Degree teams and blackballs

By Norris Dearmon
For the Kannapolis Citizen
From the early years until even now, Kannapolis has had fraternal organizations. In pictures of the first parades in Kannapolis, organizations were Woodmen of the World (WOW), the Redmen and Patriotic Order Sons of America (POS of A). All are still active, mostly in the insurance industry of the organization. Regular monthly meetings are not usually held today.
The organizations first gathered in a meeting hall over Hoffman’s Cafe, on the northeast corner of Main and First streets. The fire of 1927 destroyed the hall, and it was moved to the second floor of the building on the southwest corner of Main and First streets, first called Church Street. The furniture for the officers to sit on was ornate, with a podium for the presiding officer. In the center of the hall was an altar-type of furniture for the chaplain. Most organizations had a strict form for conducting meetings.
Many of the organizations had what were called degree teams. The teams would shoulder some kind of instrument. The WOW shouldered axes, the Redmen shouldered some kind of Indian paraphernalia, such as a tomahawk or pole with multicolored feathers, and the POS of A had flags and two guns.
Generally, the teams did special maneuvers while marching or standing. In a photograph of the Woodmen of the World (shown above), the men are holding their axes in different forms. This picture is a new addition to the History Room of the Kannapolis Library, to our pictures of the organizations. Some of the others have already been published, but did not show the axes held in the manner shown here in 1926. This group was in attendance at one of their yearly state meetings.
In the early years, those who wanted to join the organizations had to be voted on by the members prior to their first attendance. To vote, each member had to select a black or white marble from a cache of marbles, held in a box with a handle and two hinged lids. In the center of the box was a partition with a hole in it for the members to insert their marble, referred to as a ball.
They would lift the first lid and select a marble. The member would then raise the second lid and insert the ball. Supposedly, no one could see which marble the member selected.
If someone did not want the person to join, they would insert the black ball. Thus the term “blackball” became known. If a prospect received just one blackball, they could not join. He was blackballed. The members often had a lot of fun with someone being blackballed and would then discuss the new prospect at length and have another vote. On the second vote, most of the time there would not be a blackball unless there was a real problem with the prospect.
Often when a new member joined, there was an initiation at their first meeting. Part of the initiation was a lot of fun and harmless, asking only a few very personal questions. Sometimes things were physical, such as dancing the jig. One of the funniest parts was, the member was shown a box with a whirligig on one side and a few holes on the other. The person was asked to see if he could make the whirligig turn by blowing in the holes with a straw.
The further up the holes they went, the faster the gig would spin, until they reached the top. At that time, a powder would come out the very top hole into his  face. I do not think I should go into some of the other things they did.
About twice a year, the meetings were “eating meetings.” At times, they would have a covered dish. At other times, someone would make a big pot of chicken and noodles, another soup of some kind or oyster stew. A lot of items we think of today for meetings of that type were not known then. Often there would be 100 or more people at these meetings, including the entire family.
The Patriotic Order Sons of America is one of America’s oldest patriotic and fraternal organizations still in existence. It began on Dec. 10, 1802. The group’s motto is, “God, our Country and our Order.” When I turned 16, I joined the local lodge. When I was drafted into the service in 1942, I dropped out and never rejoined.
My dad, W.O. Dearmon, was a lifelong member. He was recognized for his leadership and devotion to the organization, both state and national. The local camp no longer exists.
The Woodmen of the World was founded on June 6, 1890. It is the largest fraternal benefit society with open membership in the United States. The insurance benefit can be very large, depending on the applicant. The parent organization provides matching funds to local lodges for relief, health, recreation and entertainment of members.
Norris Dearmon is a local historian. He is a member of the Kannapolis History Associates and volunteers in the History Room at the Kannapolis Library.