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State Deputy Pecot followed the policy of periodical
meetings with other state officers to plan activities. When the war hero,
General Ferdinand Foch, visited New Orleans in 1922, Mr. Pecot delivered
an address in French at a dinner tendered by leading Knights from
Louisiana and Mississippi, and directed activities in his honor. Joseph
Scott of Los Angeles, nationally noted member of the order, attorney and
lecturer, visited Louisiana for lectures in April, 1922, under auspices
of the Knights. Another national lecturer to come to the state that year
was Dr. J. A. Lapp of the Social Service Bureau of the National Catholic
Welfare Conference. Among his addresses was one at Jefferson College,
Convent, La., under the sponsorship of Gramercy Council.
In 1922, the youth movement under K. C. auspices was
crystallized into a tangible form, when New Orleans Council No. 714
organized a Junior group, known as William F. Davit Council for young men
between the ages of 14 and 18, intended for the physical development and
the spiritual and mental training of Catholic boys. The degree conferred
was that of Pagehood. The ritual was prepared by the late Guy J. Knobloch,
assisted by William J. Guste, Sr., Emile Wagner, Sr., arid Past State
Deputy Wegmann. The Juniors won immediate popularity, and at the beginning
of 1923, Santa Maria Council, Thibodaux and Franklin had applied for
membership blanks and sent committees to confer with the founders so that
they could institute Junior Councils in their Councils. The William F.
Davit Council held its first initiation on January 27, 1923, in Council
714 Hall at New Orleans. In the class were 14 boys from Lafayette. Jay R.
Schoen, District Deputy and later Grand Knight of Council 714, one of the
founders of the Juniors, became first Senior Adviser Algiers had an initiation on March 10, and Lafayette on March 17. On May
13, 1923, at the State Convention in Thibodaux, La., 65 Juniors were
initiated and a Junior Council was formed in that city. Other branches
were planned. The State Council meeting memorialized the Supreme Council
to adopt and extend nationally, the Junior Organization. Not long
afterwards, the Columbian Squires were organized by the national board,
and the existing Junior Councils in Louisiana became Columbian Squires
Circles.
By 1922, the quarterly Communion movement was widely
being followed by various Councils. New Orleans Councils started the
practice of having Holy Communion in the individual parishes of the
Knights, who received in a group. Some Councils in rural sections rotated
from one parish to another. For example, in July, 1922, more than 100
Knights of Lake Arthur, Welsh and Elton attended quarterly Communion at
Welsh. This was followed by a breakfast served by the Ladies Altar
Society. The next quarterly Communion was held at Lake Arthur, and so the
group changed from one center to another each quarter. This practice was
followed by a number of other Councils in various parts of the state.
Bishop Jeanmard attended the Communion of Franklin, Knights in October,
1921, when 125 received, and the Bishop offered the Mass.
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