C. Fred Kleinknecht, 33°
Sovereign Grand Commander

One of the articles in this special philanthropy issue of the Scottish Rite Journal is titled "Planting the Seed." It tells of how one child in Bend, Oregon, suffered speech and language delays caused by a hearing disorder. Luckily, her parents, unable to receive help elsewhere, discovered the Scottish Rite Clinic for Childhood Language Disorders in Bend. Today, the little girl, Heather, has benefited from therapy at the clinic, has conquered many of her articulation problems, and will soon enter kindergarten with a language ability equal to that of her peers. In the article, her parents express gratitude to all Scottish Rite Masons for "planting the seed" of their child's future growth in clear speech, correct language, and learning ability.

This is just one case among thousands, and several articles in this special issue present other examples, for the Scottish Rite's Clinics, Centers, and Programs treat a variety of communication disorders. Among them dyslexia, stuttering, apraxia, articulation or phonological difficulties, and receptive and expressive language problems. No one clinic can diagnose or treat all these situations, and some clinics, responsive to locally perceived needs or the expertise of that specific clinic's speech-language therapists, address only certain conditions.

The few representative stories told in this special philanthropy issue of the Scottish Rite Journal form only the tip of a history of achievement that extends back to 1952 when the Scottish Rite's mission to America's children began. The Rite's program is detailed in the article "For a Child's Sake" by Ill. Dwight A. Hamilton, 33°, S.G.I.G. in Colorado, in the April 1995 Scottish Rite Journal. Ill. Hamilton notes that in 1952 a public welfare worker contacted the Almoner, Ill. William G. Schweigert, 33°, of the Rocky Mountain Consistory in Denver. She was seeking financial assistance for a four-year-old boy who was receiving speech therapy at Children's Hospital in Denver. The youngster's mother, a widow, working as a secretary earning $265 per month, could not afford the cost of her child's treatment.

Ill. Schweigert investigated the situation and soon realized that many children have significant speech, language, learning, or communication problems. If not remedied, these conditions can undermine a child's early education and negatively affect his or her entire life. Ill. Schweigert believed these children "might have the chance of developing toward a normal, or near normal life, if some dedicated organization would enter this new field of humanitarian service."

He reported this concept to Judge Haslett P. Burke, 33°, then S.G.I.G. in Colorado, and by November 25, 1952, our Order's flagship philanthropic endeavor was launched. In a near-capacity meeting despite the bone-chilling winter evening, the Brethren of Denver's then existing two Consistories voted unanimously to create a Scottish Rite Foundation specifically dedicated to Childhood Language Disorders, and on February 2, 1953, the Foundation was formed. That very first year, 14 children received treatment. By 1993, the last year cited by Inspector Hamilton in his article, Colorado's Brethren had given financial assistance to 545 children.

In 1952 the seed was planted. Year by year since then, our now nationwide network of Scottish Rite Clinics, Centers, and Programs has grown. Since I was elected Grand Commander in 1985, I have taken this program as my personal mission. I am pleased to report that the number of Scottish Rite Childhood Language Disorders Clinics, Centers, and Programs in the Southern Jurisdiction has grown from 35 in 1985 to 138 today. Now each Orient in the Southern Jurisdiction has at least one Scottish Rite clinic and many Orients have several. (See clinic map and directory, pages 7 to 18 of this issue.)

This phenomenal growth can be fully credited to the enthusiastic support of the Brethren in each Valley. What can be more effective and heartwarming than helping a child? In our Scottish Rite facilities, the lives of many thousands of children have been changed for the better. Parents have had their fondest wish come true and heard their children speak intelligibly for the first time. Scottish Rite Brethren have truly made a difference for good in the world. Each clinic, center, or program is independent of a central bureaucracy and responsive to the special circumstances and needs of its area. In some cases, the Brethren support already existing childhood language services or enable an institution to establish a Scottish Rite program. In other situations, the Brethren have established their own clinic in or contiguous to their Scottish Rite Center. Still others have created diagnostic and therapy programs that employ vans to go out to the local community and offer services at the grassroots level. The variations on this theme of Scottish Rite assistance to affected children are endless and sometimes involve private sector and/or state support.

The Supreme Council and the Scottish Rite Foundation, S.J., U.S.A., promote these efforts across the Southern Jurisdiction. The Scottish Rite credit card program, for instance, allows a portion of each purchase made on a Scottish Rite card to benefit the Foundation. This income, along with individual donations, allows us to extend direct financial aid in the form of grants to establish facilities, support programs, and create scholarships to train clinicians. Also, public awareness of our mission is enhanced via such communication tools as the Scottish Rite Journal and brochures published by the Scottish Rite Foundation-S.J., U.S.A.

The message is getting out. More and more individuals and institutions, even those without any Masonic affiliation, see the merit of our philanthropy and are supporting it in a variety of significant ways. It is with particular satisfaction that I can say the example set in the Southern Jurisdiction by nearly 50 years of service to children has, in the last few years, inspired the Northern Masonic Jurisdiction of the Scottish Rite to follow suit. A recent issue of that Jurisdiction's official publication, The Northern Light (Nov. 1999), notes they now have 25 facilities, called 32° Masonic Learning Centers for Children, in operation with at least 23 more anticipated for opening within the next three years. As opposed to the clinics, centers, and programs of the Southern Jurisdiction which, depending on the individual facility's local focus and special expertise, address a variety of communication problems, these clinics, centrally funded and administered, are designed to tutor dyslexic children and use only the Orton-Gillingham approach. The latter is a structured, sequential program that is multi-sensory. In this method, which is also used in some of our programs, children use sight, sound, and touch in learning to read, write, and spell. Congratulations, Brethren! Your participation makes the Scottish Rite's outreach to America's special children truly nationwide.

The seed planted in Denver, Colorado, nearly a half-century ago was truly the beginning of excellence. Scottish Rite Clinics, Centers, and Programs are now flourishing across America and bearing the good fruit of capable children, happy parents, and a better nation. This is truly a mission every Brother and the general public can embrace. We welcome all to this great philanthropy, for, as this special issue of the Scottish Rite Journal proves, there is nothing so worthwhile or as deeply satisfying as helping a child!