. Gilmartin, Charles A. Herr, John Garrity, H. J. Breth, Jesse Howarth and T. J. McCabe.
The rest of the charter members were taken in on January 22 and 31. In May of the same year the council rented the lodge room in the Lee building, Twelfth street between Eighth and Ninth avenues, acquiring its own furniture and sub-letting the rooms. The Institute had taken such a deep hold in Altoona that it was not long until a second council of the order, Carroll council, No. 132, was organized. As early as September, 1890, some members agitated a consolidation of the two councils.
P. H. Kelly and P. W. Hudson had the honor of being the first delegates of Columbus council to a grand convention of the order. They attended the meeting. held in Cincinnati, O., on July 4, 1890. On Sunday, July 13, 1890, the Y. M. I. made its first local appearance in public, turning out to the laying of the cornerstone of St. Mark's Catholic church.
The first death in the council was that of Philip Riley, who passed away on July 20, 1890.
The first year of the Altoona Y. M. I.'s history was so prosperous that not only were two councils organized but it was necessary to seek larger quarters twice. In the early fall the two councils took quarters in the Golden Eagle hall, Eleventh avenue and Thirteenth street. The councils were not content with merely having a meeting hall, but also wanted a place where they could meet for social recreation. On December 31, 1891, accordingly, they moved into the Plack building, on Eleventh street. The order moved into its present quarters in the McHale block in 1895.
In the latter part of 1895 and the early part of 1896 two more councils of the order were organized here and were known as Keystone council No. 299 and Tuigg council No. 465, respectively. Louis G. Hoover was mainly responsible for their inception. The council in the year 1896 reached the zenith of its career. On the occasion of the celebration of the semi-centennial of Blair county the councils had 600 men in line.
In the summer of 1898 the grand convention of the Pennsylvania jurisdiction was held here, and in 1909 the local institute members also had the pleasure of entertaining this convention. After the convention of 1898 the council reached a membership of 900.
In June, 1902, the local councils were consolidated and kept the name of the first organized branch. Thomas G. Herbert, the well known health officer, was the first president of the consolidated council and has been an active member ever since. Among those gentlemen who were most strongly in favor of consolidation were A. J. Bradley, F. P. Barron, F. A. Becker, P. M. Canty, Edward Kabello, James McDonnell, E. J. Dunphy and others. The other presidents since the consolidation, besides Mr. Herbert, have been William Donaghue, C. M. Fasic, P. P. Barron and David P. Putler, the present efficient presiding officer.
In 1903 the Prince Gallitzin degree was first established in the council and many members now belong to it.
The society is rapidly gaining back the great popularity it once held and will double its membership as soon as it gets its new home. It is called the Young Men's Institute, but has old and young blood in its ranks. It is hoped in time to broaden the scope of the association greatly and to give the young men everything they need to make them better mentally, physically, socially and morally.
The society already has excellent educational and social advantages, has as its principles the inculcation of a love for God and country. The order here has received the approbation of Rt. Rev. Eugene A. Garvey, bishop of the Altoona diocese of the Catholic church, in several public addresses.
Following are the present officers of the council:
President, David P. Butler; first vice president, Joseph C. Knepper; second vice president and historian, Edward W. McGarvey; recording secretary and council deputy grand president, J. Frank Wise; corresponding secretary, Daniel E. Finnegan; financial secretary, Albert J. Bradley; treasurer, James W. McDonnell; marshal, William J. Farrell; inside sentinel, Harry R. Miller; outside sentinel, Charles R. Flaugh; executive committee, Joseph A. Bailey, John J. Carlin, John Callaghen, John D. Doran, J. Manning Shelly; house committee, Thomas F. O'Hara, J. Leroy Kelly, Clarence J. Kimlin.
F. P. Barron, a member of the local council, is now grand treasurer of the Pennsylvania jurisdiction, and is a past grand secretary. Thomas G. Herbert is past grand president and past grand treasurer of the Pennsylvania jurisdiction.
Altoona Tribune, Altoona, Pa., Thursday, October 12, 1911, page 5