grand secretary’s message
From the Grand Secretary
Centennial Celebration “One hundred years in the life of the universe is like a story that is told, like a watch in the night. A hundred years in the life of a human institution is an impressive milestone pointing backward for mediation, pointing forward for inspiration.”
W
ith an eye on the Bicentennial Anniversary of The Grand Lodge F.A.A.M. of the District of Columbia, in 2011, we take a look back at its Centennial Anniversary Celebrations in February 1911. The first centennial of the Grand Lodge of the District of Columbia was celebrated February 18 - 20, 1911. The features of the celebration were: • A Reception during the evening of Saturday, February 18th, in the new Masonic Temple, Thirteenth Street and New York Avenue, N.W., to which the Craft generally and its friends were invited; • A Religious Service in the Belasco Theatre, La Fayette Place, on Sunday afternoon, the 19th, which was general in admissions; • A Special Communication of the Grand Lodge in the Temple on the morning of the 20th; • And a Banquet at the New Willard Hotel on the evening of the 20th.
Mansour Hatefi, PGM Grand Secretary
then in use for Masonic purposes (the fifth floor and about one-fourth of the second floor were being used for commercial purposes at that time) was opened for inspection from 8:00 to 10:00 p.m. A line was formed at the New York Avenue entrance and from this point guests proceeded to the auditorium, where each was received by the Grand Master of Masons of the District of Columbia, M.W. J. Claude Keiper. Passing the Grand Master, the guests proceeded to the east end of the auditorium, down to the banquet hall where refreshments were served. From that point they were encouraged to tour the building and return to the auditorium, for dancing following the close of the reception at 10:00 p.m. until midnight. More than 5,000 persons attended this reception. The entire auditorium, including the stage, was decorated with colorful Masonic emblems such as square and compasses on banners, flags and draperies in red, white and blue. The banquet hall and lobbies on each floor were decorated in harmony with the scheme used in the auditorium.
Invitations were extended to the Grand Masters of all Grand Lodges in amity MWB J. Claude Keiper, Grand Master in 1911, prewith this Grand Lodge; in sided over the Grand Lodge’s Centennial Celebration response 11 Grand Masters, 5 Past Grand Masters The musical program and one Grand Secretary participated in the celebraincluded marches by Stotte and Sousa and classic tion. Congratulatory messages were received from 30 pieces by Bach and Moszkowski, and the attendees presiding Grand Masters who could not attend. danced to a medley of waltz and two-step tunes rendered by the orchestra under the direction of The Reception William A. Haley. The celebration was opened with a reception in the Masonic Temple. All of the Masonic Temple that was continued on next page
The Voice of Freemasonry
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