Runeberg Lodge Hangs On: Scandinavian Heritage Dies Hard in Norwood-October 8, 1976

An international organization named in honor of a poet must possess a distinct and enduring spirit. That certainly holds true for the Order of Runeberg, a social and fraternal ethnic group originally established by Finland-Swedes in 1921.

The Norwood branch came into being that exact same year. Named after the Finnish national poet Johan Ludvig Runeberg, the American lodges were created to give early Scandinavian immigrants a welcoming social sanctuary, a mutual aid network to help navigate an unfamiliar land, and a safety net for financial assistance when hard times struck.

Broadening Horizons and Membership Challenges

“Today Runeberg lodges are basically social in nature, though we still give scholarships,” explained Leonard J. McMullin, president of the Norwood lodge.

Over the decades, membership qualifications have naturally evolved. McMullin pointed out that he is of Irish descent—though his wife is Swedish—and noted that the Norwood lodge has previously welcomed a vice president of Scottish heritage, along with active Italian members. “Membership is now open to relatives and friends, regardless of ethnic background,” McMullin added.

In fact, the lodge is currently mounting an aggressive campaign to rebuild its shrinking numbers:

• Historical Peak: Membership soared to nearly 200 prior to 1930 before facing sharp declines during the Great Depression.
• Post-War Consolidation: Through strategic mergers with other area lodges during the 1950s and 1960s, the roster climbed back to 132 members by 1967.
• Present Day: Today, active membership stands at just 65.

“We don’t have many young members,” McMullin said ruefully, “and we need new blood to keep the Scandinavian culture alive here.” He paused, adding with a hint of melancholy, “Once the old timers go, our organization will die.”

A Fight for Survival Through Community Events

The lodge is fighting back by opening its doors and rolling out an active schedule of events at the lodge building on Wilson Street designed to attract fresh faces throughout the fall and winter seasons:

• Monthly dances held on the first Saturday of every month.
• Whist card parties on the second Wednesday of the month.
• Regular monthly meetings featuring guest speakers, live entertainment, or films.
• A special wine tasting party scheduled for November 19.
• Three traditional dinner-dances featuring authentic Scandinavian cuisine each year.
• A massive midsummer festival picnic held every June.
• Annual holiday festivities, including a children’s Christmas party and a festive New Year’s Eve gala.

To cast an even wider net across generations, leadership is also considering introducing ballroom dancing lessons, golf tournaments, and bowling nights.

Deep Roots in Temperance and Mutual Aid

Today’s lively social club is a far cry from the origins of the International Order of Runeberg, whose roots trace back to both the temperance movement and immigrant mutual aid.

The movement began in Worcester with a benefit society in 1889 and a temperance society in 1892. Both concepts quickly caught on and flourished across Michigan, Minnesota, and the West Coast where large communities of Scandinavian immigrants had settled. With the enactment of Prohibition, the original mandate for temperance societies vanished, paving the way for the two factions to merge nationally into the Order of Runeberg in 1921.

President McMullin dreams of returning to Norwood’s former glory days, when the local Runeberg Lodge boasted a proud male chorus that performed at cultural festivals and a bustling membership that eagerly gathered with friends and neighbors.

Presently, the Norwood lodge draws dedicated members and friends from well beyond town borders, including Dedham, Walpole, Needham, Medfield, Millis, Holliston, Quincy, Scituate, Weymouth, and Hanson.

“But we would like to have many more members, especially young people,” McMullin emphasized. “It is important to nurture ethnic culture and, besides, we have a good time.”

Archival Note: This article has been dynamically reconstructed from the original public record print archives of the Patriot Ledger