Part 83

Thomas M. Boles, 33°, G.C. Co-Chairman of the Subcommittee on Development 1761 East Woodcrest Avenue La Habra, California 90631-3260 Tel . 562-691-4227; Fax 562-691-5327

Earl E. Ihle, Jr., 33° Director of Development 1733 Sixteenth St. Washington, DC 20009-3103 Tel. 202-232-3579, Ext. 143; Fax 202-387-1843 Or call 800-486-3331, Ext. 143 eihle@srmason-sj.org

Grand Commander C. Fred Kleinknecht, 33°, was pleased to confer with Ill. Laurance Jones III, 33°, during a recent visit by Ill. Jones to the House of the Temple.

In several articles in this series, we have featured Brethren and their families who have taken advantage of the several ways of contributing to the Scottish Rite while also gaining specific financial benefits. This article, however, features a prominent donor who is supporting the Scottish Rite Foundation, S.J., U.S.A., specifically because he himself had a childhood language disorder. We are privileged to feature a personal essay by Brother Laurance Jones III, 33°, who writes:

...In 1955, I was born in Charleston, West Virginia, as the youngest of four children. I can safely say, being the youngest, I was the most spoiled and protected to the point that I never said my first word (or had to speak for myself) until I was five years old.
...When my first words were uttered, a moment I remember to this day, I had problems with my speech. I was unable to say my own name. Laurance came out as Wawence, and Robert, my brother’s name, came out as Wawbert. That went on for around a year, when my mother (God bless her) sent me to a speech therapist. I was fortunate enough to come from a family who had the means to provide for a private speech therapist to improve my speech patterns enough to get me into the school system, but I was a late beginner.
...One childhood anecdote relevant to my speech disorder goes back to when I was in a summer camp. Since I could not pronounce my first name clearly, I asked my cousin, who was at camp with me, what to do. He told me to use my first initial and last name (L. Jones). It was my turn to take the canoe out, the counselor asked me my name, and I replied “L. Jones.” He said, “Okay Earl, you’re next.” For me, saying the letter L came out sounding like Earl. How embarrassing!
...I went through school with a speech impediment and was often made fun of because of it, but, after graduation from high school, I determined to overcome my speech problem and get into broadcasting. I read and studied anything from news scripts to radio spots (commercials), reading them aloud wherever I happened to be. The program director said it was “no go” for me, despite my good effort, because I could not enunciate clearly.
Determined, I found the same speech therapist I had had 10 years earlier, and she worked with me for over a year. Then, she helped me get on a radio station in the Charleston, West Virginia, area as a news director and disk jockey. Eventually, I did not pursue this career, but it and my therapy as an adult helped me overcome my enunciation problems.
...I became a member of the Scottish Rite in the Valley of Charleston, West Virginia, in 1988. Afterwards, I got involved in conferring various Degrees. This, like the radio job, was a way to prove to myself that I had overcome my speech problem. I’m now involved in a half-dozen Degrees with a major speaking part in the Eighteenth Degree.
...Later, our Temple began the Scottish Rite Clinic for Childhood Language Disorders. That really got my attention due to my childhood experiences. It became one of my secret projects to donate money and try to get donations from others without anybody knowing my ulterior motive. I would think to myself of the children who have the same language problems as I had in the past. What if their parents could not afford a private therapist, as my parents could? How would they have to live? I knew it was tough for me. How much worse would it be for them without the strong family financial support I had?
...After my parents passed away, I was left some money, and, upon hearing a speech delivered at a Scottish Rite Leadership Conference in Williamsburg, Virginia, in March 2000, a light bulb flashed in my head. The presentation was given by Bro. Earl E. Ihle, Jr., 33°, then Director of Major Gifts for the Supreme Council. He explained the various ways of donating to the Scottish Rite Foundation, S.J., U.S.A. I slept on that information for eight months. Then, one day I called Brother Ihle at the House of the Temple in D.C.
...Within a week, Earl drove to Charleston, West Virginia, where he met with me and my CPA and lawyer to explain the most advantageous way to set up a charitable remainder unitrust for the Foundation. My lawyer and CPA were very impressed (as was I) with Earl’s knowledge. Bro. Earl even gave us names of financial professionals who provided objective, expert advice on setting up a charitable remainder unitrust.
...One thing I’ll never forget about our first handshake was a comment Brother Ihle made to me: “If you choose not to go through with this, there will be no hard feelings. I hope we will become good friends, no matter how this turns out.” I was never pressured by Brother Ihle to commit myself, nor did he ever try to “hard sell” me on anything.
...I can say that over the course of the past year, Brother Ihle and I have communicated with each other as if we’ve known each other all of our lives. As the motto inside the Fourteenth Degree says, Virtus Junxit Mors Non Separabit, Whom Virtue Unites, Death Will Not Separate.
...I would like to thank the Scottish Rite Foundation for all it has done for me and for America’s children with childhood language disorders!

Laurance Jones III, 33°
is a member of Walton Lodge No. 150, Walton, and the Valley of Charleston, W. Va., where he became a member in 1988. He serves on the Board of Directors, Childhood Language Disorders Center in Charleston. In recognition of his great generosity to the Scottish Rite, Bro. Jones is being honored by having his portrait placed in the Scottish Rite Hall of Honor and a plaque mounted in the Pillars of Charity Alcove in the House of the Temple, Washington, D.C.
 

Ill. Thomas M. Boles, 33°, G.C. (left in photo) has worked extensively in fund-raising for children's programs throughout our Fraternity. For more information on planned giving, call Bro. Tom at 562-691-4227 (Fax 562-691-5327) or the Scottish Rite Foundation, Southern Jurisdiction, U.S.A., at 202-232-3579, ext. 143. Ill. Earl E. Ihle, Jr., 33°, is our development team's Director of Major Gifts. He has been a member of the Fraternity for 25 years and served in 1978 as Master of Lafayette Lodge, No. 111, Baltimore, Maryland. He is also a member of Boumi Shrine Temple in Baltimore, the York Rite, and a dual member of the Scottish Rite Valleys of Baltimore and Washington, D.C. You can reach Bro. Ihle toll free at 1-800-486-3331, ext. 143.

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