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Evaluate what you have. Make a list of everything you decide to keep. Number the boxes as you pack them, and make sure you write down the contents of each box (or you’ll never find that stapler!). Even better—take digital photos of the items before they are packed. This is an effective way to keep track of what you have in each box and to enable you to find things once you arrive in your new location. Save these images on a CD and make sure you don’t pack it along with the rest of the stuff in the move. The more exciting part will be to organize the things you no longer need. These can be arranged into two piles. One pile should be for donations (for a local charity or—for my favorite weekend activity—a yard sale!) and the second for trash. The charity and yard sale pile should include unusable office equipment and retro-style furniture (like that decorating the Grand Master’s suite). As for the half eaten bag of stale Oreos with an expiration date from 1983 and that green toothbrush left on the sink … the two may go together … to the trash, that is. This is also a good time to return “borrowed” property. Give those swords back to the Templars (yes, I know they’re cool, but they belong to the Commandery!), the rubber chickens and clown wigs to the Shriners, the library books to the Scottish Rite, and the capes to the DeMolays. As for the false teeth, you’ll have to figure out that one on your own. One of the problems with moving is that people start by packing the things they care about the most. Begin by packing the things you won’t be using anytime soon, such as that old slide projector, or the duplicate copies of Mackey’s Encyclopedia of Freemasonry. Items like this won’t be needed immediately, but if you are packing the Worshipful Master’s stationary, you had better make sure you can find it following the move! If you are familiar with the building you will be moving into, label the boxes with the new room (coffee pot = kitchen). Don’t forget, you are going to need plenty of packing materials. No matter how many boxes, newspaper, and rolls of bubble wrap you have, you will never have enough. If you get a paper delivered, it can be used as packing material but, if you don’t have a subscription, then be sure to get up early and get your neighbors’ newspapers! Consult a professional! If the Grand Lodge doesn’t need all of the stuff, then what? If your collection focuses on local history rather than Masonic history, you might consider donating it to a local historical society, a university’s special collections, or a local museum. Many of these repositories will preserve and keep your history and possibly make it available for research. Believe it or not, there are people who are passionate about preserving Masonic history. That’s right! If you need assistance, or advice, just ask. Several Masonic libraries and museums have professionals (stereotypical archivists like me!) who are happy to offer tips on how to care for and save your stuff. For more than 100 years, the House of the Temple has preserved records, books and artifacts from all Masonic bodies. We are always happy to assist you in safeguarding your Masonic heritage. Take steps to save and preserve your own history.
The House of the Temple’s professional staff of Masonic librarians and archivists are committed to helping you preserve your Masonic heritage. But, we can’t do it alone; we need your help! Let us help you save your treasures for future generations of Masons. Good luck with your move, and don’t forget Murphy’s Law: The item you most need will be in the last box in which you look. Heather K. Calloway, a native of Albuquerque, is Director of Special Programs at the Supreme Council, 33°, S.J. She received her B.A. in Religious Studies and Political Science from the University of New Mexico. She also has a Master of Theological Studies from The Iliff School of Theology and a Master of Library Science from the University of Maryland. She has been a guest lecturer at various Masonic bodies, including the Allied Masonic Degrees, the New Mexico Lodge of Research and DeMolay International. She is an active member of the Society of American Archivists and the Mid-Atlantic Regional Archives Conference. A diehard Chicago Cubs fan, Heather also volunteers as an advisor for Alpha Chi Omega and with a national organization to rescue abandoned miniature pinschers. |
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In olden times, traveling lodges were made of military men. When they moved with their regiment, they set up lodge in their new camp with a minimum amount of paraphernalia. Meetings were held in fields, the woods, a tavern—just about anywhere, because it was the men who came together that mattered, not the location of the lodge. Most lodges today have buildings, so the meetings are normally held in a lodge room set up with all the necessary “furniture,” and following natural law, empty spaces around those lodge rooms will always be filled with junk.
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