E. John Elmore, 33°
Secretary, Valley of Greensboro, North Carolina
P.O. Box 466, Greensboro, North Carolina 27402-0466

Photo: On October 12, 2002, during the Greensboro, North Carolina, Fall Reunion, Bro. Edward M. Alderman, 32° (center), completed his Scottish Rite journey started a half century ago. Pictured with him are his son, Bro. Donald S. Alderman, 32°, and Ill. William B. Brunk, 33°, S.G.I.G. in North Carolina.

Research in many Valley Reunion records for the past 50 years frequently reveals that the Degrees were staged during a period of many days. Some Reunions extended for weeks. Such was the case in October 1952 when the Greensboro, North Carolina, Valley held its Fall Reunion with 63 members. One of its members was Edward Marshall Alderman, who at that time was a young and newly hired senior high school teacher. Brother Alderman was very involved with his schoolwork and was also serving as Coordinator of Diversified Occupations for the local public school system. He was also tending to a growing family and, with time constraints, was only able to complete enough of the Reunion to attain the 14°. Soon after, the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction asked him to move 75 miles away to Raleigh, North Carolina, and he remained there until retirement. He sustained his Valley membership all these years.

October was the 50th anniversary of his Class. One of the rewarding duties of a Valley Secretary is to contact veteran Scottish Rite members and ask them to attend their Anniversary Reunions to receive a Certificate recognizing this milestone. I did this, and Brother Alderman soon sent me an e-mail stating he would very much like to attend our special one-day Reunion and receive his certificate. He wrote, "It has been a source of great embarrassment that I have been able to attend so few meetings. For the better part of more than 35 years, I have been traveling, and since retirement, with a few health problems, I am still caring for my 102-year-old mother-in-law and 101-year-old mother. Traveling to the Valley is a chore for me. I had originally wanted to continue all the way to the 32°, but, you see, my job would not permit, then the move. Who knows, perhaps there is still time at 77 years of age."

Given this response, I asked if he would allow me to sign his petition for advancement. Then he could not only attend his Anniversary Reunions but also complete his journey into the Rite a half century later! Brother Alderman did just that on October 12, 2002. We also invited his son, Bro. Donald Sanford Alderman, 32°, a member of the Raleigh Valley, to attend and take part in some of the Degrees. What a significant and rare treat for Scottish Rite, our Valley, Brother Alderman, and his son. Ill. William B. Brunk, 33°, S.G.I.G. in North Carolina, attended the Reunion and was able to present Bro. Edward with his 50-year Pin and Certificate and to welcome him as a newly made 32° Scottish Rite member.

Considering this unusual fraternal situation and our declining membership in the Southern Jurisdiction, it seems a good idea for all Valley leaders to search their rolls for 25-year and 50-year members to see if there are a few with the same circumstance as Bro. Ed Alderman. If so, why not invite them to complete their Scottish Rite journey?

E. John Elmore is Secretary of the Valley of Greensboro, N.C. He served as DeMolay Grand Master 1996-1997 and has been President of the DeMolay Foundation from 1997 to the present. He is currently Chairman of the Permanent Building Committee, Grand Lodge of North Carolina, and Chairman of the Grand Lodge's Public Relations Committee. Since 1998, Ill. Elmore has served as Treasurer of the Greensboro, North Carolina, York Rite Bodies.