
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: FRIDAY, April 13, 1990                   TAG: 9004130136
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL                    PAGE: A4   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: PHILADELPHIA                                LENGTH: Short

CLUB LIKES TO MEET ON BAD DAY

Superstitions generally cast Friday the 13th into a bad luck day for the so-called "triskaidekaphobics" who fear it, but the number 13 also has some good signs.

In this Liberty Bell city the 13 colonies declared independence, and the 13-letter slogan "E Pluribus Unum" is placed on U.S. coins.

Also Philadelphia is the headquarters for the Friday the 13th club, founded 54 years ago by 13 men, limits membership to 13 and only meets on Friday the 13th. "We replace members only when someone dies or leaves town," member Arthur Klein said.

Today, the club will gather at 8:13 a.m. in a warehouse where chairman Max Buten has assembled some ladders to walk under. The members also will open black umbrellas, break mirrors and spill salt.

Scared?

"Not us," Klein said.

"Hey, we've been meeting every Friday the 13th, and nothing's stopped us yet." There's a target date for stopping, though. The last scheduled meeting, according to the club's charter, is Friday, Oct. 13, 2000.

by CNB