Kansas Mason - Winter 2020

THE KANSAS MASON Volume 58 Issue 1

Winter 2020

A publication for Kansas Masons in partnership with the Grand Lodge of Kansas and Local Masonic Lodges

Dale Morrow, Grand Master of Masons 2019-2020

Moving For Our Future

T

he addition of almost all of our Annual Proceedings to the member’s area of the Grand Lodge website, www.KansasMason.org, has recently allowed me to do

some simple research and comparisons which I feel relate to our current situation at the Grand Lodge of Kansas.

The 1887 Annual Proceedings show that as of December 31, 1886, Kansas had 14,638 Masons, 268 constituted lodges, and 20 more lodges working Under Dispensation. By 1888, our membership had grown to 15,798 Master Masons. This past summer, 2019, our membership dropped under 15,000 and our lodge count to under 200.

For the past several decades, a high percentage of our members have been age 70 and above. In the 1880s, our membership was growing at the rate of about 1,000 members per year. In 1886, there were 155 deaths among our members. By comparison, in 2018, we gained 203 members by Raising or affiliation, and 693 of our brethren passed away.

In the 1880s, the Grand Lodge of Kansas did not own a building. The 1887 annual report shows the annual rent of a “Library room” for $125, “property” valued at $209, and an allocation for postage of $150. In 2018, Grand Lodge property, which was essentially the Grand Lodge building in Topeka and its’ contents, was valued over $500,000. To send a letter to every Kansas Mason today at the bulk mail rate would cost over $6,000.

Looking at the trends, both in the 1880s and now, it seems obvious as to what was, what did, and what is happening. Now, as then, we must be good stewards of our Craft for future generations.

At the Annual Communication in March 2019, the assembled Craft voted to put

GRAND LODGE OF KANSAS A . F. & A . M .

164 TH ANNUAL COMMUNICATION 2 0 -2 1 M A R C H 2 0 2 0

our Grand Lodge building at 320 SW 8th Avenue in Topeka up for sale. A realtor was secured, and the building listed in a “sealed bid” offering. Only two bids were received, $525,000 and $600,000. The Council of Administration accepted the offer of $600,000.00 from Brother Jim Moore and his company, Moore DM Group. The sale closed in September, with possession of the building taken on October 1, 2019.

Hyatt Regency, Wichita

REGISTER ONLINE

continued

www.kansasmason.org/news-and-events/event-registrations/

GRAND LODGE: From the Grand East continued from page 1

The Grand Lodge of Kansas secured a lease from the new owners for the second floor of the building and the west half of the basement. The Grand Lodge Office relocated to the second floor and now occupies the former office space of the Grand York Rite, which vacated the space earlier in mid-2019. The Grand Chapter of Kansas - Order of the Eastern Star will remain in the same second floor office they have occupied for many years and will be sub-leasing that space from the Grand Lodge of Kansas. The beautiful lodge hall located also located on the second floor, and home to several Topeka Lodges, is part of the overall lease agreement. This is a month-to-month lease arrangement with no defined end term.

The net proceeds from the sale of the building have been placed into the Grand Lodge Endowment Fund.

The purpose of this endowment fund has always been to take care of the Grand Lodge building. The amount in this fund has never been at a level that would permanently support the building. The added sale proceeds will bring us closer to a level that will support the Grand Lodge Office and housing needs now and in the future. Now just leasing space, we have no real estate taxes and, currently, no utility bills except for telephone and internet services. Our insurance requirements have been greatly reduced, and we are no longer responsible for the maintenance and repair of the building which was always a constant and growing expense.

A lot of things have changed since 1916 when the Grand Lodge of Kansas moved into the big ornate building in Topeka across from the state capital. Yes, there has been a lot of history made in the building, a lot of storied men have roamed its’ halls, and some Grand Masters have even stayed here too. However, we were at a point where upgrades needed to be made. The price tag for needed upgrades was out of reach at our current membership levels. Even if we had managed to

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raise funds to make the necessary changes, our steadily declining membership numbers would require more and more per capita tax support just to run the building and pay the normal bills.

A building does not define Kansas Masonry. Many of our local Lodges across the state are facing a similar dilemma. We find ourselves expending the majority of our resources, time, and money in maintaining a building. It seems that we become so busy maintaining a building that we put the practice and purposes of Freemasonry on the back burner. Also, and I feel most importantly, a building does not define a lodge. Of the 268 lodges existing in 1886, only 65 owned their building. Lodges met in barns, churches, community buildings, and even in fields. They had no utilities to pay.

They had no property taxes or insurance to worry about.

They practiced and performed Freemasonry, which should always be our first and foremost care.

GRAND LODGE: When the "Business" ... continued from page 3

business of being an initiatic fraternity based on a system of self-knowledge, with lessons in philosophy, spirituality, and morality which allows for real growth and even transformation of its members. It may be that many of our Lodges are at a point in their life-cycle where we do not need to own a building to perform the actual business of Masonry. Dare I say that we might even have to raise dues to meet the basic financial needs of the organization?

What is clear to my mind is that we can no longer just sit back and react without a plan. If we do not plan, the profane business of our organization will overshadow true Masonry. If paying bills, maintaining buildings, filing taxes, maintaining records, and administering finances continue to be the business that consumes our time and effort, then conflict and disharmony will prevail.

GRAND LODGE: By Mikel Stoops, Grand Senior Warden

When the “Business� of Masonry is no longer Masonry With all organizations, there is a certain amount of business that comes with keeping that organization running. This business includes items such as paying bills, maintaining buildings, filing taxes, maintaining records, administering finances, etc. With both large and small organizations, the mundane business can become a consuming force and overshadow the foundational aspects of the organization. We can lose what the organization truly is and get consumed with the business aspect required to keep the organization running.

When this happens, especially in a volunteer non-profit organization, many things occur. We soon forget why the organization exists. We become bogged down and frustrated with only dealing with business. And, it is almost inevitable that conflicts will arise when dealing with difficult financial issues. Masonry is not exempt from these issues. All Masonic entities, Lodges, Bodies, Orders, as well as Grand Lodge, have to deal with these exact issues. Let’s call these issues the profane business to differentiate them from the real business of Masonry.

In recent years, there have been several Kansas Lodges that have gotten caught up in the profane business of the organization to the point of losing their way in Masonry and even losing their Lodges. In these cases, the profane business consumed the organization.

As previously stated, there will always be business required to maintain an organization. Still, we must be vigilant to ensure that we keep this in its proper perspective with what it means to be a Masonic organization. I do not know anyone who joined Masonry to pay bills, maintain buildings, file taxes, maintain records, or administer finances. We each participate for our own reasons, and these vary from Mason to Mason, but at the heart of these must be the fact that Masonry is

an initiatic fraternity based on a system of self-knowledge, with lessons in philosophy, spirituality, and morality. We speak of peace, harmony, brotherhood, and agreement.

These are the keys to Masonry and must never be overshadowed by the profane business of the organization, or else ruin is soon to follow.

So how do we mitigate the impact of the required profane business of the organization to keep it in proper perspective, never threatening to overshadow what Masonry is and should be? The simple answer is PLANNING. There are certain givens in business: bills, maintenance, taxes, records, finances, etc. Budget for the bills, maintenance, and tax requirements. Create procedures for record taking, approval, and retention.

Develop a financial strategy to plan for the future.

One case in point that I hear over and over again is roof repair or replacement. Roofs will need to be repaired and replaced. Everyone can agree to this fact. It is also easy to determine the age of a roof and the estimated life expectancy of that roofing system. Why then is it a huge surprise and a financial catastrophe when an aging roof needs replaced? The answer is simple, lack of planning. Yet another case is where a Lodge is no longer financially able to pay its bills or taxes. Many blame this on decreasing membership and in turn, dwindling revenue for the Lodge. Declining membership is a reality, but Masonic membership in Kansas has been dropping for over six decades. We have had sixty-two years to plan for this, yet we failed to make a plan.

It is time, in many cases, that we will have to make hard decisions. We must all understand what is required and make plans to ensure that the real business of Masonry will survive and prosper. Ours is that noble continued on page 2

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GRAND LODGE: By Michael Johnson, II, Grand Junior Warden

Mentorship through the Progressive Line The prevalence that mentorship plays in Masonic Lodges can not be minimized. Indeed, hundreds of years of Masonic ritual and history lend substantial credence to this fact. In addition, many grand jurisdictions across this great nation create programs to focus on improving mentorship specifically. It is not surprising, therefore, that mentorship is embedded into the very fabric of a Lodge. While this is a positive aspect in the growth of Masons, it can also be detrimental to the point that not acknowledging its existence and taking intentional steps to improve consistently will only pull Lodges down. This unfortunate result is because there is always a consequence of action or inaction, and those may be positive or negative depending on the effort that goes into positive mentorship.

A quintessential example is seen in the progressive leadership line of a Lodge. Obviously, the designed concept is to gradually build leadership skills as a member ascends toward the position of Master. If this process is considered a priority by the Lodge, steps are taken to ensure proper mentorship, training is given, and strong leaders will most likely be produced. If not made a priority, the Lodge will most likely suffer by having members with poor leadership skills and witness the demise of their Lodge over time. This is the status quo of Lodges today; there are some fairly strong Lodges and many that are very weak. There are but few in the middle because, in reality, a Lodge is either improving or not. Nothing stays the same.

Within the framework of the progressive line, there is an inherent aspect of its structure that nurtures 4

leadership through mentorship, giving the Lodge a perfect opportunity to build successful leaders. This is seen in the recurrent relationship beginning with the Junior Warden and Senior Steward. In a perfect Lodge, the Junior Warden is fresh off the pinnacle of his appointed Lodge experience and armed with three years of learning from his increasing responsibilities. Furthermore, these years have seen him learn to attend the lights and prepare candidates, be the Warden of the entrance into the Lodge and finally, but not least, undertake the ultimate responsibility of conducting candidates through excellent ritual. This Junior Warden did not learn all these duties in short order though; he was under a three-year mentorship of the eventual Worshipful Master of the Lodge.

For those years, that Junior Warden served as the right-hand man of that Brother who would be Worshipful Master, literally. He sat to the right as a Senior Steward when that Brother was a Junior Warden, as a Junior Deacon when he was Senior Warden, and finally as a Senior Deacon when that Brother became Worshipful Master; all the while under the care of that same Brother as he ascended the Wardens chairs, and ultimately, the Master of the Lodge.

These years are critical to leadership development, as that senior Brother mentors him and shows him how continued on page 12

How much personal effort does it take to help build a civil society full of strong, thriving communities?

What designs must be drawn upon our personal trestle boards to help build strong Lodges? Like all things in life, we get out what we put in. We as Masons are purposefully placed, by an unseen hand, in the world and our communities to lead by example. To give unselfishly to our Brothers, families, and communities. We are charged with many things as Masons, but the world today needs our examples of Brotherly Love and Friendship.

Devoting our lives as servant leaders doesn’t end when we step across the threshold of our Lodge buildings. A Lodge does not function by the strict edict of the Worshipful Master alone, much less be successful. Every Brother Mason, even our newest Brothers, should own important tasks both inside the Lodge and in public life. One way to provide structure to this effort is for the Junior and Senior Wardens to utilize the Wardens Notebook. The Wardens Notebook is an invaluable tool to help plan, organize, and implement a successful Masonic year and can be found in the member’s section of our Grand Lodge website, www.KansasMason.org. You don’t need to wait to be a Warden to start using it.

Study clubs and rehearsing the ritual is the rent we pay for excellence in esoteric work. We never get second chances to amaze candidates and new Brothers with word-perfect ritual or the beauty of wellperformed floor work. Traveling to other Lodges and outside your district is the rent we pay to learn new

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Success is dependent on effort

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GRAND LODGE: By Derik Hockett, Area Deputy Grand Master

ways to improve our home Lodges and show respect to those Brothers who open their Lodges to you. Let us also not forget the Master’s Achievement Award, which not only recognizes exemplary Lodges but is a blueprint to a successful Masonic year even if you unable to meet all the requirements for the award.

We live in a time with a unique opportunity to show the world through our example as Masons what it means to truly give and sacrifice to make the world a better place. Not a single Brother Mason has all the answers or examples to solve the ills of the world or in Freemasonry. We must be united into one common mass, joined by the cement of Brotherly Love and Affection and be problem solvers and world changers. This is why it is so critically important that we attend the Grand Lodge’s Annual Communication in the spring and our Annual Leadership Academy in the fall. These two events provide the opportunity to share success stories, meet new Brothers, and perpetuate a dialogue of continuous improvement for our Lodges.

The rent is due, Brothers. We pay that rent with our daily sacrifices to family, community, and, more especially, to fellow Brother Masons. Don’t wait for the world to happen to you; be a force of change and help shape the world with our Masonic values.

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ESSAY TOPIC

ONE OF THE BASIC TENETS OF FREEMASONRY is to be charitable and to impact one’s community

through active engagement. Many high schools today require students to spend a certain number of hours each term doing volunteer work or community service. Some people believe this is an excellent idea that promotes good citizenship and cultivates compassion. Others feel that forced volunteerism is not volunteerism at all.

2019 STATE MASONIC PUBLIC SCHOOL ESSAY CONTEST Kaleigh Blades from Seaman High School.

Her sponsoring Lodge is Golden Rule Lodge No. 90.

Encourage vs. Enforce

Volunteering is not only beneficial to society, but is vital for teens to develop compassion and become involved in the community. However, mandatory volunteerism implemented by public schools raises the concern that it inhibits the developmental benefits of volunteering. Creating future volunteers, positive attitudes, and available volunteer opportunities suggests that schools should encourage volunteering, rather than force it.

The possibility that students will volunteer into adulthood depends on prior experience. Forced volunteering can lead to “psychological reactance” or the resistance of limited of freedom (Stukas, Snyder, Clary 59). This concept can be seen in a study conducted

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by psychologists Arthur Stukas, Mar Snyder, and E. Gil Clary, that looks at the volunteering requirement established at the University of St. Thomas in 1993.

The survey of hundreds of students revealed “when students perceive the service-learning program to be more controlling of their behavior, the positive relation between past volunteer experience and future intentions was weakened” (Stukas, Snyder, and Clary 61). Rather than embracing the opportunity, students retaliated, which then hinders potential volunteer work.

The likelihood that students will continue to serve others also depends on their mindset. Mandated volunteering suggests that one is serving their community because they are required to, stripping students of “the transformational impact envisioned by

FIRST PLACE ($4,000): Kaleigh Blades Seaman High School, Golden Rule Lodge No. 90

HONORABLE MENTION ($500): Ethan Beckman HONORABLE MENTION ($500): Wheatland High School, Lodge No. 248 Seann Blair, Altoona-Midway HighHoxie School, Benedict Lodge No. 403

SECOND PLACE ($3,000): Alexis Wilson Doniphan West High School, Smithton Lodge No. 1

HONORABLE MENTION ($500): Chase Eccles HONORABLE MENTION ($500): Gardner-Edgerton HighCity School, 65 No. 7 Tanner Lueker, Junction HighGardner School, Lodge Union No. Lodge

THIRD PLACE ($2,000): Laura Savage Marion High School, Advance Lodge No. 114

HONORABLE MENTION ($500): Emily Marie Farthing HONORABLE MENTION ($500): Blue Albert, Valley Northwest HighHigh School, Euclid Lodge No. 101 Rylie Yates Center School, Gilead Lodge No. 144

FOURTH PLACE ($1,000): Robyn Logan Salina South High School, Salina Lodge No. 60

HONORABLE MENTION ($500): Samantha Vermetten HONORABLE MENTION ($500): ValleyHall, Heights Jr. /Sr. High Lodge No. No. 85 107 Jerica Cherryvale HighSchool, School,Sutton Fortitude Lodge

many proponents of community service” (Smith 172).

Professors from the University of Pennsylvania, Cnaan and Robin Goldberg-Glen, conducted a survey that measured the motivation to volunteer between habitual volunteers and non-volunteers (Brown). From the evidence collected, two attitudes were apparent: “First, one’s actions have some impact, and second, one can be motivated by concern for others” (Brown 34).

Volunteering just for the sake of a requirement fails to promote these learning opportunities that comes with serving the community. Hence, public schools should work towards community service experiences in which the students are aware of the impact that they are making while encouraging empathy towards those in need.

While encouraging students to serve the community is essential, directly asking students to volunteer is also important. According to the Gallup Organization for Independent Sector, out of the students having been asked to volunteer, “a whopping 93.4 percent did indeed volunteer” (Brown 29).

Providing students with opportunities to volunteer instills confidence within the student that they can help and makes them aware of opportunities to further connect with their community (Brown). Also, building a school environment equipped with various volunteer activities reaches out to students who may not have the resources or knowledge to volunteer on their own.

Asking students to volunteer is a crucial step towards creating a healthy connection between young adults and serving others.

Establishing future volunteers, creating a positive perspective of volunteering, and providing volunteer opportunities are key factors of cultivating youth volunteerism. Studies have shown that self-determined volunteering establishes motivation and positive experiences. Public schools should work to encourage students to serve through clubs or activities within an environment where volunteering is much more than racking up a certain number of hours.

Works Cited Stukas, Arthur A., et al. “The Effects of ‘Mandatory Volunteerism’ on Intentions to Volunteer.” Psychological Science, vol. 10, no. 1, 1999, pp. 59-6 4. JSTOR, www,jstor,org/stabte/40063378.

Smith, Steven Rathgeb. “Comment: Volunteering and Community Service.” Law and Contemporary Problems, vol. 62, no. 4, 1999, pp. 169- 176. JSTOR, www. jstor.org/stable/1192271.

Brown, Eleanor. “The Scope of Volunteer Activity and Public Service.” Law and Contemporary Problems, vol. 62, no. 4, 1999, pp. 17-42. JSTOR, www,jstor,org/stable/1192265.

2020 STATE MASONIC PUBLIC SCHOOL ESSAY CONTEST

Essay Contest

QUESTION: MASONIC VALUES INCLUDE:

promoting morality; lifting up the oppressed; respecting the laws of government; and extending charity.

How can you exhibit one or more of these traits in your school or community and how will this prepare you for your future?

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GRAND LODGE: By Mikel Stoops, Grand Lodge Publications Committee

What is so Social about Media, anyway?

“As the presence of Kansas Freemasons grows on various social media sites, so grows the exposure of Kansas Masonry through our posts. This increased exposure is focusing more attention on our Fraternity. When we represent ourselves as members of the Fraternity, we become the public’s impression of Freemasonry. As such, it is important that we act accordingly and subscribe to the lessons we are all taught as Masons in terms of how we communicate and interact with Masons and non-Masons.

We must understand that all social media postings become a permanent record. Our positive or negative social media activities will not only influence the present but will carry well into the future. As Kansas Masons, we should conduct our social media activities in a way that positively reflects us and our membership in the Craft. With these things in mind, the Grand Lodge of Kansas issues these guidelines 8

which should be followed by all Kansas Masons and Kansas Masonic Lodges.”

The attentive reader will realize that the previous paragraph is a quotation. It is a direct quote from the Grand Lodge of Kansas’ Social Media policy that was adopted in 2015 and is available on the Grand Lodge website, www.KansasMason.org, in the member’s area.

This policy further reads: “In general, a Kansas Mason’s social media activities must Always: 1. Abide by the By-Laws, Constitution, and Edicts of the Grand Lodge of Kansas A.F.&A.M. 2. Abide by the By-Laws of the affiliated Lodge or Lodges of which he is a member.

3. Be regulated by the obligations of the three degrees and the charges thereof.

Specifically, a Kansas Mason’s social media activities must Never: 1. Identify any man as a member of the Craft unless he has provided his consent or has already identified himself as such on that specific Social Media network.

2. Identify any man as a member of the Craft unless his membership as a regular Mason is known to the poster.

3. Discuss anything related to applications, the background or investigation of an applicant, or the ballot on an applicant.

4. Be used to obtain personal advantage in promoting political, religious or business activities by targeting other Masons.

5. Intentionally infringe on any Trademark or Copyright.

6. Intentionally provide inaccurate or misleading information regarding Freemasonry.

7. Use Masonic terminology or phrasing to back, support, hold up or bolster political opinions or beliefs.

8. Use Masonic terminology or phrasing to back, support, hold up or bolster religious opinions of beliefs except that Masonic belief in the existence of a Supreme Being.

9. Use Masonic terminology or phrasing to belittle, denigrate or otherwise malign any person.

10. Be used for official communication with other Grand Lodges or their subordinate Lodges. All interjurisdictional communication must be conducted through the office of the Grand Secretary of The Grand Lodge of Kansas.

Ensuring that our Fraternity represents itself to our high standards is the responsibility of all Kansas Masons.

We must intervene, Brother to Brother, when one of us falls short in this endeavor. As a Kansas Mason, it is your duty to privately advise a Brother if you feel that what he has posted is improper as defined above. In addition to individual poster’s responsibilities, the administrators of Masonic social media sites should do their best to ensure the posting on their sites adhere to these guidelines.”

By following these guidelines, we will portray the highest standards of morality and integrity and will act in a

manner that presents a positive image of our membership in Kansas Masonry to the world.”

Sometimes we respond to posts with questions or concerns that would be much better handled out of the public eye and by direct contact with a person who has the information we are seeking. Remember that the Social Media administrators for the Grand Lodge pages are volunteers, and they do not have all of the answers that the Grand Lodge staff or Grand Lodge leadership might have. If you need information or have a question, please email or call the person that has the answer.

Almost everyone who interacts on Social Media has been guilty of letting their emotions get the better of them, myself included. Were we not all taught to calm and pacify our desires and urges as Entered Apprentices? So how then do we see posts from fellow Masons that go so far outside the bounds of common civility that they even border on threats of physical harm? How many stains do our Social Media interactions put on our White Leather Apron?

As the policy states, the intent is to ensure that Kansas Masons portray the highest standards of morality and integrity and will act in a manner that presents a positive image of our membership in Kansas Masonry when interacting on Social Media. The intention is not to censor or infringe on anyone’s rights and freedoms. My personal guideline is simple; if I would not say it to a Brother in open Lodge, I try not to say it on social media. We should always remember our lessons in Masonry. Measuring our Social Media interactions by the Cardinal Virtues of Temperance and Prudence could go a long way. The dignity and decorum of our Lodges’ should be carried into our interaction with the outside world, and this includes Social Media. Remember that it is the responsibility of all Kansas Masons to conduct our social media activities in a way that positively reflects us and our membership in the Craft and ensures that our Fraternity’s reputation is not stained by our actions.

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OPINION: By Marvin Fletcher, Delaware Lodge No. 96

Are We Weary In Our Well-Doing?

We are told that there once was a Craftsman who, in what may have been the most frantic and desperate time of his life, felt the need to rest for just a moment.

One could ask whether the members of our great fraternity are in a similar situation. While you may think I am referring to the raffles, fundraisers, visits to and from other lodges, or the many variations of talks and speeches we have all heard countless times, I am not. Those are all worthwhile events, tools if you will, that assist in bringing forward the tenants of our institution – that of Brotherly Love, Relief and Truth!

Is our possible weariness evidenced by what appears to our dwindling numbers? Each year seems to bring a lower percentage of our members to District Schools of Instruction, the Leadership Academy, and our Annual Communication. I have heard much of the “Quality vs. Quantity” philosophy and I wonder if the fish-frys, pancake-feeds, and ticket selling are getting better and better while our ritual work slowly slides downhill and we are unwittingly discouraging new membership.

I do not believe that our Craft is in a frantic or

desperate time. I do not believe that we are weary from any of our fraternal tasks or requirements. I believe that our beloved Craft is on the verge of a revival, a revival greater than that experienced post-WWII and one that will not or cannot be measured in numbers alone.

At the 2019 Leadership Academy, I witnessed a movement, a movement created by the words of men.

In his keynote address, Hall of Fame football coach Bill Snyder offered a touching and inspirational course on the necessity of ultimate human empowerment that exists when you take stock in the lives of youth.

Mentoring those who are at the threshold of the years of manhood is a necessary task in today’s world.

Implementing the ideals of good sonship and good citizenship upon their minds and within their hearts is paramount to the success of society and, in due time, shall produce leaders as well as, perhaps, a steadily increasing membership. I do wonder though if our success should be judged by our membership numbers or, rather, by our impact upon others and society.

Coach Snyder’s words brought to mind a familiar

did you publicize it?

FREE YOU PLANNED IT,

Use the

Trestle@KansasMason.org 10

tools you have.

continued on page 13

GRAND LODGE: By Anthony “Tony” Borum, Deputy Grand Master

Leadership Academy – Behind The Curtain While current Grand Senior Warden Mikel Stoops is already deep into preparing for the 2020 Leadership Academy (in Hays on September 12), I wanted to take a look back at the 2019 Leadership Academy for those that were unable to attend.

It has become a tradition among the executive leadership of your Grand Lodge that the Deputy Grand Master is charged with planning and hosting the annual Leadership Academy. This task, added to the other responsibilities of the Deputy Grand Master, is, in part, his personal leadership training.

It further teaches and prepares him for his quickly approaching extended obligations to the needs of individual Lodge leadership and the Craft at large as Grand Master.

Empowering the Deputy Grand Master with this task is important for many reasons.

First, it removes the weighty responsibility of organizing and planning a multi-faceted event away from the Grand Master’s busy schedule, freeing up his time to focus on his many administrative and ceremonial duties during his year in the Grand East. Second, the Leadership Academy requires long-range planning. The planning for the current year’s event starts before the previous year’s event is held and, again, the sitting Grand Master already has much on his plate involving current events that he must deal with daily.

Third, the Leadership Academy could not succeed without the support from many of our Brothers throughout our state. The Deputy Grand Master gets enormous support

from the Grand Secretary and his staff, Area Deputies, District Deputies, and many others who work hard behind the scenes to help secure the location, venue, breakout session topics, ladies’ events, meals, and even guest speakers.

The goal for the Leadership Academy has always been to assemble useful information and put it into quality and engaging presentations that are both timely and valuable to attendees. We believe that it is important to provide current and professional training for our present lodge leaders as well as future Masonic leadership. Your Grand Lodge leaders’ goal for this, and every Grand Lodge event, is to continue to provide an informative and high-quality event. That is what we have come to expect from the Grand Lodge of Kansas over the past decade.

Our Leadership Academies will ultimately be deemed a success, now and in the future, if they can build confidence in individual members’ desire and ability to lead. Masonic leaders, not necessarily lodge officers, with training in servant leadership, patience, and understanding, will improve our lodges and our Craft. It seems that Freemasons who attend the Leadership Academy are better prepared for their leadership roles in their Lodge and their communities.

Held in the fall of 2019, the 9th Annual Grand Lodge of Kansas Leadership Academy was held at the DoubleTree Hotel in Overland Park. It was well attended by Masons from continued on page 12

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GRAND LODGE: Leadership Academy

continued from page 11

across the state as well as Masons from other jurisdictions such as Nebraska and Colorado.

The day started with a “Masons Day” proclamation from the Mayor of Overland Park and opening remarks from Grand Master Dale Morrow. Presentations took place during the day and covered topics such as membership retention, leadership opportunities, Lodge audits, no-cost communication opportunities, and servant leadership. Traditional presentations for incoming Lodge Masters and Wardens were also given.

We broke somewhat of a Masonic tradition and had a very tasty and filling bbq buffet lunch which was followed up by dessert and the day’s keynote speaker, college Hall Of Fame football coach Bill Snyder.

Coach Snyder arrived early and graciously signed autographs and took pictures with all the brothers that were eagerly asking for them. In his address, he shared the interesting history of his childhood and progress through his education and early coaching jobs. He talked about the many people that provided

encouragement guidance and opportunities in his life and how he has encouraged his student-athletes to achieve their personal goals through tackling their own hardships and adversity. His message of mentorship and servant leadership was inspiring.

I would like to personally thank the presenters, Grand Lodge office, supporting brothers and hotel staff. I believe that the 2019 Leadership Academy was a huge success and I hope everyone who attended has used something they learned to assist them in becoming a stronger and more effective leader. I am eagerly looking forward to the 2020 Leadership Academy in Hays and hope that I will see you there.

GRAND LODGE: Mentorship thorough continued from page 4

to operate a successful Lodge. They discuss the ritual and operational aspects of the Lodge, possibly including how that junior Brother can improve his work in and out of Lodge. Moreover, that junior Brother observes leadership by example as he watches the transaction of Lodge business. All this builds that young Brother until finally, at the end of his year as Senior Deacon, when he ventures forth to appointed positions without the direct assistance of his mentor and friend, he will be prepared to undertake the responsibility of being that very same mentor to his new Senior Steward.

Every year this opportunity presents itself in our 12

Lodges and it MUST be taken advantage of. This specific mentoring relationship is essential for success in our Lodges by building leaders through a strategic approach to making Lodges successful. As mentioned, the education of members is occurring one way or the other. If nothing is done to mentor, prepare and teach Brothers, they will not learn the integral skills necessary to be successful in Lodge. In fact, they will learn the wrong way or gain the wrong perspective of Kansas Masonry. However, if the work is put forth to invest in the future of our Lodges by effectively mentoring leadership, then success is on the horizon and within our grasp.

GRAND LODGE: Are We Weary

continued from page 10

quote that DeMolay Founder Frank Land often used, “A hundred years from now it will not matter what my bank account was, the sort of house I lived in, or the kind of car I drove. But the world may be different, because I was important in the life of a boy.”

In addition to Coach Snyder, I witnessed a cadre of remarkable speakers at the Leadership Academy. While all the breakout session speakers were good, I felt most excited and motivated after hearing Rob McClarty’s ‘Servant Leadership’ and Lincoln Wilson’s ‘It’s Not About the Title’ presentations. Printed words here cannot convey the inspiration they, and others, provided. I would encourage all reading this to check out the basics of every presentation at www.KansasMason.org in the downloads section.

With the inspiration that was provided and the reactions I witnessed at the Leadership Academy, I have but one conclusion. No! We are not weary in our well-doing. We are energized, refreshed, and enthusiastic about our future, a future full of promise for tomorrow’s leaders.

GRAND LODGE: 150 continued from page 15

Brothers had or took in our history. Were they aware of where they stood in the number of Grand Masters that had served before them or the importance of their actions? That question I cannot answer. But there is one thing about which I feel very certain. These men, actually all 149 of them, would likely have viewed their place in this or any list as a fleeting fact of trivia. The task at hand was of the utmost importance. It appears that they likely weighed every decision with care and with every bit of information they had at hand in an attempt to place our beloved fraternity in a better place.

To move our Fraternity forward in the face of difficulty, they likely visited with every advisor and bent every ear they could bend in deciding every difficult question, much as our current Grand Masters, including myself,

do. Those men are fitting examples for the Masters of our Lodges.

Yes, I am proud to be the 150th Grand Master of Kansas, but it is only just a numeric, not a true milestone or measuring mark. 150 is just a number, a piece of trivia to someone possibly. As there was with Grand Master Rees in 1856, there is still much work yet to be done. This has never been work that a Grand Master alone can hope to complete. Grand Master Rees didn’t accomplish anything alone and neither has any other Kansas Grand Master. It is my hope that when the 175th and 200th Grand Masters look back on this time in our history, they too will feel good about what we, the Craft of Kansas who came before them, have done and continue to do.

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GRAND LODGE: By Dale R. Morrow, 150th Grand Master of Kansas Masons

On being installed as the 150th Grand Master of Kansas in March of 2019, I began to reflect on the Grand Masters that came before me and some of the Grand Masters that were “milestone” numbers in this Grand Jurisdiction.

Our first Grand Master in the Kansas Territory was Richard Rees of Leavenworth. As I look back on the many challenges he faced in bringing the Grand Lodge of Kansas into existence, I am in awe considering the distances and methods of travel of the day. In reading the historical record compiled by the Grand Lodge many years after the fact, it seems that Brother Rees was one of the original proposers of a Grand Lodge in the Kansas Territory and spent many personal resources in time and effort in its’ formation. Several meetings were attempted but lacked the necessary three lodge quorum to establish a Grand Lodge. Brother Rees’ tireless efforts ultimately succeeded and, with the help of others, the Grand Lodge of the Kansas Territory finally came into existence.

Originally, there were five lodges Under Dispensation or Chartered from the Grand Lodge of Missouri. Brother Rees personally attended an Annual Communication of the Grand Lodge of Missouri where he requested and received recognition of the Grand Lodge of Kansas.

Brother Rees was subsequently elected as our first Grand Master in 1856 and remained such through 1859.

Our twenty-fifth Grand Master was George W. 14

Clark, who presided as Grand Master in 1894. During his term in the East, he attended the funeral of the 29-year-old Worshipful Master of Holton Lodge No. 42, Charles Hamble, who had been gunned down in the street in broad daylight after leaving the courthouse. Brother Hamble had been an attorney who grew up in Atchinson and moved to Holton to practice law after graduating from Michigan State University.

Thousands, including Grand Master Clark, attended the funeral of this young Brother.

Our fiftieth Grand Master, Owen J. Wood, presided in 1919-1920 and planned to hold the Annual Communication in Topeka in the chambers of the House of Representatives in February 1920. Coming off the heels of World War One, an influenza outbreak had spread across the country, including Topeka. Like most cities, Topeka had banned large gatherings and conventions. Even grocery stores would limit how many people could be in the store at one time during this period. While overshadowed by WWI, the great flu outbreak, termed the Spanish Flu, killed thousands of otherwise healthy individuals and seemed to target those between 20 and 40. Beginning in 1918, the flu pandemic carried through into the early 1920s and delayed the Annual Communication start by one month.

Our seventy-fifth Grand Master, James H. Trice

serving in 1944-1945, also had a unique set of difficulties in planning the Annual Communication.

The strains of World War II taxed every corner of Kansas, including our great fraternity. In an effort to support the war, conventions were limited by the War Department to no more than 50 persons. The Annual Communication in 1945 was held on February 14 in Wichita at Albert Pike Lodge No. 303. Respecting the imposed limit, only 50 brothers were present were mainly comprised of the Masons of Sedgwick County.

The election of officers was done primarily by proxy and all bylaw proposals were postponed until the next Grand Lodge session. During his address, Grand Master Trice spoke of the decrease in membership and that some would say that “Masonry is not what it once was.” He went on to say that “Masonry has not changed…… It is, however, not the same in the hearts of all of its initiates.”

Not all of the duties of the Grand Master have been historically of such a difficult nature. Our hundredth Grand Master, Carol Arnett, had the pleasure to write a personal letter to Neil Armstrong, Brother Edwin E. “Buzz” Aldrin Jr. and Michael Collins, the crew of Apollo 11, to congratulate them on the amazing feat of being the first to land on the moon and return to earth, an event that was viewed by many thousands and captured the attention of an entire nation and credited with “bringing the world closer together.”

I had the pleasure of meeting our 125th Grand Master,

E. Dean Osborn. He and I conversed on several occasions when I attended North Star Lodge No. 168 in Wichita where he was a member. Shortly after being installed in 1994, Grand Master Osborn had a vacancy in the office of Grand Secretary. As many know or realize, the Grand Secretary is a vital part, the lifeblood if you will, of the Grand Lodge of Kansas and helps ensure our functionality. I can only imagine the relief that Grand Master Osborun must have felt when 1990 Grand Master Don Robinett volunteered to step in as Grand Secretary.

As with any transition of magnitude, I am sure that was a year was full of challenges. I have been fortunate to work with 2011 Grand Master Tracy Bloom who has been our Grand Secretary since the summer of 2012.

As the 150th Grand Master of Kansas, I stand in awe of all 149 that came before me. Yes, this year has had its challenges. Our Grand Pursuivant, Lowell Brown, passed away due to a massive stroke less than four months after being installed. Lowell was a close friend and we shared many parallels in our life history and I miss him greatly.

The sale of the Grand Lodge Building was completed during this Masonic year. While this decision was popular with some, it was equally unpopular with others.

I am keenly aware and very proud of the historical place in history that I take as the 150th Grand Master of this great Grand Jurisdiction, it seems to pale in comparison to some of the hurdles of my predecessors.

In researching this article, one thing stuck out while reading the Annual Proceedings, including the addresses of the, now, Past Grand Masters. Not one word is ever said about the historical place that those continued on page 13

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GRAND LODGE OF KANSAS 320 SW 8TH AVENUE TOPEKA, KANSAS 66603

Stay updated with your Lodge by keeping your personal information current.

The Kansas Mason is published by the Grand Lodge of Kansas A.F. & A.M. Inquiries should be sent to Editor@KansasMason.org

Dates to Remember March 1

Online Charity Auction Opens

March 15

Scholarship Application Deadline

March 19

Raffle Car Drawing – Wichita

March 20-21

Annual Communication – Wichita

May 2

Grand Master’s Reception – Centerville

April 3

Band Camp Application Deadline

April 28

Kansas Entrepreneurship Challenge – Manhattan

July 14

Band Camp starts – Topeka

July 18

Kansas Shrine Bowl Activities – Topeka

Sept. 11

Grand Table Lodge / Festive Board Hays

Sept. 12

Leadership Academy – Hays

Check the online calendar for the most up to date information and details. KansasMason.org

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Grand Master:

Dale R. Morrow Belle Plaine Lodge No. 173, Belle Plaine

Deputy Grand Master:

Tony W. Borum Parker Lodge No. 341, Parker

Grand Senior Warden:

Mikel J. Stoops De Soto Lodge No. 243, De Soto

Grand Junior Warden:

Michael D. Johnson, II Peace Lodge No. 243, Louisburg

Grand Treasurer:

B. Cole Presley, PGM Millbrook Lodge No. 281, Hill City

Grand Secretary:

Tracy L. Bloom, PGM Salina Lodge No. 60, Salina