Job’s Daughters: Molding traditional values in today’s world

It is an organization rich in heritage and tradition with origins from right here in Nebraska.

Omaha to be exact, the organization is Job’s Daughters, founded by Ethel T. Wead Mick in 1920.

She established Job’s Daughters for young women between the ages of 10 and 20 naming the organization afterJob’s three daughters in honor of her deceased mother.

As a child Mick’s mother read her stories from the Bible’s book of Job, it was her beloved memories and love of the book’s teachings that inspired her to build the organization upon the 42nd chapter and 15th verse of Job.

According to the official Job’s Daughters International website, Mick’s ideology was to “band together young girls with Masonic relationship for character building through moral and spiritual development by teaching a greater reverence for God and the Holy Scriptures: loyalty to the Flag and the Country for which it stands, and respect for parents and Guardians.”

It is unknown if Mick could foresee her organization becoming an international group, however it did, and today Job’s Daughters has a branch established in several different countries.

In the mists of its success, and continuation, the organization has been seen by many as shrouded in secrecy and exclusivity.

Where the latter may be correct to an extent, the secrecy is a misconception according to Guardian Secretary Deb Oliverius and Director of Epochs Denis Huson, after all if one is interested all they need to do is look online.

However, Oliverius did admit there was a few things that are held to just the members, “The ritual is open for anyone to read, there are some secret things the girls do, like we have some emblems they recognize and the meaning behind them, and a handshake, otherwise there is nothing secretive about what we do or who we are. It’s all in the ritual and that is open for anyone to look at.”

Huson added, “I think that is just to keep to tradition and make it a club exclusively to them (the girls).”

Both women said any adult with a daughter that has been asked to join that has doubts or misunderstandings about what the organization is about, the doors are always open to them, however, the girls are not allowed to sit in at a meeting until they are members.

Both women are active and have daughters active in the Sidney Bethel that was established in 1932.

For the women and their daughters being a part of Job’s Daughter, Oliverius said is a way for the girls to learn “strength, humility, to do to others as you want done to you and to be able to hold their head high through whatever it is that ales them.”

The reason this certain book of the Bible is so important to this organization, in particularly the verse in which Mick founded Job’s Daughter on, is because it holds women in the same regard as it does men, as equals and with a certain empowerment, according to Huson and Oliverius.

“The daughters were given equality,” Huson explained. “If you are going to form a woman’s organization, it (the verse) was for woman, based on the Bible but very true to today.”

Because this certain verse and book of the Bible is so important, the girls are required to “explain the book of Job in their own words. How Job’s life was a challenge and how he had an adversary and how to the overcome those trials and tribulations,” Oliverius said.

She further explained that the girls then learn how to apply this into their own life, “in an upright manor and not below them,” but in a way that the girls cans still, “hold their heads up and be strong.”

Both women believe that having their daughters involved within this organization has benefited them greatly, instilling in the young women as sense of pride in themselves and as women.

The perceived exclusivity of the organization is shaky at best, Oliverius says that if in any part of a girl’s family tree there is a Mason, even if it is a “great, great uncle” as it was for her daughters, and a young lady is asked she may join Job’s Daughters.

“It can be a Mason relationship anywhere,” in the family tree Oliverius said.

“And as far back as you can get,” Huson added.

Oliverius said the internet has greatly helped some out with finding Masonic heritage within the family tree.

Huson explained how her daughters and she became a part of the Job’s Daughters, “Haley had friends that were in Job’s Daughters and they invited her to be in it, and we found out Steve’s dad was a Mason. So with my daughters being a part of Job’s Daughters I decided to be a part of it too.”

Oliverius’ story was similar, “My daughter Katie was asked to join, and we found our Mason heritage.

“Other than being related to a Mason there is no other connection necessary,” Oliverius said in reference to the Masonic relationship. “We have definite different rituals and things like that; we are not the Masons we are just related to Masons.”

But like the Masons the requirement to believe in God, no matter the religious background, is a must.

There is a hierarchy within the organization, with an elected Queen who holds the majority of the responsibility for organizing group activities and meetings.

There are 18 members, the women said, and it is the girls who choose the elected positions within the Bethel.

Huson’s daughter Kate holds the title of Queen, a position she said is teaching her daughter a great deal of responsibility.

Kate is one of three girls who wears a robe and represents the three daughters of Job, the other two are the Senior Princess and Junior Princess.

Under the three are officers, of which Oliverius said, “They will hopefully eventually be recognized for their hard work and dedication and be moved up as well.”

The hierarchy, according to Oliverius, is just a part of a tradition they follow.

Huson said it also gives the younger members just joining something to be excited for and look forward to.

However, the organization is not just about meetings and responsibility the girls involved in this group participate in competitions, according to Oliverius this competition takes place at a gathering called Grand Session.

The girls are given parts to play during this Grand Session, both individually and as a group.

“There is music, there’s vocal, signing, and then there is individual parts,” Oliverius named a few of the parts the girls learn prior to the gathering.

There is also a competition to see who will become the Miss Job’s Daughter each year.

This last year a Job’s Daughter from Sidney was honored as being Nebraska’s Miss Job’s Daughter, Kaylee Jenkins.

“It’s kind of like a pageant,” Oliverius said.

Much as the other pageants each chosen Miss Job’s Daughter from each state is eligible to compete for the big title – the international Miss Job’s Daughter title.

“All the girls from all the states compete internationally,” Huson said, “for that position as well,last year’s was from Brazil.”

Through all the competition and all the responsibility the girls learn they become like a sorority.

“It’s a real sisterhood for the girls too, they really bond through this and are very, very close,”Huson said.

“Because of our Masonic heritage as well as the Bethels in the state, we do state activities. They learn sisterhood not only within their Bethel but other Bethels throughout the state,” Oliverius said.

Because the group is international the girls are also able to form kinships with other, outside the state, Bethels, but Oliverius said the Sidney branch stays pretty well within this state due to the expense of traveling.

Another aspect the girls participate in is through philanthropic activities.

“We do fundraising for our H.I.K.E program, which is the Hearing Impaired Kids Endowment, and is for children would not otherwise have hearing aids so it teaches them how to give back,” Oliverius said.

No matter the activity Job’s Daughters are participating in Huson and Oliverius believe this organization shows their girls that old fashioned values within society are still very important – though both actions and words as leaders among their peers.