Scottish Rite Masons and their Families VALLEY VOICE March 2016
Valley of Detroit VALLEYVOICE March, 2016 Valley Voice is the official publication of Detroit Scottish Rite. The Bodies of the Scottish Rite, sitting in the Valley of Detroit, State of Michigan, acknowledge and yield allegiance to the Supreme Council, 33 o, Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry for the Northern Masonic Jurisdiction of the United States of America whose Grand East is in Lexington, Massachusetts. On the Cover: Entrance to the Scottish Rite Masonic Museum & Library and the Headquarters of the Supreme Council, Northern Masonic Jurisdiction. Save the Date... Come Join the Valley of Detroit for a Fun Filled Day at Ill. John Wm. McNaughton, 33 o Sovereign Grand Commander Ill. David R. Bedwell, 33 o Deputy for Michigan Ill. William J. Dover, 33 o, MSA Active Member for Michigan Ill. Walter F. Wheeler, 33 o Active Member for Michigan Ill. Erwin W. O Dell, 33 o, MSA Active Member Emeritus Ill. Gerald F. Thorp, 33 o, MSA Active Member Emeritus 32ndDegreeMasons.org All correspondence concerning this Publication should be directed to the Executive Secretary of the Valley of Detroit, Timothey S. Marshbanks, 33 o Saturday, August 27, 2016 Depart Dearborn at 8:00 a.m. Tickets ~ $35.00 per person $45.00 per person if taking the bus Price includes a catered lunch at a private picnic area. Only 50 seats available on a first come basis for the bus! Contact the Valley office at 877.320.6432 for reservations. Prepaid Reservations no later than August 1, 2016. Mailing Address 907 Monroe St. Dearborn, MI 48124-2309 313.724.1907 Fax 313.724.1996 Toll Free 877.320.6432 Email valleyofdetroit@32nddegreemasons.org Editor Ill. David R. Bedwell, 33 o dbedwell@ameritech.net Permission to reprint original articles in the Valley Voice is granted to all recognized Masonic publications with credit to the author and this publication. Copyright 2015 Board of Trustees of the Scottish Rite Bodies of the Valley of Detroit
March Valley Meeting Tuesday, March 8, 2016 ~ 7:30 p.m. Scottish Rite Masonic Center Following the short business meeting... Micro Brew Beer Tasting Dearborn Brewery Special engraved Flight Glasses available for purchase. $50.00 / Flight ~ Limited Quantity Contact the Valley office at 877.320.6432 or ValleyofDetroit@32ndDegreeMasons.org You and your guest are invited to a Membership Social Saturday, March 19, 2016 7:00 ~ 11:00 p.m. Join us for a low key evening of fun and fellowship. Play some euchre, join in conversation, watch a little March Madness, enjoy the company of fellow Masons. Refreshments will be provided. Members: $10.00 / Members with Non Scottish Rite Guests: No Charge Prepaid Reservations required 877.320.6432 No later than March 14. www.32nddegreemasons.org
Arturo de Hoyos speaks at the Valley of Detroit Tuesday, April 12, 2016 ~ 7:30 p.m Scottish Rite Masonic Center ~ Dearborn The Valley of Detroit is proud to present to Valley of Detroit Members and their Master Mason guests and other 32 o Masons Ill Bro. Art de Hoyos, 33 o, Grand Archivist of Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite, Southern Jurisdiction who will speak on The Little Known Aspects of Early American Masonic Ritual On this special evening you ll be able to meet, purchase books, and have your books signed. Registration includes: Educational presentation, appetizers, and refreshments, social following the presentation, book signing and meet and greet. Members of the Valley should bring their fellow Master Masons to introduce them to the Valley of Detroit. As long as they register, your non-scottish Rite Master Mason guests are free of charge this evening to take part in this special presentation and appetizers. This is your opportunity to show your Master Mason friends why you value your Scottish Rite membership. (Petitions for membership and the chance to speak with Valley Ambassadors will be available as well). As seen on the History Channel and NBC s Dateline, CNN s The Situation Room and many other programs. Both Scottish Rite members and Master Masons are invited. $20.00 per person / Master Mason Guests Free of Charge PREPAID RESERVATIONS ARE A MUST No later than April 1, 2016 www.32nddegreemasons.org or 877.320.6432
A Portrait of a Freemason Aimee E. Newell, Ph.D., Director of Collections Scottish Rite Masonic Museum & Library, Lexington, MA Unidentified Man, 1896, Edward Hill (1843-1923), probably New Hampshire,collection of the Scottish Rite Masonic Museum & Library, 2015.048. Photograph by David Bohl. In our recent exhibition, Every Variety of Painting for Lodges : Decorated Furniture, Paintings and Ritual Objects from the Collection, we included a few portraits from the collection showing men wearing jewelry or regalia that identified them as Masons. As we explained in the exhibition, sometimes these portraits marked personal achievements, like holding a lodge office, while other times they allowed the sitter to proclaim his affiliation with the fraternity as a valued part of his self-identity. Recently, we acquired another portrait of a man wearing a simple black coat and white shirt, with a yellow pin at the center of his shirt in the shape of a square and compasses symbol. Unfortunately, there was no information with the portrait about its provenance or the identity of the subject. We were interested in adding it to the collection because it showed the value this member placed on his Masonic activities. But, during the cataloging process, we noticed that the portrait is signed by its artist. Artist Edward Hill (1843-1923) was born in England, but grew up in Massachusetts. He began his painting career in Gardner, Massachusetts, where he worked at the Heywood-Wakefield Company, and later moved to New Hampshire. In New Hampshire, Hill became a well-known landscape painter, part of the White Mountain school of artists. His brother Thomas was also part of this school. Edward Hill worked as a resident artist at some of the mountain resorts. This allowed him to increase awareness and sales of his work, while the hotel attracted visitors who wanted to see an artist working. Toward the end of his life, Hill moved to Oregon where he died in 1923. While it was exciting to discover that this portrait was painted by a known artist, it was even more exciting to discover that Edward Hill was a Mason himself! In Massachusetts, his membership record lists him as an ornamental painter and tells us that he was a member of Orange Lodge in 1872. He demitted from that lodge in 1879, probably because of his move to New Hampshire. Hill remained active in Freemasonry in New Hampshire. The records at the Grand Lodge of New Hampshire list two Edward Hills: one joined Nashua s Rising Sun Lodge No. 39 in 1870. The other joined Manchester s Washington Lodge No. 61 in 1873. It seems likely that the artist Edward Hill was the man who belonged to Rising Sun Lodge No. 39. That lodge is also listed on his membership card in Massachusetts. In addition, Hill was a member of Union Royal Arch Chapter and of Burns Lodge No. 66 in Littleton (according to dues cards in a collection of family papers at the New Hampshire Historical Society). When he moved to Oregon, he joined Hood River Lodge No. 105 and Hood River Royal Arch Chapter No. 27. We still don t know who this subject was, but it seems quite possible that he was a Masonic brother of artist Edward Hill. For now, we are happy to add this portrait to our collection and to be able to tell the story of the value that artist and sitter both placed on their Masonic membership.
Introducing Christian Featured Student of the Month Christian is an 11 year old fifth grader who attends Meridian Elementary school. Now that Christian s reading improved, he enjoys school and it is much easier thanks to all he s learned while coming to our Center. He enjoys working with Ms. Diane because she s really nice. Christian lives with his mom, dad and older sister Julia. Christian, originally from San Antonio Texas, was adopted when he was a little baby and he and his sister have the same birth parents. His family includes a really cool and different pet named Dexter. Dexter is a bearded dragon who loves to run; he gets lost sometimes, but we ve always been able to find him. Christian enjoys sports with his family. In the winter, he loves snowboarding and in the summer he plays soccer and baseball and swims. Christian is a Webelo scout and enjoys doing scout activities with his dad. Most recently they worked on a service project for a homeless center, collecting personal care items. Christian is curious about how things work and enjoys hands-on learning. Science is his favorite subject because it makes sense. He prefers to read non-fiction books. The Guinness Book of World Records and Weird but True Facts are personal favorites. Right now, he is reading Number the Stars by Lois Lowry. Outside of school, Christian has many interests: radio controlled cars, magnets, and robotics. Last year, he even built a real working robot and entered it in a competition. In the future, all that curiosity may pay off; he hopes to be an engineer one day.
Save the Date ~ SCOTTISH RITE DAY Saturday, November 12, 2016 Northern and Southern Jurisdictions Come Together in First Nationwide Event Celebrating Our Fraternity Here are the details On Saturday, November 12, 2016, Valleys and State Councils of Deliberation from both the Northern and Southern Jurisdictions will come together to celebrate the Scottish Rite. It is the first time the fraternity has held such a nationwide day of honor. Michigan will confer a state-wide 32 o conferral at the Bay City Scottish Rite Cathedral. Our hope is that you see it as a chance to plan a fun, memorable occasion that reaches out to and connects with members old and new. We are asking Michigan Valleys, beginning in January of 2016, to confer the degrees necessary to make a man a Scottish Rite Mason with the exception of conferring the 32 o. On Saturday, November 12, 2016, the Valley s will come together and confer the 32 o on all the candidates who have not received it. Ladies will be invited and a special program will be planned for them while the men are in the conferral. 33 members will be asked to wear white tie and tails to the conferral and all others either a tuxedo or dark suit. Following the conferral, a banquet with a jewel presentation will be held. Followed by an evening of fellowship and dancing. Scottish Rite Day is meant to be an enjoyable, inspirational, and meaningful experience for all our Scottish Rite members and accord the 32 o the recognition and prestige it deserves. For more information concerning the state-wide conferral, please watch the Michigan Council of Deliberation website which will have more information and registration information soon. AASR-MI.ORG New, Commissioned Jewel A handsome, new jewel, similar to the one pictured here, is being commissioned. The jewel will be available in November 2016 to all who have been made a Scottish Rite Mason. Each candidate will receive this commemorative jewel free of charge; other members may purchase this one-of-a-kind jewel for $25.00. There will be more information concerning the jewel in the months ahead.
The Board of Trustees of the Scottish Rite Bodies of the Valley of Detroit 32 o Masons and Their Families 907 Monroe Street Dearborn, MI 48124-2309 Dated Material - Please Do Not Delay Support Your Club Blue Water Club Bernie Kirchoff 810.364.9702 Voyager Restaurant 525 Riverside Dr. St Clair 3rd Monday, 6:30 P.M. Macomb Club Chris Fildes 313.885.1500 Ram s Horn Restaurant 23815 Jefferson St. Clair Shores Last Saturday- Sept., Nov., Jan, Feb., March, & May- 9:00 A.M. Sajo s Restaurant 36470 Moravian Dr. Clinton Twp. Last Tuesday- April & October- 6:00 P.M. Oakland Club Damon Garascia 248.388.8210 Jimi s Restaurant 714 S. Washington Royal Oak 2nd Monday, 6:15 P.M. Club of the Lakes Les Ferguson 313.414.1792 Pinckney Masonic Center 210 Mann St. in Pinckney 3rd Sunday, 11:00 A.M. Downriver/Monroe Club Douglas S. Simpson 313.274.1546 Leon s Family Dining 8787 Telegraph in Taylor 2nd Saturday, 9:00 A.M. Jackson Club Ken Strobel 517.787.2680 The Groto Club 120 E. Washington Ave. Jackson 517.782.4934 2nd Sunday, 8:30 A.M. S.E.M. Club Royd Buchele 517.270.1340 The Clinton Inn 104 West Michigan Ave. Clinton 1st Thursday, 6:00 P.M. Calendar March 2016 8 Valley Meeting - MicroBrew Tasting 19 Membership Social April 2016 12 Valley Meeting - Art de Hoyos 23 Spring Reunion May 2016 10 Annual Meeting / Elections / Installation 19 Board of Trustees 23-24 Grand Lodge of MI Annual Communication June 2016 11 MI Council of Deliberation (Shanty Creek) July 2016 9 HJC Golf Outing Dearborn Hills 15 Diamond Jack Boat Cruise August 2016 27 Cedar Point Day Trip