MASONIC EDUCATION Dean Skokan, P.G.M. Nebraska In the 32 nd Degree of the Scottish Rite, the Candidate is asked, on his entry into the Lodge, whether he is interested in the study of Masonic Philosophy and the meaning of Masonic symbols. His guide prompts him to answer yes. With that answer the entire class, asleep or awake, interested or not, is exposed to a ray of light, a brief glimpse of the path to Masonic understanding. In some Lodges and Valleys, that is all the candidates receive. Any further education they obtain will be on their own. Some Lodges, like ours, make an effort to have some Masonic instruction or discussion at meetings. The problem with our program is that, as presenters, we talk about what interests us because we often can t determine what interests you. Lately, I have tried to educate myself and considered whether my educational experience can be (or should be) replicated. There seems to be little resemblance between what is called Masonic Education today, and what was taught in Lodge in the first hundred years of the recorded history of our Fraternity, roughly the period from 1720 to 1825. That s not necessarily good or bad but it is undeniably different. When the Grand Lodge of England was formed, education was not available to the common man. A smart lad could be apprenticed or trained in a trade, but what we think of as basic education today, was simply unavailable to all but the most wealthy and highest born. The Masonic Lodge was one of the few places where a man could be exposed to a broad scope of knowledge. The old English Lodge records
contain references to discussions about art, engineering, science and agriculture. The symbols and lessons of the degrees were presented by famous lecturers who traveled widely and offered Masonic instruction. These days, there is none of that. Great Masonic libraries go largely unused. The debate now is not about what Masonry was or is, but about how it should change. It was not always so. It is fair to say that the purpose of Freemasonry, in the early years of the history of our order, was clear. Masonry, intellectual development, and education were synonymous. The best men, regardless of occupation or station in life were Masons. The basic qualifications for membership were capability of caring for himself and family, and the capacity to study and learn. Masonry grew rapidly during that time, in Europe and later in America. This period of high status and growth continued, in America, until William Morgan disappeared in 1826. The next 20 years nearly extinguished Freemasonry in the United States. There was an Anti- Masonic political party. Congressmen were elected on that platform. Several Grand Lodges went dormant, lodges closed and buildings were sold. After the anti-masonic fervor subsided, Freemasonry slowly regained its footing. Albert Mackey became a preeminent practitioner. Mackey communicated the Scottish Rite Degrees to Albert Pike and after the Civil War Albert Pike essentially remade the Southern Jurisdiction of the Scottish Rite. Our Lodge is named in his honor. Stephen DaFoe, in his article Reading, Writing and Apathy, correlates the quality of Masonic intellect with the level of interest in and the quality of Masonic Publications. He finds the 1920 s and 30 s to be a highwater mark for Masonry. That is probably a valid assumption. The Builder
magazine, generally regarded as the finest Masonic publication, was published monthly and widely read from 1915 through mid-1930. All issues are readily available online. Lodges had discussion groups and study sessions about each issue. Roscoe Pound, a Nebraskan and Dean of the Harvard Law School was a regular contributor. Another interesting publication with a long history is the Masonic Service Association s Short Talk Bulletin. This has been published monthly since 1923 and the subjects have been indexed. Dafoe spends much of his article analyzing the content of the bulletin, but, to my mind, his most illustrative point is this: In the 1920 s 40% of the Bulletins were about Esoteric Symbolism or the Three Degrees. In the 1930 s, that fell to 27%. In the 80 s and 90 s it was 5%. It is less than 3% today. Most would agree that these topics are the building blocks of a Masonic Education. Dafoe then analyses the subjects that were given increased publication space in the Bulletins. Two topics which seem to have filled the void are Famous Masons and Fluff Pieces. In the 20 s 11% of the articles fall into those categories. Today such articles make up 50% of the publication. This is not an indictment of the MSA. It is a fine organization that does much good work. The content of their publication is nothing more than a reflection of what their readers want. Dafoe notes that the world is a better place with their publication than without it some education is better than none. There are other examples of the intellectual decline of the Fraternity. Dafoe refers to the state of modern Grand Lodge Publications as disgusting. While I might not choose that term, a glance at recent issues of the Nebraska Mason or even the Scottish Rite Journal reveals almost no
intellectual discussion of symbolism or the interpretations of Masonic Degrees. I confess that I see the inclusion of recipes in the Scottish Rite Journal as a sign of the impending Apocalypse. These days, Masonic work means ritual. It is not rocket science to learn a part. The meaningful work lies in discerning the meaning of a part or a degree. Masons are fond of saying that it is our ritual that differentiates us from the animal lodges. That is only partly true. The ritual of being initiated, passed and raised separates us, but it is the search for the meaning of those rituals that distinguishes us from Ralph Cramden s Racoons or Homer Simpson s Stonecutters. Masonic Labor lies in the search for the meaning of ritual, not the memorization of it. I often have these discussions with a brother who is sure that the condition of Masonry in Nebraska is terminal. He believes that it can only be saved by friendship nights, awards dinners and public relations. I have not been able to convince him that whatever emerges from that pile of dirty dishes and newspaper clippings will not be Freemasonry. It will be something else. I am quite sure I will want no part of it. Similarly, Dafoe finds no solution to this problem. He asserts that the age of the intellectual Mason is over. However, he sees hope for the Fraternity in the minds of some young men now seeking admission to our order. They are not looking for the Masonry of their fathers or grandfathers, but some, at least, are true seekers of light, looking for the lodges of Mackey and Pike, Washington and Franklin. They come to our lodges because they have learned that light was here once and that traces of it remain. It is our duty to welcome them, shield them from the apathy that surrounds them, and let them find their way.
In the conclusion of the 32 nd Scottish Rite Degree, you recall that the Aspirant is given the key to the gate which allows him to re-enter the world and is told that he must complete the journey for himself. Some, a few, will realize that the end of the 32 nd Degree marks the beginning of their Masonic journey, not the finish line. The future Freemasonry belongs to them. * * * * * * * Much of this piece, both concepts and language, comes from W. Bro. Stephen Dafoe s excellent presentation to Lodge Vitruvian No. 767 F&AM, Indianapolis, Indiana - July 26, 2005, Reading Writing And Apathy; the Rise and Fall of Masonic Education. It is available online. Reading the original work is highly recommended.