Contents:

Grand Commander Named Honorary Past Grand Master Of Maryland
Thinking Out Loud
Oklahoma Brethren Walking The Pathway Back Home
"Guess Who’s Coming?" Joint Membership Night
Lake Worth S.R. Honors JROTC
Deputy Donor Provencher Gives 25th Gallon of Blood
Tokyo Ritualists Will Travel
Honesty–Integrity Awards in Louisiana
Masons Lay Cornerstone in California
Three Brothers Join Florida S.R. Bodies
Wives Welcome At One-Day Class
Special Shrine Envelope Cancellation

Grand Commander Named Honorary P.G.M. Of Maryland

On November 16, 1998, in a surprise ceremony during the 212th Annual Communication of the Grand Lodge of Maryland in Cockeysville, Md., Sovereign Grand Commander C. Fred Kleinknecht, 33°, was deeply honored to receive a certificate testifying to his being named Honorary Past Grand Master of Maryland.

Ill. Bernard E. Rothman, 33° (l.), S.G.I.G. in Maryland and P.G.M. of Maryland, and M.W. John C. Naquin, 33° (r.), P.G.M. of Maryland, congratulate Grand Commander C. Fred Kleinknecht, 33°, on receiving an elaborately embroidered Past Grand Master’s apron, presented to him at the 212th Annual Communication of the Grand Lodge of Maryland on November 16, 1998.

M.W. John C. Naquin, 33°, Grand Master, Grand Lodge of Maryland, made the presentation before an assemblage of nearly 500 Brethren, about 400 of them Scottish Rite Masons. He noted the Grand Commander was the first native son to receive such an honor. Ill. Kleinknecht is a member of Silver Spring Lodge No. 215, Silver Spring, Maryland, and was raised a Master Mason nearly 50 years ago on December 19, 1949. He is also a member of Chesapeake Consistory, Valley of Baltimore, and Boumi Shrine Temple in Baltimore. Saying all Maryland Brethren are proud of the lustre the Grand Commander has brought to Freemasonry, M.W. Naquin also presented Illustrious Kleinknecht an elaborately embroidered Past Grand Master’s Apron and the Thomas Jacob Shryock Medal Meritorious Service Award. M.W. Shryock was Grand Master of Maryland (1885 to his death in 1918) and S.G.I.G. in Maryland from 1911 until his death.

Ill. Kleinknecht responded by expressing his heartfelt thanks to the Grand Master and Brethren of Maryland and said he would always cherish these high honors. He then complemented the Grand Lodge members on their achievements in a world of rapid and often difficult change for Freemasonry. One key to future success is to bring more good men to the Craft, he observed, and toward this goal, he noted that both his sons, Henry Frederick and Scott Nelson, and two sons-in-law are Masons, one, Robert L. Sansbury, having just been raised a Master Mason prior to the Maryland Grand Lodge’s Annual Communication.

Several Active Members and officers of the Supreme Council, as well as other distinguished Scottish Rite Masons, were present to honor the Grand Commander during this special ceremony. Among them were Ill. Bros. David Kruger, 33°, S.G.I.G. in Virginia and Grand Secretary General of the Supreme Council; John E. Moyers, 33°, P.G.M. of Kentucky, S.G.I.G. in Kentucky, and Grand Master of Ceremonies of the Supreme Council; C. B. Hall, 33°, S.G.I.G. in West Virginia and Grand Herald of the Supreme Council; Bernard E. Rothman, 33°, P.G.M. of Maryland and S.G.I.G. in Maryland; William G. Sizemore, 33°, G.C., Grand Executive Director of the Supreme Council; and John W. Boettjer, 33°, G.C., Managing Editor, the Scottish Rite Journal.

Thinking Out Loud

During the early evening of November 18, 1998, Grand Commander C. Fred Kleinknecht, 33°, co-hosted a book signing reception in the Robert Burns Room of the House of the Temple for Ill. Stephen Joel Trachtenberg, 33°, G.C., now in his 11th year as president of The George Washington University (GW) in Washington, D.C. Well over 100 Brethren, guests, George Washington University staff, faculty, and students were present to honor Illustrious Trachtenberg and receive personally signed copies of his second book, Thinking Out Loud, a compilation of speeches and essays on higher education. Published by the American Council on Education and Oryx Press, the book, according to Oxford’s Robert Stevens, establishes President Trachtenberg as "one of a handful of major spokesmen on American higher education."

Ill. Stephen Joel Trachtenberg, 33°, G.C., signs copies of his new book Thinking Out Loud while Sovereign Grand Commander Kleinknecht looks on during a reception on November 18, 1998, at the House of the Temple in Washington, D.C.

Previous to the book signing, everyone enjoyed delicious finger-foods and the comments of several dignitaries, including Sovereign Grand Commander Kleinknecht who welcomed everyone to the House of the Temple and invited them to use the opportunity of their visit to take guided tours of the building, particularly its library and ceremonial rooms.

Dean Susan M. Phillips, Ph.D., GW’s School of Business and Public Management, co-hosted the event. She briefly sketched the 175-year-long close relationship of GW and the Scottish Rite of Freemasonry, S.J., and noted that a plaque mounted on the lobby wall of the Hall of Government recognizes a $1 million endowment given by the Scottish Rite to GW to establish the School of Government. The gift was made as "a memorial to George Washington, the Mason, and in consideration of the Supreme Council’s high esteem of the University, as an institution of learning in the national capital distinguished as being national in character and free from influences prejudicial to the freedom of human thought."

President Trachtenberg concluded the formal portion of the evening. He thanked Grand Commander Kleinknecht for opening the House of the Temple for this special event and expressed his great pleasure at being able to work with the Supreme Council in expanding the Scottish Rite Scholarship program at GW. Presently, there are more than $160,000 Scottish Rite graduate scholarships and more than $250,000 undergraduate scholarships.

Oklahoma Brethren Walking The Pathway Back Home

M.W. Garry D. Odom, 33°, Grand Master, Grand Lodge of Oklahoma, has initiated an innovative program to reinstate suspended Brethren. Titled The Pathway Back Home, it is off to a great start. Here’s how it works.

Lodges were invited to participate in the program. Those that agree are sent a listing of the members of their Lodge suspended for non-payment of dues over the last 12 years. The Lodges agree to revise the lists as needed. The lists are then returned to the Grand Lodge with the understanding that any Brother who takes advantage of the offer to reinstate will be charged a total of $30 and will have the right to reinstate in the Lodge which suspended him or in Grand Lodge, at his option.

One reason a man goes suspended is that he moves away from his Lodge. Thus, he has no interest in being reinstated in a Lodge which may be hundreds of miles from where he now lives. After he reinstates, he has the option to apply for affiliation with a Lodge where he is now, and he goes through the same process of investigation and ballot as for any affiliation.

Each of the men is sent a packet containing a letter from the Grand Master, a return envelope, and six cards, printed in full color and explaining the benefits of reinstating in Masonry. (The first card is pictured right. Actual size is 8 1/2" by 3 1/2".)

If a Brother wants to reinstate, he has two options. He can fill out the form and send it with his check or credit card number to the Grand Lodge, or he can use the red "Shortcut Home" card, among the six cards mailed, and call the Grand Lodge with a Visa or MasterCard number. The Lodge receives a check from the Grand Lodge for $16, to help cover any extra per capita they may have paid or other expenses they may have had for the suspended Brother. They will also have refunded to them the next per capita paid for the Brother. The remainder of the $30 fee helps to offset the costs of the program, printing, postage, etc. It is too early to know how successful the program will be, but so far there is a lot of interest among the Brethren.

"Guess Who’s Coming?" Joint Membership Night

On the evening of October 8, 1998, the Scottish Rite Brethren of the Valley of Spokane, Washington, and the Nobles of El Katif Shrine Temple in Spokane held a festive Joint Member-ship Night. Members who brought a non-member guest (30 non-members and their ladies attended) enjoyed free finger foods and refreshments in addition to a fine program featuring Brethren dressed as famous Masons. Pictured above in costume (l. to r.) are Bros. David A. Saiz, 32°, as Paul Revere; Norman A. Anderson, 32°, K.C.C.H., as Ben Franklin; George W. Rotas, 32°, and actor Ill. Ernest Borgnine, 33°, G.C., in Shrine clown costume; Jack L. Hill, 32°, as George Washington; and Larry H. Tooke, 32°, as the Marquis de Lafayette. Congratulations to all the Spokane, Washington, Brethren on a great membership enhancement initiative!

Lake Worth Scottish Rite Honors JROTC Cadets

Ill. Robert T. Langford, 33°, presented Cadet Lisa Kendig, Boca Raton Community High School JROTC Cadet, with a Scottish Rite Medal and Certificate at an awards program honoring the members of the Naval Junior ROTC program. Also, CW3 James H. Bussey, 32°, Florida National Guard, presented the Scottish Rite Junior ROTC metal and certificate to Cadet Scott Obermiller of the Air Force ROTC program at Lake Worth High School (photo left).

It was an honor for the members of the Valley of Lake Worth, Florida, to present this award to these outstanding members of local Junior ROTC programs. These students demonstrate that today’s youth will be equipped to be tomorrow’s leaders.

It is interesting to note that Bro. Bussey was recently nominated for the Soldiers Medal by Florida Governor Lawton Childs due to his being instrumental in saving the lives of seven Florida residents during the last six years. After serving 16 years in the active military, Special Forces, Brother Bussey moved to Florida, joining the active Reserve Unit in Miami, then transferring to the F1 National Guard in West Palm Beach. Bro. Bussey is a member of Boynton Lodge No. 236, the Scottish Rite Bodies of Lake Worth, and the York Rite Bodies of Palm Beach, Florida.

Deputy Donor Provencher Gives 25th Gallon Of Blood

"I do it regularly—it’s like getting my oil changed," says Ill. Dennis E. Provencher, 33°, Deputy, Okinawa and Guam, who had just donated his 25th gallon of blood. He added that even if he can’t get to the Blood Donor Center in exactly eight weeks, which is the time each donor is required to wait between blood donations, he is never off by more than a day or two.

During a recent award ceremony, Illustrious Dennis E. Provencher, 33°, Deputy, Okinawa and Guam, was presented an inscribed Lucite plaque of thanks, noting his 200th blood donation, by U.S. Naval Hospital Commanding Officer Captain Richard Anderson; Hospital PAO Officer Master Chief Michael Carr; U.S. Pacific Command Joint Blood Program Commander Randall Slater, other officials, and hospital staff members.

Just how many times has Provencher spared a pint to save a life? More than 200 times! Commander Randall Slater of the U.S. Pacific Command Joint Blood Program Office commented, "200 donations is rare. I don’t think I’ve ever run across anyone who did that before." He explained that just one pint "can make approximately two to four products. You can donate whole blood, and from that you make fresh frozen plasma, platelets, and other products." He noted that the amount of blood Ill. Provencher has donated could be used to help as many as 800 people.

Tokyo Scottish Rite Bodies Have Ritualists, Will Travel

What can be done when eligible Master Masons want to become Scottish Rite Members, but can’t due to military duties? This situation happened to the Tokyo Bodies’ Spring Reunion when several to-be candidates were at sea. After the ship returned, a van was rented to take necessary paraphernalia to Yokosuka Naval Base in Kanagawa Prefecture, and several ritualists traveled by train to conduct a busy weekend "Mini-Reunion" at the historic Yokosuka Masonic Building. The result? Fourteen new Masters of Royal Secret. Plans are now being made to accommodate similar Master Masons at Iwakuni Marine Corps Air Stations and Sasebo Naval Base in Southern Japan. Perhaps the Tokyo Scottish Rite Bodies should adopt as their motto, "If they can’t come to Tokyo, we will go to them."

Honesty–Integrity Awards Honor Students In Louisiana

Since 1977, the Grand Lodge of Louisiana has sponsored an Honesty–Integrity Award for Juniors attending any public, private, or parochial school in the state. It consists of a gold key and a framed certificate. The key has the word Integrity on one side of its shaft and Honesty on the other. The thumb area reads Masonic Award. Over 40% of local Louisiana Lodges participate in the Grand Lodge program, and today 400 to 450 awards are made each year. That’s approaching 10,000 awards since the voluntary program was initiated 22 years ago by then Grand Master Elmer R. Minchew, 33°, who is now 90 and still highly supportive of the program (photo right).

Generally, the honor is conferred at a Lodge or during a public Masonic, church, or school awards day ceremony. Parents, teachers, principals, relatives, guests, and representatives from the media are invited, and there is a formal presentation program presided over by the Grand Master or another Grand Lodge Officer, the Master of the Lodge, or another appropriate Masonic official. Students to honor are selected by each Lodge’s members who, in addition to the keys and framed certificates, frequently provide a dinner at the end of the ceremony for all attending.

The statewide program provides positive local image for Freemasonry. At one Sunday afternoon presentation at Dee A. Strickland Lodge No. 465 in Monroe, Louisiana, for instance, a teaching nun, the principal of St. Frederick’s High School, brought three priests and three other nuns with her. After witnessing the ceremony, she said: "I think what you Masons are doing is great. I congratulate you for supporting our young people and for providing a standard to live up to." For the last 10 years, R.W. Malcolm A. Ballard, 33°, of the Baton Rouge Scottish Rite Bodies, has chaired the program, and several Louisiana newspapers have recognized the program’s outstanding achievement.

Submitted by Darrell L. Aldridge, 32°, K.C.C.H.
Scottish Rite Bodies of Monroe, Louisiana

Masons Lay Cornerstone Of School in California

On September 30, 1998, some 500 people watched the Masonic Grand Lodge of California, as well as the officers and members of King David’s Lodge No. 209 and the Scottish Rite Bodies of Santa Barbara, perform a cornerstone ceremony at Hawthorne School in San Luis Obispo, California.

Approximately five years ago, Ill. Williams J. Edwards, 33°, Past Master of King David’s Lodge and Chairman of "Public Schools Week" activities for the Lodge, conceived the idea of adopting a school in San Luis Obispo. Members of the Lodge go to the school on a regular basis to help in any way they can. They assist individual children who need extra help with reading. They prepare and serve an opening-of-school barbecue each fall for students, school personnel, and the neighborhood. They repair minor damages at the school. Once a year they have a "School Night Dinner" at the Lodge to raise money for special needs at the school. School personnel and Parent Teacher Association officers are invited as special guests.

The result is a fine working relationship between the school and the Lodge. At the cornerstone ceremony, the assistant principal said, "It is the most remarkable school–community relationship I have ever seen." Also, while accepting a certificate of appreciation and a check for $500 from Grand Master Anthony P. Wordlow, 33°, the school’s principal said, "King David’s Lodge is the best thing that has ever happened to this school."

Illustrious Thomas M. Boles, 33°, G.C., Grand Orator of the Grand Lodge of California and Director of Development for the Supreme Council, 33°, gave an eloquent address at the event and concluded by asking the children to yell out their own names on signal. This was recorded, and Ill. Boles told the children, "This is the first thing the children of 2098 will hear when the cornerstone’s vault is opened." Other dignitaries present included State Senator Jack O’Connell, San Luis Obispo Mayor Allen Settle, and representatives of the county and city school boards. Dignitaries were introduced by the Master of Ceremonies, Bro. Allen Garrison, 32°, K.C.C.H.

After the cornerstone ceremony and later in the evening, a banquet honoring M.W. Anthony Wordlow, Grand Master of Masons in California, was attended by some 150 Masons, wives, and other guests. Thanks to the vision and hard work of members of King David’s Lodge and of local Scottish Rite Bodies, the students of Hawthorne School, their parents, and their teachers now know who and what the Masons are!

Submitted by George R. Wiech, 32°, K.C.C.H.
Santa Barbara, California, Scottish Rite Bodies

Three Brothers Join Pensacola Scottish Rite Bodies

During a recent special one-day Reunion, three young Master Masons joined the Scottish Rite Bodies of Pensacola, Florida. Brothers Herman M. Davies, Joseph R. Davies, and Phillip L. Davies all became 32° Scottish Rite Masons. Unfortunately, their older brother, Jon A. Davies II, was unable to be with them because of another commitment.

Pictured left (l. to r.) are three brothers—Joseph R. Davies, Herman M. Davies, Phillip L. Davies—and their proud father, Bro. Jon A. Davies, all 32° members of the Pensacola, Florida, Scottish Rite Bodies.

A few months ago, all four brothers were raised together as Master Masons in Pensacola’s Escambia Lodge No. 15. Although this may well be a record-setting event, it’s not surprising when one considers the outstanding example set by their father, Bro. Jon A. Davies, 32°. Not only is Bro. Davies currently Senior Steward in his Blue Lodge but he also serves as Treasurer of the Pensacola Scottish Rite Bodies.

Their grandfather Jack Brother Martin Davies, 32°, K.C.C.H., is Past Venerable Master of the Asheville, North Carolina, Consistory, and Past Master of Kedron Lodge No. 387 of Hendersonville, N.C. Their mother is active in the Eastern Star and a Past Rainbow Advisor.

All four of these young men are Eagle Scouts and are outstanding in all they undertake. The Valley of Pensacola is fortunate to have such outstanding members in its ranks.

Wives Welcome At One-Day Class in Minnesota

Alice Lewis, wife of Deputy Grand Master Jeffry N. Lewis, 32°, K.C. C.H., and Julie Neddermeyer, wife of Junior Grand Deacon Neil E. Neddermeyer, 33°, worked hard to plan a great day for the wives attending, with their husbands, the "One Day To Masonry" class on October 24, 1998, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Their plans included the wives of the soon-to-be Masons in the class and all other wives attending or participating in the day’s events. This was not the usual shopping trip to the Mall of America many wives’ events become in Minneapolis. Instead, the wives got a good look at the organization their husbands joined and became acquainted with some of the wives of the Grand Lodge Officers and other participants. Their enthusiasm for our Fraternity and for their husband’s participation in it was contagious. The day’s activities included a tour of the Minnesota Masonic Home, where lunch was served, and a trip to the Shriners Hospital for Children in St. Paul, two of the premier philanthropies of the Masons of Minnesota. Seeing these two facilities was a moving experience and convinced all involved of the inherent goodness of Masonry. The wives were united with their husbands following the completion of the Master Mason Degree at a social hour preceding the evening banquet. As the Minnesota Brethren are proving, ladies are an essential and beneficial part of Freemasonry!

On September 12, 1998, the U.S. Postal Office helped honor the 80th anniversary of the Abou Saad Temple and the 20th anniversary of the Saint Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands, Shrine Club. One thousand stamped envelopes were cancelled, and they are now available to collectors for $7.50 each. Also, 10 Special Cancellation Folders were produced. Ill. Arthur J. Kerr, 33°, Deputy of the Supreme Council in the Panama Canal, accepted one of these special folders, now in the Archives of the Supreme Council, on behalf of Sovereign Grand Commander C. Fred Kleinknecht, 33°. Another folder was presented to Imperial Potentate John C. Nobles, 33°. Masonic philatelists desiring the special stamped and cancelled envelopes can send orders to: Saint Croix Shrine Club, PO Box 1687, Kingshill, St. Croix, US Virgin Islands, 00851.