Test Your Odd Fellows IQ

The history of Odd Fellowship is long, deep and varied. Dozens upon dozens of books have been written about our ancient fraternal order. Whether you’ve been an Odd Fellow for one year, five years, or twenty years, there is always something new you can learn about our fraternity. And part of the fun of membership is the lifelong learning that takes place as we study and use the Codes, the Ritual, and the written and unwritten “rules” of IOOF.

How knowledgeable are you as an Odd Fellow? 

Well, let’s find out by testing your Odd Fellow I.Q. level.

Here’s a fun trivia quiz which will test the boundaries of your IOOF knowledge. There are 19 questions (an odd number, of course).  Answers follow below (don’t peek). Please answer the following questions based on your present knowledge of our Order – do not do any research (electronic or otherwise) to help you find answers. Good luck!

1. The man who is generally recognized as the founding father of Odd Fellowship in North America is _________________________.
2. In 2022, the minimum number of members to constitute a quorum to conduct business at a meeting of the Lodge is _________________________.
3. There are up to 5 elected officers in an Odd Fellows Lodge.   What is the maximum number of appointed officers in an Odd Fellows Lodge per our Ritual?
4. Can an associate member of a Lodge serve as Noble Grand of that Lodge?
5. Every degree has a color associated with that degree.   What is the official color of the First Degree in an Odd Fellows Lodge/
6. The highest degree in Odd Fellowship is conferred in the Patriarchs Militant.   What is this degree called?
7. After a vote is taken on an agenda item at a meeting, may any member of the Lodge, later in the meeting, move to reconsider the vote on that agenda item?
8. In what year did membership in Odd Fellows Lodges open up to women?
9. In 2022, what is the minimum age when a person can join a Lodge of Odd Fellows?
10. Odd Fellowship was the first fraternal order to admit women when it created the Rebekah Degree (then called Daughters of Rebekah).   Who was the Odd Fellow who is regarded as most instrumental in the creation of the Rebekah Degree?
11. Only members of the Encampment may wear this headgear.    What is the headgear called, and what color is it?
12. The highest-ranking officer in the Grand Lodge of a state or province has this title:    _____________________________.
13. The meeting agenda provided in the Ritual (the red charge book) of Odd Fellows must be strictly followed and cannot be varied or altered.   True or false.
14. To be admitted as a member of an Odd Fellows Lodge, an applicant must be voted on using “ball ballots” and five “no” votes will prevent the applicant from being admitted into membership.   True or false.
15. Odd Fellowship in North America celebrated its 200th anniversary in which year?
16. For one point, please identify what the following initials mean to an Odd Fellow (you must get all three correct to earn the point):  PGM, IG, and CB.
17. If a Lodge does not have a Financial Secretary, which officer performs the duties of the Financial Secretary?
18. How many official passwords exist, cumulatively, for all the degrees in an Odd Fellows Lodge?
19. To officially end a meeting of an Odd Fellows Lodge, the Noble Grand announces, “I declare this Lodge closed” and raps his gavel.  After that, one more thing must happen before the meeting is officially adjourned.    What must happen?

Add up your correct answers.

• If you got 17-19 correct, you are truly an Odd Fellow Superstar – you are indeed, a true Odd Fellow.
• If you got 14-16 correct, you have great depth and breadth of IOOF knowledge – you are an exceptional Odd Fellow.
• If you got 10 -13 correct, your knowledge level is above-average.   Keep up the good work, but you have lots to learn.
• If you got 8 to 9 correct, you should start your lifelong learning today.
• If you got 6 to 7 correct, you might consider keeping this score to yourself.
• If you got 5 or less correct, we shall not speak of this again.

F – L – T

Dave Rosenberg
Past Grand Master
Jurisdiction of California
Independent Order of Odd Fellows (I.O.O.F.)

Here are the answers to the 19 questions

1. Thomas Wildey.
2. Five.
3. 13:  Right Supporter of the Noble Grand, Left Supporter of the Noble Grand, Right Supporter of the Vice Grand, Left Supporter of teh Vice Grand, Right Scene Supporter, Left Scene Supporter, Warden, Chaplain, Color Bearer, Conductor, Musician, Inside Guardian, Outside Guardian. (If you answered 14 and included the “Outside Conductor” – a position used only in initiations – you are also correct. And if you answered 15 and also included the “Acting Past Grand”, you get the point as well.)
4. Yes.
5. Pink.
6. The Degree of Universal Justice.
7. No. Pursuant to the rules of parliamentary procedure, only a member who voted in majority on the original motion may move to reconsider.
8. 2001.
9. 16.
10. Schuyler Colfax.
11. Fez.   The color is royal purple with a golden tassel.
12. Grand Master.
13. False.  The agenda is a guideline, not mandatory.
14. False.  To reject requires a majority of “no” votes.
15. 2019.
16. Past Grand Master, Inside Guardian, Color Bearer.
17. Secretary (If you used the term “Recording Secretary” you are also correct.)
18. In an Odd Fellows Lodge there are five passwords.  Each of the four degrees has its own permanent password.  In addition, the Grand Master of the jurisdiction creates an annual or “check” password.
19. The Vice Grand must rap his/her gavel.