W. Wayne Perkins, 32°, K.C.C.H.
1850 Allen Road, Fallon, Nevada 89406-8850

Nostalgic memories of days gone by suggest aspects of the past that should be retained in Masonry and the world today.

Ill. Edwin B. MacGrotty, 33°, G.C., Washington, D.C.

"The Good Old Days, When Times Were Bad" is the title of a song written by Dolly Parton and sung by Merle Haggard. It reminds me of many good old days but also of lots of times when things were bad. Yes, the good times were good, and I used to think that the bad times were really bad, but I'm not so sure about that any more. Let me give a few examples.

Was it so bad when television did not dominate our social life? Now, don't get me wrong. I watch a lot of television, mostly in the fall because I like to watch the Cowboys kick a little tail, both in the old westerns and on the football field. I don't, however, let it get in the way of being with people I enjoy.

Was it so bad when the kids had to walk a few miles to school, or when folks walked to church on Sunday? Was it so bad when we did not work on Sunday unless the "ox was in the ditch"?

Some of my fondest memories of the good old days are centered around Saturday nights in Oklahoma. We would sit around an old radio, under a single light bulb in the living room. A six-volt, wind-driven automotive generator that charged a battery bank we kept in the fruit cellar powered both the bulb and the radio. We really enjoyed eating popcorn from a tin pan and listening to Gunsmoke and Grand Ole Opry until our batteries ran out of power.

The trials and tribulations we endured back then did a lot to build character. We learned a respect for each other's property and privacy. We learned to be thankful for all we had. We learned that nobody owed us a living and that hard work was the key to success. We learned something else back then-manners. Remember when children used to call the older folks "Mr." or "Mrs."? And replied to them with "Yes, sir" or "Yes, ma'am"? Remember when they read books and played homemade games, instead of listening to boom boxes and sitting in front of video games?

Remember when men opened doors for ladies and removed their hats in the presence of a woman, or upon entering a building, or when the national anthem was played?

I miss those good old days, but I do not miss outdoor plumbing, hand-milking cows, filling kerosene lamps, or being the third child bathed in a galvanized washtub on Saturday night. I don't miss picking cotton by hand, sloppin' the hogs, or cleaning out the chicken coop and barn.

I was blown away in a tornado in 1947 that took me and my sister and brothers one mile south of the house, and the house one mile north of the foundation. I would not want to do that again!

But I do miss the time I spent in the saddle riding the fence line and working cattle on a ranch in Kansas. I miss the companionship of my stepdad, who taught me how to work cattle and to be a man. I remember how we used to talk about the simple things in life while we rode horseback, moving cattle to or from pasture, pastures that were sometimes 20 miles apart. I remember how he taught me to break the colt without breaking his spirit. He taught me the right way of life, to always stand up proud, to turn the other cheek-once. He taught me never to start a fight, but never to run from one. He taught me to pay my own way and to help my neighbor when I could. Like good manners, a lot of these things are missing from our society today. It is not the children's fault they don't have good manners. It is adults who give the instructions, set the example, and teach the lessons of life.

You probably asking yourself, "What has all this to do with Masonry?" Well, it has everything to do with Masonry because these life experiences were, like Masonry, character building. In fact, character building is the foundation of Masonry. My stepdad was not a Mason, just a working cowboy all his 82 years, but he was my idea of what a Mason should be and how a Mason should act.

Remember when the Masons were the leaders of the towns and cities and were involved in many civic affairs? Remember how the Masons used to get off of a hard day's work, clean up, dress up, and go to Lodge? Remember when the Masons would leave sacks of groceries on the porch of the widow or the family that could not afford to pay for them? Remember when Masons were the guys who would quietly buy a child a pair of shoes, or glasses, or pay for dental work because the parents could not?

Remember when hardly anyone knew who were Masons in the community, or what they did, or where they met? That is one of the things I want to see changed. We need to let people, especially the clergy in our communities, know who we are, what we do, and where we hold our meetings. We need to open our doors to those who are skeptical of us. Let them come into the Lodge, let them ask questions, and let us give them straight answers. Let them see that we Masons are the friends and neighbors they have known all their lives.

Yes, the good old days were sometimes bad for me and, I am sure, for most of you. I hope I have stirred up some good memories for you, and, if you are like me, even the bad times were not that bad. We just thought they were!

W. Wayne Perkins is a member of the Scottish Rite Bodies of Reno, Nevada, currently serving as the Venerable Master of the Nevada Lodge of Perfection; a Past Grand Master of the Grand Lodge Free and Accepted Masons of Nevada (2002); a Past Grand High Priest of the Grand Chapter Royal Arch Masons of Nevada; a Past Grand Master of the Grand Council Cryptic Masons of Nevada; the Grand Standard Bearer of the Grand Commandery of Nevada; and a Past Grand Patron of the Grand Chapter, Order of Eastern Star, State of Nevada. He holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Public Administration, served 23 years in the United States Air Force, and has held numerous public offices in Nye County, Nevada, including a term as County Commissioner. He lives in Fallon, Nevada, with his wife, Jerry Lee.