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The year 1929 saw membership in the Grand
Lodge of New York rise to a peak of nearly
350,000 in over 1000 lodges. The stock market
crash in the fall and the depression years
which followed resulted in an ever increasing
decline in total membership through limits,
unaffiliations and deaths, with the number of
petitioners at a very low level.
In studying the situation it became apparent
that a large number of petitioners had
received the three degrees of Masonry, but
had absorbed little of its great teachings
and idealism. They became "pin wearers," who
paid their dues annually but seldom if ever
attended a Lodge function. When the
depression came, and it was deemed desirable
to reduce expenses, one of the first to be
dropped was the Masonic membership.
In 1932 Grand Lodge distributed to its lodges
a plan of education called "the Lodge System
of Masonic Education." The program consisted
of four sets of five talks to be given to
candidates.
The first set given following the election of
a petitioner consisted of the following
topics: Short History of Freemasomry;
Landmarks; Tenets; Qualifications;
Organization in a Lodge. The second set
following the fast degree covered: Meaning of
the term Entered Apprentice; Interpretation
of the ritual of the First Degree; Symbols of
the First Degree; Place of the obligations in
Masonic Law; Brief history of Masonry in the
State of New York. The third set following
the Second Degree covered the following
topics: Meaning of the term Fellowcraft;
Interpretation of the Ritual of the Second
Degree; Symbols and allegories of the Second
Degree; Office of Grand Master; Teachings of
Masonry. The fourth set followed the third
degree, with the following subjects:
Interpretation of the ritual of the Third
Degree; Symbols, emblems and allegories of
the Third Degree; Legend of Hiram Abif;
Duties, privileges and rights of a Master
Mason; Structure and Function of Grand Lodge.
The Ruling Master of his Lodge appointed me
as chairman of an education committee which
proceeded to put the plan into practice. In
1940 when I was Master, I learned that my
Lodge was the only one of the 31 lodges in
the two Districts of Monroe County to carry
on the program.
At my suggestion the Ruling Masters proceeded
to organize a Bureau of Masonic Education of
Monroe County with a representative from each
of the lodges to implement the program on a
county-wide basis. Since it was not practical
to hold a session before initiation, because
candidates were elected at many different
times, the sessions were reduced to three.
The school which is designated the School of
Instruction has continued its sessions to the
present day. The program is covered twice
each year, in the spring and in the fall. The
director of the school selects the subjects
for each session, and selects the speakers
with the assistance of the Executive
Secretary of the school who also arranges for
the locale of the session, sends out the
notices and takes care of publicity and also
takes the attendance. A brother who attends a
session on each of the degrees, not
necessarily consecutive is awarded a
Certificate of Merit by the Bureau which is
presented in his own Lodge. The Lodge System
of Masonic Education has been adopted by a
number of other Grand Jurisdictions.
As in many Grand Jurisdictions, the Grand
Lecturer of the Grand Lodge of New York
visits each area in the state annually to
hold District Conventions. At the Convention,
a portion of the ritual is exemplified by
selected lodges, and every error is
corrected. In 1948 Grand Lecturer Henry
Meacham came to the area with a
recommendation that between District
Conventions similar sessions be held to
further strengthen the ritualistic work. As a
result, the Bureau organized a second school,
the School of Ritual. The School conducts
three sessions in the winter and spring,
covering the three degrees, and a session in
the fall following the District Convention.
The Director of the School is a special
Assistant Grand Lecturer appointed to serve
as instructor. The School is conducted on the
same plan as the District Convention with
lodges selected to exemplify the work, and
all errors corrected. The Director selects
the portion of the work to be exemplified,
and the regular Assistant Grand Lecturer of
the two districts of Monroe select the lodges
and places of meetings, take care of
publicity and record the attendance. The
latter also make the arrangements for the
District Convention and record the
attendance.
The Lodge in each District which registers
the largest attendance at the District
Convention is awarded a banner presented at
the close of the convention which it displays
in the lodgeroom until the next convention.
The School of Ritual awards a similar banner
to the Lodge with the largest total
attendance for the four sessions. This banner
is also presented at the close of the
Convention. The School of Ritual has been
functioning to the present day.
The two schools cover education for new
members, and instruction in ritual. One more
field needed coverage, training for Lodge
officers. In 1953 the School of Lodge
Administration was organized by the Bureau as
its third school. Intended primarily for
Lodge officers, it is open to Master Masons
generally. It is not operated as a lecture
course, but as a discussion group. The
Director selects the topics to be publicized
for the session following. At the meeting he
presents a topic with perhaps a few
preliminary remarks, which are followed by
discussion. The atmosphere is permissive. Any
brother may bring up a problem or question
relating to Masonry, even if it is not on the
agenda, and it is given consideration. The
subjects presented cover a wide field. The
following are a few examples: Suggestions for
presiding; Prerogatives, duties and
limitations of the office of Worshipful
Master; Masonic law covering the relation of
the Lodge to the candidate and to the member;
The Lodge and Grand Lodge; Masonic programs;
Masonic etiquette; Reception of the Grand
Master; Reception of visitors; The annual
communication; The annual election, etc. The
school holds three sessions a year. The
executive secretary of the school arranges
for the meetings, takes care of the publicity
and records the attendance.
The educational program conducted by the
Bureau of Masonic Education of Monroe County
has been commended by a number of past and
present Grand Lodge officers.
Masonry superadds to our other obligations the strongest
ties
of connection between it and the cultivation of virtue,
and furnishes
the most powerful incentives to goodness. - DEWITT
CLINTON.
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