Crime and Law-Suits 



The county is about normal in respect to the amount of crime com- 

 mitted. Each term of court averages about one murder case, and the 

 usual run of petty and grand larceny cases. Automobile-speeding has 

 furnished a considerable number of cases, especially in view of the auto- 

 mobile war waged between Maryland and the District of Columbia. 

 To an outsider, there would seem to be more than an ordinary amount 

 of litigation over property, but what this might argue for the temper 

 of the people we would not venture to say. 



ORGANIZATIONS 



The county is very unevenly organized, both as regards Secret Fra- 

 ternal Organizations and Open Organizations or Clubs. In this dis- 

 cussion, as elsewhere in this section, Sandy Spring is not considered nor 

 included in the totals for the Olney District, with the exception of the 

 Olney Grange, which is largely supported by Sandy Spring. 



Secret Fraternal Organizations 



The social importance of these societies is not usually very great; 

 in most of them the insurance feature is the most important aspect. 

 The attendance at their meetings is a small proportion of their member- 

 ship; for all lodges in the county not more than 15% of the member- 

 ship are in attendance at any given session. The total number of 

 local organizations is 29, representing 9 varieties, located in 12 dis- 

 tricts, with an aggregate membership of 1,744. Only one district, 

 Barnesville, is without one or more local branches; a number of the 

 residents of this District belong to lodges in adjoining districts. Tables 

 Nos. 14 and 15 (Appendix, pages IV and V), give the number of 

 organizations and aggregate membership, one by the kind of organ- 

 ization, and the other by districts. 



Open Fraternal Organizations or Clubs 



111 respect to these organizations, the county is much more unex'cnly 

 organized than is the case as regards Secret Societies. These, more- 

 o\-er, are of much greater social importance. Excluding certain organi- 

 zations which are of more than local importance (discussed in the suc- 

 ceeding paragraph); also three Country Clubs with a membership of 

 1,938, in the Bethesda District, which draw their patronage so largely 

 from without the county that we need not be concerned with them 

 here, there are 40 organizations (Tables Nos. 16 and 17, and following 

 note, Appendix, pages IV and V), having a total membership of 969 

 (including 3 Athletic Associations which have no definite memberhip); 

 the total average attendance is 580 (5 have no stated meetings). The 

 attendance of those having stated meetings is 71% of the membership. 



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