Shrine
Endorses Its Ties To Freemasonry
During
the Shrine-sponsored DeMolay Frank Land Breakfast held at the
Conference of Grand Masters in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on February
18, 2003, Imperial Potentate Charles A. "Tad" Claypool
addressed the subject of the future of the Shrine of North America
where he stated:
"A year and a half ago, the immediate Past
Imperial Potentate of the Shrine of North America, Kenneth W.
Smith, and I jointly appointed a committee to study the future
of the Shrine. The committee is made up of Imperial Divan officers,
temple divan officers, a Past Grand Master, a college fraternity
executive and a former executive of a major civic organization.
This committee was tasked with studying every facet of the Shrine
and recommending to the Joint Boards and perhaps eventually
to the Imperial Council Session, what the Shrine should look
like in years to come.
"While their study is still ongoing and may
be for another year or more, the committee felt that one issue
must be determined immediately before any other decisions could
be made. That issue was should the Shrine maintain its prerequisite
of Freemasonry. I am proud and pleased to be able to tell you
today that the committee unanimously recommended to the Joint
Boards of Directors and Trustees, and in turn the directors
and trustees unanimously adopted the committee's proposal that
the Shrine maintain its tie with Freemasonry in the future.
"This should put to rest any of the rumors
and innuendoes that we keep hearing about the Imperial Divan
being prepared to drop Freemasonry because, Brothers, to a man,
the entire Imperial Divan voted to maintain Freemasonry as our
prerequisite."
Statement by Charles A. "Tad"
Claypool Imperial Potentate, Shrine of North America
Who
Will Read For Our Brothers?
Some of our Brethren are unable to pick up this
Journal and read any of the articles. They are reading
impaired for a variety of circumstances. Perhaps they lost their
vision to macular degeneration or to glaucoma, or perhaps they
were seriously injured in an accident and can no longer hold
a book or magazine due to paralysis or a debilitating disease.
Another Brother may have dyslexia or simply be suffering from
the infirmities of old age.
Unless reading alternatives are provided, severe
limits on mental stimulation, personal health and growth, positive
self-image, and education are imposed. A sense of isolation,
or helplessness, is created when a Brother is no longer able
to read, as print materials are often the best, most comprehensive
and available method of securing in-depth information. Who will
read for our Brothers?
To resolve this problem, the Brethren of the Valley
of Dallas, Texas, have partnered with Reading & Radio Resource
to bring the Scottish Rite Journal to those Brothers
who are reading impaired. Reading & Radio Resource is a
volunteer, 501 (c)(3) non-profit agency dedicated to the provision
of reading alternatives for the reading disabled. The agency
has been providing this service for the reading impaired since
1969. Current state-adopted textbooks are recorded for students
in grades one through 12, as well as supplementary classroom
reading. For adults, self-help, inspirational, and job-enhancement
materials are but a few of the types of readings done by the
volunteers at Reading & Radio Resource.
The partnership between the Valley of Dallas and
Reading & Radio Resource is an ideal venture. The Valley
of Dallas will provide the enthusiastic volunteers, who are
all Scottish Rite Masons, to do the reading of the various articles
in the Scottish Rite Journal, the duplication of the
cassette tapes, as well as the preparation of tapes for mailing.
Reading & Radio Resource will provide the studio space,
the recording equipment, the editing and technical expertise,
and maintain the database to print the mailing labels of the
Brethren who will receive the tapes.
But help is needed from everyone who read the
Scottish Rite Journal. It will be your job to find the
Brethren who need these tapes and to notify your local Scottish
Rite Valley. The Brethren who are locally certified as reading
impaired are the people we are trying to reach with this service.
They cannot read this article; they are depending on you. Can
you help?
Please give the full names and addresses of eligible
Brethren to the Secretary of your Valley and ask him to send
the information to: Orville L. O'Neill, A&A Scottish Rite,
P.O. Box 1850, Dallas, TX 75221-1850. Or fax this information
to 1-214-748-5155.
Submitted by Ill. Thomas R.
Hall, 33°, Dallas, Texas, Scottish Rite Bodies
Richmond's
Fifth Annual Golf Tournament Benefits Clinic
 |
Everyone had a great time
at the Fifth Annual Scottish Rite Childhood Language Center
Golf Tournament in Callao, Virginia. Photo:
Robin K. Olivier, Clinic Director |
The Fifth Annual Scottish Rite Childhood Language
Center Golf Tournament was held on October 4, 2002, at the Quinton
Oaks Golf Course in Callao, Virginia. A total of 138 golfers
participated in the yearly event, held to support the Richmond,
Virginia, RiteCare Clinic. After expenses, more than $35,000
was contributed to the operation of the Scottish Rite Childhood
Language Center at Richmond, Inc., thanks to the golfers and
sponsors of the event.
A special note of thanks goes out to the Golf
Committee, which is chaired by Bro. Mark L. Jefferson, 32°,
K.C.C.H. Its members tirelessly worked on the tournament for
the past year. Committee members met monthly to plan, organize,
and fine-tune every detail of the event. It is great to have
such dedicated volunteers. Plans are already underway for the
fall 2003 tournament.
North
Carolina RiteCare Billboard Program
The Orient of North Carolina Public Relations
Committee is proud to announce the kickoff of the North Carolina
RiteCare Billboard Program. This valuable public relations and
advertising campaign started off with an initial layout of 132
boards to be utilized over a nine-month span across the piedmont
area of North Carolina.
The costs of the billboard space was negotiated
for the price of the billboard paper only. We would be glad
to discuss the specifics with any other jurisdiction interested
in doing a similar program. You can contact Jim Reddish, Orient
Chairman, by e-mail at foxx-works@carolina.rr.com
Reunions
In Italy And Germany
| Ill. Robert W. Woodward, 33°, G.C.,
Deputy for the American Military Scottish Rite Bodies, Orient
of NATO Bases, poses with Candidates at a Scottish Rite
Reunion held in Frankfurt, Germany, on October 19, 2002. |
 |
On Columbus Day, October 12, 2002, solemn and
impressive ceremonies were conducted at the Hotel Aries, Vicenza,
Italy, by the Brothers of Vicenza, Italy, who held a Scottish
Rite Reunion and conferred the 4° through the 32° on
eight Candidates. This Reunion was the result of a tremendous
amount of planning on the part of Ill. Ronald Reynolds, 33°,
and his team. The events included a Friday evening meal with
25 attending, the Saturday conferral of the Degrees, an evening
banquet which included five official toasts, and a capping ceremony
with 65 members and guests in attendance. The 4° was conferred
by Ill. Reynolds, 33°; the 14° by Bro. Thomas J. Bankston,
32°, K.C.C.H.; the 18° by Ill. Bro. Alan I. Moses, 33°;
the 30° by Bro. Robert R. Launius, 32°, K.C.C.H.; the
32° by Ill. Johnny Ledford, 33°. The Class Director
was Bro. Roe E. Ritt, Jr., 32°, K.C.C.H. Members of the
Class were Brothers James L. Hamler, Bryan H. Luste, Dennis
A. Mizer (Class spokesman), Paulo K. Santos, James E. Sims,
Earl Smith, Jr., Emmanuel B. Ulanday, and Victorio V. Viscocho.
One member of the Class traveled from England to receive his
Degrees. Visitors from Germany (Frankfurt, Heidelberg, &
Würzburg), Holland, and the United States were recognized.
Tokens of appreciation were presented to those in attendance
who had traveled from outside Italy.
 |
Ill. Charles E. Glidewell,
33°, conferred the 32° during a Reunion of the American
Military Scottish Rite Bodies, Orient of NATO Bases, held
in Vicenza, Italy, on October 12, 2002. |
On the October 19, 2002, the American Military
Scottish Rite Bodies, Orient of NATO Bases, held a Reunion in
Frankfurt, Germany, immediately following their business meeting.
The 4° and 14° were conferred by the Venerable Master
Paul Curran, 32°; the 18° by Bro. Rainer Janotta, 32°,
K.C.C.H.; the 30° by Bro. Juan Goytia, 32°, K.C. C.H.;
and Ill. Charles E. Glidewell, 33°, conferred the 32°,
Master of the Royal Secret, on the following Brothers: Joseph
P. Anthony, Sasha Gnus, Tommy G. Kerr, John J. Scott, Audwin
D. Screen, Richard R. Steely, Robert L. Van Lorynen, Melvin
L. Cochran, and Wilton A. Hobbs II.
Submitted by Ill. Robert W.
Woodward, 33°, G.C.
Deputy for the American Military Scottish Rite Bodies, Orient
of NATO Bases
The
Temple Publishers
The Masonic Service Association of North America
(MSA) has learned that Temple Publishers has been acquired by
Brother Joe Ohlandt. Please check out his Internet site TheTempleBooks.com.
In an e-mail to MSA, Brother Ohlandt said:
"During World War II The Temple Publishers
donated a book written by Carl H. Claudy called The Lion's
Paw to our servicemen overseas. This book was 'Dedicated
to all Master Masons in service to our country.'
"As the owner of The Temple Publishers, I
would like to make that offer again during these trying times.
I am willing to donate a book to any Master Mason on Active
Duty, beyond US borders, in appreciation of their service. Please
contact me at donate@thetemplebooks.com
with the member's name, Lodge, and address. I will also proudly
include a letter of appreciation. Please feel free to inform
all Masons of this offer."
Source: Joe Ohlandt, The Temple
Publishers
Facts
And Fiction About Freemasonry
A
new 17-minute audiotape discusses several issues important to
Masons such as how Albert Pike is both misquoted and misrepresented
in his writings about religion; how anti-Masons distort the
relationship between Freemasonry and Religion; what Masonic
symbols are intended to portray; how Masonry affects our lives.
Responding to numerous false claims regarding Masonry by anti-Masons
are several Masonic leaders such as Scottish Rite Brothers Robert
G. Davis, Gary Leazer, S. Brent Morris, Terry Tilton, and Jim
Tresner.
Facts And Fiction About Freemasonry is
available through the Masonic Information Center in either audio
cassette or CD format. The cost is $5 + s/h. When ordering please
specify audiocassette or CD format. Order from Masonic Information
Center, 8120 Fenton Street, Silver Spring, MD 20910 or e-mail
msana@ix.netcom.com.
Valley
Of Phoenix Raises $48,000 For Learning Center
Golf,
the old joke goes, is not a matter of life and death. It's far
more important than that.
For the children served by the Arizona Literacy & Learning
Center (ALLC), an affiliate of the RiteCare Childhood Language
Program, golf is no joke. Thanks to the Brothers of the Scottish
Rite Valley of Phoenix, golf is more than just a game. It helps
provide Arizona children with speech and language challenges
with the skills they need to be successful.
For the ninth year, the Scottish Rite Bodies of
the Valley of Phoenix sponsored their annual Kilts for Kids
Golf Tournament, October 6, 2002. The tournament, played on
the legendary courses of the Arizona Biltmore Country Club in
central Phoenix, attracted 256 golfers, filling the two courses
for the first time in tournament history. In an appropriate
symbolic gesture, Bro. James A. Jervis, 32°, of the El Zaribah
Shrine Bagpipers Unit, played the golfers onto the course to
open the tournament (photo left).
The popular tournament also attracted wide support
from the greater Phoenix area community. More than 100 businesses,
restaurants, and friends of the Scottish Rite donated raffle
prizes or sponsored individual events. Johnson Bank sponsored
a silent auction. Other tournament event sponsors included Arrowhead
Bank, Naughton Jewelers, Liberty Buick, Peoria Pontiac GMC,
Sands Chevrolet, and Sunset Ford. Bro. Joseph A. Shelton, 32°,
of Construction Diagnostics, donated golf towels, while more
than 50 Brothers and their wives volunteered to manage all aspects
of the day-long event.
Special events surrounding the tournament included
a silent auction, a raffle, a Beat the Pro Competition with
Sheila Peterson of the 500 Club, and a longest-drive competition
for both men and women.
At the end of the day, the success of the tournament
was measured not on scorecards but in financial support for
the Arizona Literacy & Learning Center. This year's tournament
raised nearly $48,000, almost double the 2001 tournament and
a very far cry from the $12,000 raised in 2000, according to
Ill. John R. Amidon, 33°, ALLC Board Member and Personal
Representative to the S.G.I.G. in Arizona for the Valley of
Phoenix.
For the children touched by the Scottish Rite
Bodies of the Valley of Phoenix, golf really is much more than
just a sport. In the hands of dedicated Brothers, it provides
their best shot for the future.
Submitted by Brother William
Herbert "Skip" Boyer, 32°
Phoenix, Arizona, Scottish Rite Bodies
Let's
Meet Great Americans Donated To North Carolina Schools
Jason Johnson (left in photo
above), Associate Principal of Stanback Middle School, accepts
30 copies of Let's Meet Great Americans from Bro. Robert
E. Strums, 32°, Valley of Greenboro, North Carolina, and
Past Master of Eagle Masonic Lodge No. 19 in Hillsborough, North
Carolina. This children's book, which is a publication of the
Supreme Council, 33°, profiles American heroes from the
Revolution through the Space Age. The Scottish Rite in North
Carolina has given copies of the book to more than 90 school
systems in North Carolina. Eagle Lodge donated the books to
Stanback Middle and Hillsborough Elementary Schools in cooperation
with the Scottish Rite Valley of Greensboro. The Greensboro
Scottish Rite Valley introduced the program in North Carolina
in 1998. Let's Meet Great Americans, $2.00 each, softbound,
is available (checks payable to Scottish Rite Foundation, SJ,
USA, Inc.) from: Grand Executive Director, The Supreme Council,
33°, 1733 Sixteenth Street, NW, Washington, DC 20009-3103.
Ill.
S. Arch Thompson, 33°, G.C., 1901-2002
Ill.
S. Arch Thompson was born at Harper, Kansas, on September 16,
1901. He lived on a farm and attended a two-room rural grade
school before graduating from high school and junior college
at Harper, Kansas. Dr. Thompson earned a Bachelor of Science
Degree from Oklahoma State University and a Master of Science
Degree in the School of Administration at Kansas State College,
Manhattan, Kansas. He did additional graduate work in school
administration at the University of Southern California, Los
Angeles, California, and held an honorary doctor of laws from
Oklahoma Christian University.
Dr. Thompson began his teaching career in Blackwell,
Oklahoma, where he served as teacher, athletic coach, and principal
of Blackwell High School from 1925 to 1948. He moved to McAlester,
Oklahoma, in 1948 to accept the position of high school principal,
becoming Superintendent of McAlester City Schools in 1950 and
serving until his retirement in 1973. In 1964, he was honored
by the new school's auditorium being named the S. Arch Thompson
Auditorium.
Dr. Thompson's civic activities included serving
as President of Blackwell Kiwanis Club; President of McAlester
Rotary Club; Chairman of Area Boy Scouts Leadership Training
Committee; member of County Health Council; President, Boys'
Club; President, Chamber of Commerce, United Way, as well as
numerous other community projects.
In 1953, Bro. Thompson began his illustrious Masonic
career by petitioning South McAlester Lodge No. 96, McAlester,
Oklahoma. He received the Scottish Rite Degrees in May 1956
and was honored with the K.C.C.H. in 1961, the Thirty-third
Degree in 1975, and the Grand Cross in 1991. Active in all phases
of Scottish Rite work, he served as Venerable Master of the
Lodge of Perfection and held positions in several Degrees and
on the Membership, Fellowship, and Americanism Committees. Upon
the formation of the McAlester Charitable and Educational Foundation
in 1960, he became Chairman of the Scholarship Committee, which
awarded approximately $1.4 million in scholarships to over 3,000
deserving undergraduate, graduate, and blind students.
Ill. Dr. S. Arch Thompson, 33°, G.C. passed
away on June 8, 2002, in Tulsa, Oklahoma. His leadership in
education and Freemasonry set a standard of excellence that
will influence Masonry in Oklahoma and America for generations
to come.
Judge
Eugene A. Wright, 33°, G.C., 1913-2002
Ill.
Eugene Allen Wright, 33°, Grand Cross, was born in Seattle,
Washington, on February 23, 1913. After graduating from the
University of Washington, he entered the University's Law School,
where he was a member of Phi-Delta Phi legal honorary society.
In 1937, he joined the law firm of Wright and Wright, practicing
with his father, Elias Wright, and serving as president of the
Seattle JCs until 1941 when he resigned to go on active duty
in the U.S. Army. Col. Wright served in the South Pacific with
the 43rd Infantry Division as a combat intelligence officer
and Japanese interpreter. He commanded Nisei soldiers and was
awarded the Bronze Star, Combat Infantry Badge, and Army Commendation
Medal.
Coming home to Seattle, he returned to the practice
of law, started a family, and became active in St. Stephen's
Episcopal Church. During 50 years of church membership, he sang
in the choir, acted as a lay reader, and served as a member
of the Vestry Board. His children, Meredith Ann and Gerald,
followed in their father's footsteps to became attorneys. Serving
as a part-time municipal court judge from 1948-1952, Judge Wright
was appointed to the King County Superior Court bench in 1954
and served until 1966 when he left the bench to become a Vice
President and Senior Trust Officer at Pacific National Bank.
In 1969, President Nixon appointed him to the
Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, a position he held until his
death. Judge Wright helped develop the National Trial Judges
College and served on its faculty from 1964 to 1972. He was
also a lecturer in the School of Communications at the University
of Washington and at the Law School. Interested in bench-bar
press and professional responsibility issues, Judge Wright wrote
a number of law review articles; served on the Advisory Board
of Editors for Judicature magazine; was co-author of
the State Trial Judges' book and, Editor of the Trial Judges
Journal.
A Master Mason in St. John's Lodge No. 9 and a
Noble of Nile Temple, both in Seattle, Judge Wright joined the
Scottish Rite Bodies of Seattle in 1953, was invested with the
K.C.C.H. in 1975, coroneted a 33°, I.G.H., in 1979, and
elected to our Order's highest honor, the Grand Cross, in 1991.
A credit to the legal profession and Freemasonry
for more than half a century, Judge Eugene A. Wright, 33°,
Grand Cross, will be remembered for his brilliant legal mind,
honesty, and integrity.
