Masonic Art Exhibit Opens at the Octagon
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The exhibit includes 21 original paintings as well as Masonic
artifacts dating back to the founding of the United States.
(Right) Artist Peter Waddell, who created 21 works for the
exhibit, stands
before
his painting of George Washington preparing to lay the cornerstone
of the U.S. Capitol, titled “An Auspicious Day.” Photo:
Elizabeth A. Williams, The Scottish Rite Journal
Tuesday, May 17, was the grand opening of the Octagon
Museum’s phenomenal exhibit, “The Initiated Eye:
Secrets, Symbols, Freemasonry, and the Architecture of Washington,
D.C.” Twenty-one paintings by Peter Waddell showcased the
little-recognized contribution of Freemasons to the design and
architecture of our nation’s capital. The Octagon was designed
in 1799 by Dr. Robert Thornton, first architect of the U.S. Capital,
for Col. John Tayloe III. It was one of the first elegant residences
in Washington, located only two blocks west of the President’s
House (now the White House). The Octagon served as the temporary
residence of James and Dolly Madison after the British burned
the President’s House. The Octagon is today the museum of the American
Architectural Foundation. In fulfilling its mission to educate
about architecture,
the museum gladly became partners with the Grand Lodge, F.A.A.M.,
of D.C. to mount this exhibit. Peter Waddell, a history painter,
was commissioned to produce 21 paintings that highlight Freemasons’ part
in building America. Complementing the paintings are a collection
of Masonic objects from the Washington, D.C., area, including
aprons, jewels, glass ware, gavels, and staffs. Many of the items
came from the Museum and Archives of the House of the Temple.
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| A colorful sign welcomes visitors
to the Octagon House and Museum. “The Initiated Eye” will
be open to the public from now through the end of this
year. |
The Octagon opened its doors at 6:30 p.m. and
welcomed Masons, architects, and special friends of the museum.
Attendees went
through a receiving line that included M.W. Leonard Proden, 33°,
Grand Master of Masons in D.C., Sherry C. Birk, Hon. AIA, Director
of the Octagon Museum and Collections, and Ronald Bogle, President
and CEO of the American Architectural Foundation. After entering
the beautifully restored Federal period house, guests were served
hors d’oeuvres, champagne, and other treats. The exhibit itself is on the second floor of the
magnificent old home. Near each painting are displays with unique
Masonic
artifacts, often depicted in the paintings. For the opening night
only, Potomac Lodge No. 5 displayed the gavel used by George
Washington to lay the cornerstone of the U.S. Capitol on September
18, 1793. Potomac Lodge was one of the three participating lodges
that historic day, and Bro. Washington presented them with the
gavel after the ceremony. The lodge holds the gavel in careful
trust for the nation, gladly sharing it for special occasions
such as this.
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| Congressman C.A. “Dutch” Ruppersberger, 33°,
spoke at the reception following the grand opening. |
Later in the evening the formal dedication began.
Mr. Bogle welcomed the guests and shared the pride of his foundation
in being partners
with the Masons of the District of Columbia. M.W. Proden then
thanked the Masons who had worked so hard in bringing this show
to fruition. Special recognition for their tireless work was
given to Ill. Akram R. Elias, 33°, Chairman of the Planning
Committee, and to Bro. Paul Dolinsky, 32°, Chief, Historic
American Buildings Survey, National Park Service. Past Grand
Master Jerry Samet, 33°, presented bouquets of roses to Peter
Waddell, artist, Paul Dolinsky, and Linnea Hamer, Curatorial
Coordinator for the exhibit. Congressman C.A. “Dutch” Ruppersberger, 33°,
capped off the evening with his remarks on the importance of
exhibits, such as this, in educating the public on the contributions
of Freemasons to our nation. His remarks were well received and
provided a fitting end to the formalities. Guests took a final
look at the paintings before returning home to tell their friends
and colleagues about this unique exhibit.
“
The Initiated Eye” will run through December 31, 2005,
at the Octagon Museum, 1799 New York Ave. N.W., Washington, D.C.,
20006, 202-638-3221, info@theoctagon.org. Admission is $5 for
adults and $3 for children and seniors. Masons will serve as
special tour guides at the museum on Saturdays. More information
on the show, including images of many of the paintings, is available
at www.initiatedeye.com.
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Washington Scottish Rite
Foundation Awards
$261,000 in Scholarships
 Ill. Bros. Merlin Smith,
33°, President of
the Scottish Rite Scholarship Foundation of Washington and Grand
Executive Director William G. Sizemore, 33°, Grand Cross
Photo: G. Winton Smith, 32°,
KCCH
The
Scottish Rite, S.J., has many wonderful philanthropies that
are supported by the Supreme Council and by independent
foundations. These foundations usually are administered by
Orients and are often established by gifts and bequests from
brethren
that want to see the work they enjoyed building in their live
times continue in their absence.
May 21, 2005, was the 47th Annual meeting of the
Scottish Rite Scholarship Foundation of Washington in Yakima,
Washington. Grand
Executive Director, William G. Sizemore, 33°, Grand Cross,
was the keynote speaker. Adm. Sizemore and Foundation President
Ill. Bro. Merlin Smith, 33°, were pleased to announce that
this year’s record scholarships amounted to more than $261,000!
The awards were divided among 107 new undergraduates, 45 renewal
applicants, and 14 post graduate fellowships.
Greensboro Hosts “Joseph
and the
Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat”
Photo: Courtesy Chris Laney, Greensboro, N.C.
The Valley of Greensboro, North Carolina, served
as host to the Community Theatre of Greensboro who used the
Scottish Rite auditorium for a production of “Joseph and the Amazing
Technicolor Dreamcoat.” The musical, written by Tim Rice
and Andrew Lloyd Webber, is a retelling of the Biblical story
of Joseph. The Egyptian design of the stage’s proscenium
and of the backdrops from the Thirty-first Degree provided a
perfect setting for the production. This is the first use of
the Valley’s auditorium for a community play, and, based
upon the success of this show, it will not be the last. The show
was a hit and sold out at every performance. It was a great combination
of resources—the Scottish Rite providing the setting
and the Community Theatre the talent. Theatergoers enjoyed
an excellent
performance in a unique setting while the Scottish Rite received
superb positive visibility in the Greensboro community.
Valley of Oakland Installs Solar Electric System
Pictured l. to r. are:
Dan Thompson, President, Sun Power Geothermal Energy Co.,
Inc.; Ill. Clyde
Minar, 33°,
President, Board of Directors, Oakland Scottish Rite (OSR)
Center; Ill. Don Parker, 33°, Past President, OSR; Ill.
Alex Kirkpatrick, 33°, Building Manager, OSR Center;
and Honorable Jerry Brown, Mayor of Oakland. Photos:
Bro. Robert Baird, 32°, KCCH, Valley of Oakland, Calif.,
and Nicole Clock, Energy Consultant, Sun Power Geothermal
Energy
The Valley of Oakland has installed for its 1927
historic building a 100 kilowatt solar electric system, the
largest such installation in the City of Oakland. The Oakland
Scottish
Rite Center was formally connected to Pacific Gas & Electric’s
utility grid on May 16, 2005. The Oakland Scottish Rite’s
venture into alternate energy production got under way on February
22, 2005, with a unique “Roof Breaking” ceremony.
(Since all of the construction was on the roof, there wasn’t
any ground to symbolically break to start the project.) Mayor
Jerry Brown was present to start the project, the first major
and largest electrical co-generation system in Oakland. The
decision by the Oakland Scottish Rite Board of Directors in
favor of moving
forward with the installation of the roof-mounted solar photovoltaic
array was made as a way to reduce mounting electricity costs.
The lifetime of each solar electric panel is about 40 years.
Expected savings during just the first 25 years (the warranty
period) is $1.5 million. The Oakland Scottish Rite building
is used not only for Masonic meetings, but also for wedding
receptions,
proms, concerts, plays, business meetings, etc. The solar panels
mounted on the roof will generate $30,000–$37,000 per
year in sales of electricity to PG&E. The system will produce
surplus energy on sunny days, which will spin the building’s
new bi-directional electric meter backwards, selling this power
to PG&E at retail rates, and generating a credit on the
Oakland Scottish Rite’s monthly electric bill. The credits
obtained for solar-generated electricity will then be used
up by the facility
during nighttime and poor weather days. The solar system had
a total cost of approximately $800,000, half of which was paid
for by a rebate offered by PG&E. For more information,
including construction photos and real-time tracking of electricity
generation,
visit the Oakland Scottish Rite Center’s web site: www.scottish-rite.org.
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American
Military Scottish Rite Bodies Support
Scottish Rite JROTC
Award
 Cadet Captain Carrillo receives his Scottish Rite
JROTC Award medal from Col. Tilghman.
The General H. H. Arnold American High School,
Wiesbaden, Germany has awarded Cadet Captain Carrillo the Scottish
Rite Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (JROTC) Award. This
award was sponsored by the American Military Scottish Rite Bodies,
Orient of NATO Bases.
Cadet Carrillo was born into a military family in Panama City,
Panama in 1988. Military moves have taken him to Southern Germany,
Ft. Bragg, Fayetteville, N.C., and now to Darmstadt, Germany
where he currently resides.
He has been a member of the Air Force JROTC unit
all three years of his high school career, and next year is his
senior year.
He is currently a Cadet Captain having attended a summer leadership
program and served in important cadet positions within Air
Force JROTC program. Colonel Tilghman, Senior Air Force JROTC
Instructor
stated: Cadet Carrillo is one of the most respected and dedicated
cadets he has ever known.
Submitted by Bro. Clyde A. Barton, 32°, KCCH
American
Military S. R. Bodies, Orient of NATO Bases
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