John W. Boettjer, 33°, G.C.
1733 Sixteenth Street, NW Washington DC 20009-3103
RiteCare, the
new name to identify the Scottish Rite Childhood Language Disorders
Program, should increase jurisdiction-wide recognition of our
Order's main philanthropy and enhance our Fraternity's service
to America's children.
During
the 2001 Bicentennial Biennial Session held in Charleston, South
Carolina, the Supreme Council, 33°, meeting in Executive
Session, unanimously voted to adopt the voluntary use of a new
name and image for the Scottish Rite Childhood Language Disorders
Program. This vote on September 28 was the culmination of a
three-year process involving many discussions, conferences,
and committee meetings held across the Jurisdiction.
As clinics were founded, starting in 1953 when
the first Scottish Rite Foundation was created in Colorado with
its main purpose to fund the cost of therapy to children with
language and learning disorders, a variety of clinic names were
used under the umbrella terminology of "Scottish Rite Childhood
Language Disorders."
Often, responding to specific local needs, some
facilities adopted the name of their city, associated institution,
geographical region, state, or the name of an honored Brother.
Generally, the words "Scottish Rite" occurred in the
name of the clinic, center, or program, but in some cases these
words were deleted, and there was no public identification of
the Rite in the name of the facility. As our network grew from
one facility in 1953 to 161 today and spread from Colorado and
California to every Orient in the Southern Jurisdiction, the
variety of names multiplied.
As terminology proliferated, so did images as
various clinics, centers, or programs developed their own logos.
The Supreme Council itself developed a generic logo, a line
drawing of a Scottish Rite eagle, its wings surrounding a young
boy and girl. Similarly, the Orient of California developed
an attractive logo, which included the Scottish Rite eagle and
several children around a symbolic heart. Each of these logos-from
the Council, Orient, or Valley-was attractive. Many were transferred,
at considerable expense, to letterheads, newsletter mastheads,
clinic signs, and even impressive bronze plaques.
This creative diversity had many merits. Created
by the local Brethren, individual name and image selection bonded
members to the local mission of serving children. The downside
was that this multiplicity of names and images lessened the
general public's awareness of the Rite's nationwide philanthropic
outreach. Additionally, the term "disorders" had a
negative connotation. Many parents recognize their child may
require special learning techniques, but they reject the concept
of their child being "disordered." Based only on the
terminology used to define our philanthropy, some parents were
reluctant to use the Rite's services. Thus, we sometimes lost
the very public we wished to reach and the children we wished
to serve.
Finally, the identifying words of "Scottish
Rite Childhood Language Disorders Clinic, Center, or Program"
formed a long phrase difficult to say or remember. Clearly,
there was a need for consistent, positive, simple terminology
that would be instantly recognized. Ideally, this shorter wording
would be matched to an equally simple and positive image.
In early 2001, in order to involve all the Brethren
in the search for a uniform clinic program name and logo, Grand
Commander Kleinknecht distributed two memos. These memos offered
a competition with a prize of $20,000 for a new name and an
additional $20,000 for a new image to the Scottish Rite Orient
that developed a new name and image adopted by the Supreme Council.
Ill. John W. Boettjer, 33°, G.C., Managing Editor of the
Scottish Rite Journal, was appointed by the Grand Commander
to collect these entries and present them to a special committee,
chaired by Ill. William G. Sizemore, 33°, G.C., Grand Executive
Director of the Supreme Council. From the hundreds of entries
submitted, the committee was directed to make four selections
each for the recommended name and image. This process extended
through most of 2001, and by the Bicentennial Biennial Session,
the committee was able to submit and the Grand Commander to
approve four possible names and images. After considerable discussion
at the Biennial Session, the Council voted unanimously to recommend
the adoption of RiteCare
as the new name and a sunrise design as the new image. The Orient
of Virginia won the $20,000 award for its terminology of RiteCare,
followed by the phrasing, "Scottish Rite Masons Helping
Children Communicate." Texas Scottish Rite Hospital
for Children (TSRHC), won the $20,000 award for designing the
winning image, a sunrise with the words Speech Language And
Literacy as sunrays. Together, they form the new Scottish Rite
logo. Though still in the long process of applying for trademark
registration, the new logo can be used with TM noted.
At the request of Sovereign Grand Commander Kleinknecht,
TSRHC developed color-specific artwork as well as grayscale
and line art versions of the logo. In February 2002, sheets
of each version, with logos in a variety of sizes, were distributed,
along with a new stationery sample, to all Actives, Deputies,
Secretaries, and Clinic Directors. Digital formats of the three
logo versions are available upon request from the Scottish
Rite Journal.
Use of this new logo does not exclude local identification.
Any local name already in use can be included in the logo. For
instance, the Brethren in Utah are already using the RiteCare
logo with the words "Ogden and Salt Lake City, Utah"
under the design. And one Orient is considering moving the logo's
two-line text down slightly and placing its state's name in
blue under the logo's red line.
Adoption of this logo is voluntary. Some of the
existing Valleys, Orients, Clinics, and Programs may wish to
continue using their existing logos. Over time, however, the
intent is for the new logo to be adopted across the Southern
Jurisdiction for use on letterheads, in publications, on clinic
signage, and for any other communication. In this way, the Scottish
Rite of Freemasonry's philanthropic mission will be registered
consistently and with positive impact. Support the RiteCare
Program and be a part of expanding the Rite's service
to America's children in the new century.
There are special RiteCare
Program shirts and jackets available. Please visit our
online store
for more information.
