|
Wisconsin DeMolay |
|
Tomorrow's Leaders Today! |
|
“It takes an endless amount of history to make even a little tradition.” - Henry James |
|
The History of the Order of DeMolay in Wisconsin By Willard D. Isham, first State Deputy (a position later to be known as “Executive Officer”) of DeMolay in Wisconsin During the month of August, 1921, E. G. Nash, who was then Grand High Priest of the Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons of Wisconsin attended the Triennial session of the General Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons of the U.S.A. At this meeting, Mr. Nash learned something of the Order of DeMolay. Upon returning home, he appointed a special committee of Milwaukee Royal Arch Masons composed of Arthur E. Evans, W.M. Mosher, and myself as Chairman. He instructed this committee to investigate the Order of DeMolay carefully and prepare a report for the next session of the Grand Chapter in Wisconsin. The investigation was very thorough and covered a period of six months, during which time correspondence was carried on with over one hundred Royal Arch Chapters who were sponsoring DeMolay Chapters. I personally went to Kansas City and witnessed the work by the Mother Chapter in order that the report might be based on facts and not hearsay. On the evening of February 21st, 1922 the Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons, in regular session, after carefully listening the an exhaustive report, and entering into a detailed discussion unanimously voted to sponsor the Order of DeMolay in Wisconsin and to recommend to its constituent bodies that they institute DeMolay Chapters. In addition to this a sufficient sum of money was voted by the Grand Chapter to do this. Arrangements were immediately made to bring the Mother Chapter from Kansas City to Milwaukee for the purpose of conferring the degrees and instituting as many Chapters as could be formed by April 21st, the date set for the work. Twenty-four Royal Arch Chapters passed resolutions to sponsor DeMolay Chapters as soon as it was legally possible: appointed Advisory Boards, and began taking petitions from boys. The Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Wisconsin granted dispensations to use the Masonic Lodge rooms for meeting places for DeMolay Chapters. The result was that on April 21st nearly one thousand boys, representing twenty-four prospective DeMolay Chapters, and fifteen different cities, gathered with their respective Advisory Boards at the Scottish Rite Cathedral in Milwaukee. At six in the evening a banquet was served to the candidates, Advisory Boards, and the Mother Chapter which was under the direct charge of the Founder of the Order, Frank S. Land. After the banquet a parade was formed in the streets adjoining the Cathedral. Special permission for the parade to pass through the main streets of Milwaukee was given by the Mayor of the city. Headed by a corps of motorcycle policemen; escorted by over five hundred Knights Templar in full uniform; accompanied by the Wisconsin Commandery band of forty pieces; under the supervision of Tripoli Temple’s crack Patrol in uniform, the parade of candidates and Advisory Boards presented a sight, the likes of which Wisconsin never saw before. The Milwaukee Auditorium presented a spectacle that night never to be forgotten by those who attended. The huge arena and all the surrounding seats were packed with Masons. There probably was never a greater gathering of Masons in the history of the state. Despite the immense crowd, the size of the building, practically every word spoken by the degree team of the Mother Chapter could be heard by all present. Such was the interest and attention of those present. It was a great moment in the lives of all those present, and one of the greatest for the boys who were that night taken into the Order of DeMolay for Boys. After the eloquent talks given after the degree work by Past Grand High Priests Nash and Owen, by Frank S. Land, founder of the Order, and Edgar Baume, then Potentate of Tripoli Shrine, the vast throng departed for home, firmly convinced that they had not only witnessed degree work, but the making of history in the State of Wisconsin. The Badger DeMolay: Official Publication of The Order of DeMolay in Wisconsin. Volume 1, Number 1. Page 8. F. Glen Otis, Editor. January, 1924. |
|
Until 1974, the Royal Arch Masons in the state provided the financial support and adult leadership for the Order. That year, the United Masonic Board for DeMolay in Wisconsin was formed and the support broadened to include the Grand Lodge, Grand Chapter Royal Arch Masons, Grand Council of Royal and Select Masters, Grand Commandery Knights Templar, the Wisconsin Council of Deliberation and the Shrine Temples. Forward Freemasonry, Volume 2. pg. 277. Allan E. Iding, Editor. Grand Lodge Free and Accepted Masons of Wisconsin, 1996. |
