Current Interest

CURRENT INTEREST
Victorian Tea At The House Of The Temple
On Sunday, October 19, 1997, for the second time in recent years, the House of the Temple was the anchor for the annual house tour sponsored by the Dupont Circle, Washington, D.C., Citizens Association. Over 1,200 participants, the largest number in the 30-year history of the Association, purchased tickets admitting them to 14 historic and elegant buildings in the fashionable Dupont Circle area of our nation’s capital.

On October 19, 1997, as part of our Order’s public outreach, the House of the Temple in Washington, D.C., was the site of an elegant Victorian Tea enjoyed by over 1,200 persons participating in a local community group’s very successful fundraising effort.

A highlight of the tour was a Victorian Tea at the House of the Temple. Forty-three local restaurants and catering services donated a lavish variety of finger foods ranging from fresh fruits and exotic appetizers to delicate sandwiches and delicious pastries, all accompanied by fine teas poured from antique silver samovars. The food was served in the George Washington Memorial Banquet Hall of the House of Temple, and many of the visitors paused before or after the tea to visit the several ceremonial rooms of the national headquarters.

A local member of the Dupont Association, Roy D. Firestone, played the Shantz organ in the Temple Room, and several House of the Temple guides were available to offer information about the building and Freemasonry. Many persons expressed delight over the beauty of the Temple and showed an interest in Masonry. The tea was an excellent opportunity to define the mission of our Order and clarify the too-frequent misconception that Masonry and its buildings are somehow religious institutions.

Representative of how Masons and their ladies can be instrumental in cementing community-Masonic ties, Betty Briggs, Secretary of the Dupont Circle Association, is also the Right Worthy Grand Secretary of the General Grand Chapter of the Eastern Star. In fact, the Belmont Mansion, headquarters of the Eastern Star in Washington, D.C., was last year’s anchor for the Dupont Circle Citizen Association’s house tour. Proceeds from the tour are dedicated to improving the quality of life in the neighborhood, particularly public safety, historic preservation, zoning enforcement, improvement of public schools, and environmental enhancement such as sustaining and bettering neighborhood spaces and parks.

The elegant 72-page tour booklet devoted its cover and two interior pages to a description of the House of the Temple. The building proved so popular that lines formed as people gathered to enter, enjoy the festive refreshments, and tour the facility. In a letter of thanks to the national headquarters, Margaret Young, President of the Association, said, in part: “The Scottish Rite was definitely the focal point of the 1997 house tour and was enjoyed not only by residents but also by guests from as far away as California. The Dupont Circle Citizens Association cannot thank you enough for opening your magnificent building for so many people to enjoy.”

Like the land made available to local gardeners on Supreme Council property in Washington, D.C., opening the House of the Temple to the public and making it part of community life are representative of the many ways all Masonic Bodies can participate in their communities, thus raising a positive local profile for Freemasonry and attracting good men with their families to our ranks.

AMA Elects Brother Percy Wootton, 33, President

In June 1997, Bro. Percy Wootton, MD, 32, was elected President of the American Medical Association (AMA). Bro. Wootton is a member of Burke Lodge No. 147, Burkeville, Va., and since 1961, the Scottish Rite Bodies of Richmond, Va. Dr. Wootton is a private practitioner in Richmond with a subspecialty in cardiology. He is also a Clinical Professor of Medicine at the Medical College of Virginia/Virginia Commonwealth University, a Fellow of the American College of Physicians, and a Fellow of the American College of Cardiology.

Brother Percy Wootton, MD, 32
President, American Medical Association

Bro. Wootton has held many leadership posts in the medical profession including, among others: Member, AMA Board of Trustees; President, Richmond Academy of Medicine; and Chair, Virginia Medical Political Action Committee. He is also a past President of the Medical Society of Virginia and the Richmond Area and Virginia Heart Associations. In 1996, he received the Outstanding Alumnus Award from the Medical College of Virginia, and is on the Board of Trustees of his alma mater, Lynchburg College.

Congratulations, Bro. Wootton, on the high distinction of being elected President of the AMA, America’s preeminent medical organization, and thank you for your continuing support of Freemasonry and the Scottish Rite!

New Youth Program
On November 5, 1997, Ill. William G. Sizemore, 33, G.C., Grand Executive Director and Director of the Americanism and Education Program of The Supreme Council, announced a new Youth Program. This initiative will recognize high school youth enrolled in the Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps (JROTC) with an award for their scholastic excellence and demonstrated ideals of Americanism.

The award consists of a medal and ribbon to be worn on the JROTC uniform and a certificate suitable for framing. The medal depicts the double- headed eagle of the Rite and, by the words “JROTC Education and Americanism,” calls attention to the major focal points of the Rite. The Assistant Secretary of Defense has approved the program, and inquiries from the individual Services’ JROTC Program offices have already been received.

Each Valley is encouraged to adopt this opportunity for recognition by the Scottish Rite of special youth in local JROTC high schools, 360,000 nationwide. To encourage participation, a very economical, complete package (including eligibility details, certificate, ribbon, and medal) is available for $5.00, postage paid, from: Grand Executive Director’s Office, 1733 16th St., NW, Washington, DC 20009-3103.

Children found plenty to enjoy during the 10th anniversary celebration of the Columbia, South Carolina, Scottish Rite Center for Childhood Language Disorders.

On September 1, 1998, Brethren, guests, students, and their parents gathered for an all-day celebration of the 10th anniversary of the Scottish Rite Center for Childhood Language Disorders in Columbia, South Carolina. During the afternoon, the Columbia Scottish Rite Temple’s parking lot was filled with clowns from nearby Jamil Shrine Temple, students from local college and university language disorders programs, and nearly 100 kids inventing balloon sculptures, getting their cheeks and noses painted, and enjoying a variety of refreshments prepared by the clients’ parents, the center staff, and Scottish Rite Brethren. The children had loads of fun, and their infectious enthusiasm made everyone feel years younger.

That evening, a delicious catered banquet for 115 in the Columbia Scottish Rite Temple included many Masonic dignitaries, among them M.W. D. Samuel Tennyson, 33, Grand Master of Masons in South Carolina; Illustrious H. Wallace Reid, 33, P.G.M. and present S.G. I.G. in South Carolina; members of the Columbia Scottish Rite Bodies and Scottish Rite Foundation Board of Trustees; and Nobles from the Jamil and Hejaz Shrine Temple Divans. Both past and present center clients and their parents, as well as members of the center staff, were present, most notably Ms. Martha Simpson McDade, Scottish Rite Center Director for the full ten years of the clinic’s existence.

Also participating were M.W. Tommie F. Brant, 33, P.G.M., first Chairman of the Board of Directors for the Valley of Columbia and a Member of the Board for this decade of progress. Illustrious Brant acted as Master of Ceremonies, and Illustrious Arthur R. Datnott, 33, Chairman of the Scottish Rite Foundation Fundraising Committee in South Carolina, presented awards for monetary and work donations to the center. Inspector Reid, a former teacher, principal, and school superintendent recalled his academic career and how children with language difficulties were often branded as retarded and beyond help even when they are of normal, above average, or superior intelligence.

Now, thanks to the Scottish Rite, children who might have had to face language difficulties all their life are being given effective evaluation and therapy so that they can enjoy normal, productive, and happy lives. Inspector Reid then cited Ms. McDade for her outstanding work, and M.W. Tennyson summed up the feeling of everyone at the 10th anniversary party by saying “Aren’t we proud to be Masons!”

Rosslyn Chapel Castings
In cooperation with Mr. Stuart W. Beattie, Director of Rosslyn Chapel in Midlothian, Scotland, House Bronze Inc. Fine Arts Foundry of Lubbock, Texas, is exploring manufacturing and distributing bronze castings taken from the most Masonic architectural details of this historic building. A prototype casting of a cross carved into a cornerstone has been completed. Interested Brethren may contact Jay House, 6830 66th Street, Lubbock, Texas 79424 Telephone 806-794-3571 Fax 806-798-2519

Burns Statuette Presented

At the Biennial Session, Sov. Gr. Cmdr. C. Fred Kleinknecht, 33, (left in photo) received a Robert Burns statuette from Inspector H. Lloyd Wilkerson, 33, S.G.I.G. in North Carolina, (r.) as a gift from Dr. Tom Clark. (Statuette pictured in article by William L. Fox.) Dr. Clark, retired Professor of Theology at Davidson College and noted sculptor of statuettes of George Washington and Albert Pike, created the statuette of Burns, Scotland’s most distinguished poet and a Mason. Dr. Clark autographed three of the first series production and asked Ill. Wilkerson to present them to the Sovereign Grand Commander, S.J., USA; to Ill. Robert O. Ralston, 33, Sov. Gr. Cmdr., N.M.J., USA, and to the Supreme Council of Scotland via its representative at the Biennial Session, M. Ill. William Fleming, 33, Gr. Secretary General, Supreme Council for Scotland.

Pictured at the Louisville Valley’s 1997 Feast of Tishri celebration are (l. to r.): Ill. Carl Metz, 33, Venerable Master; Pauline Moyers; Ill. John E. Moyers, 33, S.G.I.G.; Rabbi Joe Rooks Rapport; Barbara Stayton; Ill. Roland T. Stayton, 33, Past Venerable Master and Personal Representative.

On October 16, 1997, the Valley of Louisville, Kentucky, observed the Feast of Tishri with a dinner program attended by 250 people, including members and their families. The featured speaker was Dr. Joe Rooks Rapport, co-Rabbi of the Temple, a Reformed Congregation. Rabbi Rapport gave an illustrated talk titled “The Tabernacle of Ancient Judaism.” The choir of the Louisville Bodies, under the direction of Ill. Theodore D. Bickel, 33, Secretary-Registrar, entertained the audience with patriotic and other inspirational musical selections. An excellent meal, prepared under the direction of Ill. Doyle H. Eskridge, 33, Chairman of the Kitchen Committee, added to the enjoyment of all present. Ill. John E. Moyers, 33, S.G.I.G. in Kentucky and P.G.M. of the Bluegrass State, closed the evening with remarks. “Although the Feast of Tishri is designated as a Masonic Day of Thanksgiving,” he said, “every Mason should remember to give thanks to his Creator every day of his life.”

Language Specialist To Speak In Lubbock, Texas
The Scottish Rite Learning Center of West Texas in Lubbock, Texas, is pleased to announce that Priscilla L. Vail, M.A.T., of New York City will be the speaker for the second annual C. J. Davidson Memorial Lectures Series--Advances in Literacy program to be held at the Civic Center in Lubbock on Friday, March 27, 1998. This annual lecture series is made possible by a grant of $100,000 from the Davidson Family Charitable Foundation of Midland, Texas. Ms. Vail is an internationally known language specialist, consultant, and author whose work centers on the identification of different learning styles and their accommodation. She conducts teacher training and parenting workshops in this country and abroad for individual schools, public school systems, and such organizations as the Bank Street College of Education, the Teacher’s College of Columbia University, the Bryn Mawr Child Study Institute, the Principal’s Center at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, Cambridge University in England, and the national and regional Orton Dyslexia Society.

A founding trustee of the Fisher Landau Foundation for gifted learning disabled students, she is a member of the Author’s Guild, is on the education committee of the Mystic Seaport Museum, and is education dir- ector at Hallowell Clinic for Cognitive and Emotional Health. Author of nine books and many educational articles, she has appeared on National Public Radio as well as TV-PBS where a video series is in the planning stages.

In Lubbock, the title for Priscilla Vail’s presentations will be “Words Fail Me: How Language Works And What Happens When It Doesn’t.” This learning experience will be an all-day affair, beginning at 9:00 am at the Lubbock Civic Center, 1501 Sixth Street in downtown Lubbock, with plenty of parking and food services available at lunchtime.

On behalf of The Supreme Council, Ill. Sam E. Hilburn, 33, S.G.I.G. in Texas (left), presented an original drawing of Ill. Charles E. Seay, 33, and his wife, Sadie, to Ill. Seay to celebrate Mr. and Mrs. Seay’s 60th wedding anniversary.

Ill. Sol F. Goldwyn, Age 99, Celebrates 50 Years A 33rd

On July 12, 1997, as part of the opening ceremonies of the Summer One Day Scottish Rite Reunion held in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Illustrious Paul T. Million, Jr., 33, S.G.I.G. in Oklahoma, presented a special letter of congratulations from Grand Commander C. Fred Kleinknecht, 33, to Illustrious Sol S. Goldwyn honoring him for 50 years of service to the Order as a Thirty-third Degree Inspector General Honorary. Illustrious Goldwin celebrated his 99th birthday on May 28, 1997, and was pleased to be present for the special recognition at the Tulsa Reunion (photo right).

On July 12, 1997, at the Tulsa Scottish Rite Reunion, Ill. Paul T. Million, Jr., 33, S.G.I.G. in Oklahoma, (l.) extended his own congratulations and also presented a letter of commendation from Grand Commander C. Fred Kleinknecht, 33, to Ill. Sol. F. Goldwyn, 33, recognizing him for 50 years as an Inspector General Honorary. M.W. Ronald E. Johnson, 32, K.C.C.H., Grand Master, Grand Lodge of Oklahoma, (center) was also present to convey his congratulations.

Illustrious Goldwin was raised a Master Mason in Delta Lodge No. 425, Tulsa, in 1930 (Worshipful Master in 1938) and became a 32 Scottish Rite Mason in the Guthrie Bodies in the same year. In 1958, Illustrious Goldwyn became a Founding Member in the newly chartered Tulsa Scottish Rite Bodies, was invested with the Rank and Decoration of K.C.C.H. in 1939, and coroneted an Inspector General Honorary in 1947. Bother Goldwin received his 50-year Scottish Rite Pin and Certificate at the Tulsa Scottish Rite Reunion on November 9, 1980.

In the letter from Grand Commander C. Fred Kleinknecht, 33, presented to Illustrious Goldwyn at the July 1997 Reunion in Tulsa, Illustrious Kleinknecht recognized Illustrious Goldwyn’s outstanding 50-year milestone as a Thirty-Third Degree Inspector General Honorary and expressed the feelings of all the Oklahoma Brethren saying: “You have a superlative record of dedicated service to the Order, and I commend you for laboring long, faithfully, and productively for Freemasonry.”

In Yokosuka, Japan, George I. Purdy, 33, and his wife, Midori, cut a birthday cake to celebrate Ill. Purdy’s 90th birthday.

The afternoon birthday party honoring Ill. Purdy was hosted by Rear Admiral Al Konetzni, Commander, Submarine Group Seven berthed in Yokosuka, and his wife, Missy, at their quarters on Yokosuka Naval Base. Brother Purdy and his wife, Midori, greeted the over 150 guests attending, many of them top-ranked U.S. and Japanese naval officers, both active and retired, and their wives.

A member of El Paso, Texas, Lodge No. 130 since 1940, Ill. Purdy was a charter member of the Tokyo Masonic Association and helped plan and organize the New Tokyo Masonic Center. He is a member of Tokyo Masonic Lodge No. 2, and in 1969 he served as Master of Harmony Lodge No 18. After joining the Tokyo Scottish Rite Bodies in 1958, he served as Master of all four Bodies and was elected to receive the K.C. C.H. in 1963 and 33 in 1967.

In recognition of Ill. Purdy’s lifetime of achievement, Ill. Joe A. Diele, 33, Deputy, Orient of Japan and Korea, issued a proclamation declaring August 10-16, 1997, “Illustrious Brother George I. Purdy Week.”

Mexico City Hospital

The Spanish Conqueror, Hernan Cortés, founded the Hospital de Jesus in 1524. In one generation, it will have 500 years of uninterrupted life fulfilling a medical assistance work of great benefit to the Mexican people.

Illustrious Julian Gascon Mercado, 33, Sovereign Grand Commander of Mexico

Four years after the fall of the Great Tenochtitlan in 1521, the hospital started its task, exactly at the same place where the Mexican Conqueror, Cortés, and the Emperor of the Aztec empire, Montezuma II, met for the first time. It was in the Hospital de Jesus that European medicine, brought by Spanish doctors, got to the American continent for the first time. During more than four centuries, this hospital was under the management of the direct descendants of Cortés, the Princes Picnatelli whose ancestral house is in Italy and who directed this hospital up to 1932.

From that day to today, four Mexican doctors without any direct relation with the Mexican Conqueror have directed it: Dr. Benjamin Trillo, 1932-1962; Dr. Gustavo Baz, 1964-1976; Julian Gascon Mercado, 33, 1977-1988; Dr. Emilio Yanez, 1988-1991, and from 1992 to today, the Hospital de Jesus is again under the direction of Ill. Bro. Mercado, 33, Sovereign Grand Commander of the Supreme Council of Mexico.

In addition to being a medical facility, the Hospital de Jesus is a colonial monument where visitors can admire an extraordinary mural painting by Antonio Gonzalez Orozco. The mural depicts several aspects of the life of the Nahuatl people, including their use of medicinal plants, the place chosen to build this first hospital on the American continent, the treatment of some illnesses, and details of pre-Hispanic medicine. The hospital’s specialized group of doctors and excellent surgical equipment make it one of the principal hospitals in the City of Mexico. Brethren from all over the world are cordially invited to visit this interesting and unique medical center.

IN MEMORIAM
Illustrious Stanley F. Maxwell, 33, 1910-1997

Stanley F. Maxwell, 33, Active Member and Sovereign Grand Commander Emeritus of the Supreme Council, Northern Masonic Jurisdiction (N.M.J.), USA, passed away after a brief illness on October 8, 1997, in Woburn, Massachusetts. Ill. Maxwell was born in Reading, Massachusetts, on April 27, 1910, and had a successful career in business as, among other posts, Office Manager for 20 years of the United Farmers of New England, Inc., a cooperative dairy products marketing company. In 1965, he was appointed the first Executive Secretary of the Supreme Council, N.M.J. Crowned an Active Member At Large in 1973, he was elected Sovereign Grand Commander in 1975 and fulfilled a decade of high accomplishment before his retirement in 1985.

One of his early assignments was the selection of the current Supreme Council headquarters’ property in Lexington, Massachusetts, and the construction of the Scottish Rite Museum of Our National Heritage on that property. In 1978, he became the 18th recipient of the Gourgas Medal, the highest award given by the Supreme Council, N.M.J., for distinguished service to Masonry, country, or humanity.

As Grand Commander, Ill. Maxwell was an ex-officio member of all committees of the Supreme Council and actively took part in the deliberations of the following committees, continuing to serve on some beyond his retirement as Sovereign Grand Commander: Finance, Administrative Council, Trustees’ Investment Committee, Fraternal Relations, Rituals, Program Development, Masonic Charitable Expenditures, and Constitutions, Laws & Jurisprudence. He participated in countless national and international Masonic conferences and received numerous awards and citations, including honorary membership in numerous Supreme Councils throughout the world.

Illustrious Maxwell was also very active in many other areas of Freemasonry, among them the Royal Order of Jesters, Red Cross of Constantine, Royal Order of Scotland, International Order of DeMolay, Royal Arch, Royal & Select Masters, Knights Templar and Shrine, serving the latter for several years on the Board of Governors of the Shriners Burns Institute in Boston. Ill. Maxwell is survived by Dorothy Allen Russ, his beloved wife of 64 years, and two sons, four grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.

Upon hearing of the passing of Ill. Maxwell, Grand Commander C. Fred Kleinknecht, 33, expressed the sentiments of all Brethren by saying, “Our Nation and our Rite will always be indebted to this great Mason and American for his lifelong service to the highest principles of our Order and Nation.”

IN MEMORIAM
Illustrious Herbert Alden Ronin, 33, 1910-1997

One of the true greats of modern American Freemasonry, Judge Herbert Alden Ronin, 33, Past S.G.I.G. in Nebraska, Past Deputy Grand Commander and Past Lieutenant Grand Commander, passed away on November 4, 1997, in Lincoln, Nebraska.

Born in Aurora, Nebraska, on June 10, 1910, Judge Ronin graduated from the College of Law, University of Nebraska, with a JD in 1934 and practiced law until 1942 when he entered the U.S. Army as a First Lieutenant, serving as an Intelligence and Training Officer. Returning to law in 1946, he soon entered public service as the Chief Deputy County Attorney of Lancaster County (1947-52), Lancaster County Judge (1952-56), District Judge of the Third Judicial District (1960-81), and Conference Hearing Officer for the Nebraska Supreme Court, from 1981 to his retirement.

Aside from his many professional honors, he was widely recognized for his long-time service to numerous religious, youth, and civic organizations, among them: Westminster Presbyterian Church, Downtown Kiwanis Club, Kiwanis Club Foundation, Salvation Army, Lancaster County Mental Health Association, Mather Foundation, American Legion, Boys State, Girls State, and Boy Scouts.

Raised a Master Mason in East Lincoln Lodge No. 210, Lincoln, Nebraska, in 1938, Judge Ronin achieved high honors in many fraternal leadership roles, including: Master of his Lodge; Grand Master of Masons, Nebraska, 1961-62; Potentate, Sesostris Shrine Temple, 1963; Worthy Grand Patron, Nebraska Grand Chapter, O.E.S., 1959; Executive Commissioner and Chairman, Masonic Service Association; Active Member, International Order of DeMolay; Board President, Masonic-Eastern Star Home for Children at Fremont; President, Scottish Rite Foun-dation of Nebraska, Inc.; founder of four Scottish Rite Childhood Language Dis-orders Centers, and creator of the Lincoln Scottish Rite Preservation Foundation.

Appointed a Deputy of The Supreme Council in 1971 and crowned an Active Member in 1973, he held the ranks of Deputy Grand Commander, Lieutenant Grand Commander, Chairman, Committee on Jurisprudence & Legislation, and Emeritus Member, later serving as Personal Representative, Valley of Lincoln, Nebraska. Ill. Warren D. Lichty, 33, S.G.I.G. in Nebraska, represented The Supreme Council at the funeral service for this outstanding Freemason. Brethren throughout the Scottish Rite offer their condolences to Judge Ronin’s beloved wife Ione, daughter Joyce, son-in-law Ill. Gilbert G. Lundstrom, 33, and two grandsons.

Shakespeare’s words from Julius Caesar aptly capture the life and character of this outstanding Mason and great American: His life was gentle; and the elements so mix’d in him that Nature might stand up and say to all the world, “This was a man!”