Country Music Star Honors Readers At
Namesake School
Matthew
Moffett, 8, accepts a reading award from entertainer
Roy Clark,
33°,
Valley of Tulsa, during a ceremony at Roy Clark Elementary
School, Tulsa, Oklahoma. Photo: Michael Wyke, Tulsa World
Recently, legendary country instrumentalist
and singer Roy Clark visited the Roy Clark Elementary
School, Tulsa,
Oklahoma, (previously named Union Elementary School)
named after him to give pupils reading awards. He told
pupils and parents in a packed school gymnasium that
having a school named after him was the biggest honor
he ever received. “When the young people in Tulsa
got together and named a school in my honor—what
bigger award can you get?" he asked.
Pupils who participated in the school’s
accelerated reading program set goals for how much they
planned to
read by the end of the school year. Nearly 100 of them
met their goals and received trophies from Clark. Before
he presented the trophies, Clark explained to the audience
that reading is important because it develops the imagination.
When people watch television or a movie, he said, they
are only seeing what someone else wants them to see. “When
you read, you’re using your imagination, and you
can make that story anything you want,” he said.
After his address,
Clark presented the trophies, shaking each child’s
hand and patiently posing for photographs. Clark said
he is happy to encourage young people to read
because he regrets that he did not become an avid reader
until later in life. “I’d go long periods
of time as a youngster where I didn’t read. Only
later did I realize that reading opens up so much in
your mind," he said. Clark did not read much as
a child because he did not have access to many books
that excited him. Children today, however, have much
more reading material available to them and are usually
more willing to read it. “I’m proud to say
they have more drive than I did at their age," he
said.
Gloria Bitting, who has been a receptionist
at Clark Elementary School since it opened in 1977, said
Clark
had been encouraging to the students every time he visits. “That
man is the most down-to-earth celebrity I’ve ever
met. It doesn't matter how long it takes; he’s
going to interact with the kids.”
By Jay Cooper, Tulsa World Staff Writer,
reprinted with permission
Back to top
Fund-Raiser
Benefits RiteCare Centers in North Carolina
On
April 28, 2004, several distinguished Brethren
gathered in the office of the Mayor of Wilmington,
North Carolina,
to honor the Scottish Rite. Pictured (l. to r. above)
are Joseph C. Knox, Jr., 33°, General Secretary,
Valley of Wilmington; Laura Padgett, Mayor Pro Tem, City
of Wilmington; Danny R. Raynor, KCCH, Chairman of the
Chicken Fry fund-raiser; Hon. Spence Broadhurst, Mayor,
City of Wilmington; William B. Brunk, 33°, SGIG in
N.C.; William G. Mathis, 33°, Personal Representative
of the SGIG, Valley of Wilmington.
Hon. Spence H. Broadhurst, Mayor of the
City of Wilmington, N.C., issued a Proclamation declaring
April 28, 2004,
as Scottish Rite Annual Chicken Fry Day. The Scottish
Rite Masons of Wilmington were honored for working tirelessly
to benefit children with speech and language impairments.
The Proclamation recognizes the efforts of the Annual
Chicken Fry to benefit RiteCare Centers for Children.
This fund-raiser grossed over $13,000
for the North Carolina Scottish Rite Masonic Foundation,
which provides funds
to the three statewide RiteCare Centers located in Greenville,
Boone, and Charlotte.
Submitted by James E. Reddish,
33°,
Orient Chairman-Public Relations
Back to top
On
June 4, during the meeting of English-Speaking Supreme
Councils in Washington, D.C., June 4-6, R.W. Jens E. Lassen,
33°, Grand Chancellor, The Danish Order
of Freemasons, Grand Lodge of Denmark, presented Ill. Ronald A. Seale, 33°,
Sovereign Grand Commander, Southern Jurisdiction of the Scottish Rite, U.S.A.,
credentials issued by Børge Clausen, Grand Master, The Danish Order of Freemasons,
Grand Lodge of Denmark. The document declares SGC Seale a Member of Honour of
the Danish Order of Freemasons, Grand Lodge of Denmark.
In
turn, SGC Seale presented Ill. Lassen with Letters-Patent
of Credence appointing him our Jurisdiction’s Grand Representative near the Danish Order of Freemasons.
The ceremony was attended by Ill. William R. Miller, 33°, Grand Sword Bearer,
SGIG in Washington State (left in photo above), and Ill. John E. Moyers, Grand
Secretary General and SGIG in Kentucky (right in photo above).
Photo:
Elizabeth A. Williams, The Scottish Rite Journal
Back to top
Brother
Frank Simpkins, 32°, Honored
On June 24, 2004, Grand Commander Ronald A. Seale, 33°,
hosted a special tribute in the House of the Temple for Brother
Frank Simpkins, 32°, Acacia Lodge #25, PHA, Valley of
Washington, D.C., a valued employee of the Supreme Council
for 42 years. Since joining the headquarters staff on September
17, 1962, Bro. Simpkins has served four Grand Commanders:
Ill. Bros. Luther A. Smith, Henry C. Clausen, C. Fred Kleinknecht,
and Ronald A. Seale. In addition to fulfilling a variety
of duties, he has, as a longtime minister of the New Canaan
Baptist Church, functioned as the unofficial chaplain of
the Supreme Council staff, traditionally giving the blessing
before all general in-Temple meetings. Grand Commander Seale
welcomed the entire staff of the Supreme Council, the family
of Bro. Simpkins (his wife, daughter, sisters, brothers,
nieces and nephews), several friends of Bro. Simpkins, and
about 50 members of Bro. Simpkins’ church, including
its minister, Rev. Gregory M. Sim, to a special reception
in the George Washington Memorial Banquet Hall. After eloquently
reviewing this outstanding Mason’s long career of faithful
service, Grand Commander Seale invited Bro. Frank’s
wife, Polly, and daughter, Shaquita, to unveil a large formal
photo of Bro. Simpkins (photo above). The portrait is now
displayed in a place of honor in the House of the Temple
as a permanent recognition of this exemplary man and Mason.
Photo: Elizabeth A. Williams, The Scottish
Rite Journal
Back to top
Ill. Glidewell Appointed Personal Rep. for
NATO Bodies
Deputy Robert W.
Woodward, 33°,
congratulates Ill. Charles E. Glidewell upon his appointment
as Personal Representative, American Military Scottish Rite
Bodies, Orient of NATO.
At the banquet after the Annual Meeting of
the American Military Scottish Rite Bodies, Orient of NATO,
held at the Esbach
Hoff Hotel, Kitzingen, Germany, Deputy Robert W. Woodward,
33°, appointed Ill. Charles E. Glidewell, 33°, to
the position of Personal Representative. In effect, Ill.
Glidewell has already served in this capacity, but without
its title, for the last 10 years. During this decade, Ill.
Glidewell has been instrumental in the organization of Degree
Teams, travel arrangements, and the coordination needed to
bring Masonic Light to the new Supreme Councils of Bulgaria,
Hungary, Ivory Coast, Portugal, Romania, and Slovakia. Now
he is assisting in rekindling the Supreme Council of Serbia
and Montenegro. Deputy Woodward praised Ill. Glidewell for
his many years of excellent service as General Secretary
of the NATO Bodies and, in effect, their Personal Representative.
Ill. Glidewell was given a standing ovation by those attending
the banquet.
Back to top
Elizabeth Campbell Wins McGlothlin Award
Brother Algie Randolph Campbell, 32°,
Valley of Roanoke, Virgnia, has every right to be proud of
his daughter, Elizabeth Campbell, a graduate of Radford
University, Radford, Virginia, and a third-grade Reading Specialist at Glenvar
Elementary School, Roanoke County. She recently was one of two teachers to
win the 2004 McGlothlin Award for Teaching Excellence. The
$25,000 award to each
recipient is underwritten by the McGlothlin Foundation of Bristol, Virginia,
and administered by Blue Ridge Public Television of Roanoke. The awards presentation
was part of the annual McGlothlin Celebration of Teaching at Radford University.
The McGlothlin Foundation stipulates that each recipient will use $10,000 of
the award within a year for international travel as a way for the teachers
to “breathe
new life into their classrooms, their peers, and indeed their entire school.” Celebrating
receipt of the award, Elizabeth is pictured above (center) with her father
and Melissa Livingston (left) who will be Beth’s travel companion and
Vanessa Reiff, a Radford University classmate of Beth’s. Congratulations
to all!
Photo: Lora L. Gordon, Radford University
Back to top
Dignitaries
from Gabon Visit
House of the Temple
On May 28, 2004, four civic and Masonic dignitaries
from the Republic of Gabon, West Africa, visited the House
of
the Temple in Washington, D.C., and enjoyed a personal tour
hosted by William G. Sizemore, 33°, Grand Cross, Grand
Executive Director of the Supreme Council; George R. Adams,
33°, Deputy, Orient of the District of Columbia; RW Akram
R. Elias, 33°, Senior Grand Deacon, Grand Lodge of D.C.;
and WB Teko Foley, KCCH, Aide to the Grand Master, Grand
Lodge of D.C. These distinguished Brethren are pictured above
with the delegation from Gabon in the Executive Chamber of
the House of the Temple. Left to right, they are: Deputy
Adams; Bro. Flavien Nzengui, Aide de Camp to the President
of Gabon; His Excellency MWB El Hadj Omar Bongo Ondimba,
Grand Master of Masons and President of the Republic of Gabon;
RW Paul Toungui, Deputy Grand Treasurer, Grand Lodge of Gabon
and Minister of Finance, Republic of Gabon; Ill. Sizemore;
and WB Teko Foly, KCCH, Aide to the Grand Master, Grand Lodge
of D.C.
Photo: Dean R. Alban, 33°, Valley of Baltimore,
Md.
Back to top
Carpet
for Fellowcraft Senior Deacon’s Stair Lecture
For well over 50 years, Dalton Loge #105, Dalton, Georgia,
has used a hand-painted rollout canvas floor covering illustrating
the beauty of the Fellowcraft lecture.
The Fellowcraft initiate physically steps from one step to the next, as the
Senior Deacon gives the lecture explaining each step. Thus,
a greater understanding
of the meanings expressed in the lecture are achieved by the Fellowcraft initiate.
Over the past 25 years, when called upon to give the Stair
Lecture in Lodges around Georgia, Lloyd Douglas Caldwell,
PM, 32°, Valley of Atlanta, our Lodge
Secretary, has personally carried this hand-painted canvas floor covering
with him to give more visual impact to the lecture as he
has given it. But, as with
all things, our beloved canvas floor covering began to show the ravages of
time and use.
In an effort to retire our hand-painted teaching tool to
our Lodge Archives, Lloyd looked through the Macoy catalog
for a suitable replacement. Unfortunately,
the only thing this company offers is a 40” x 168” carpet that
only depicts the stairway itself without the columns and other illustrations
that
add so much to the lecture (as depicted on our hand-painted rendition of
the lecture).
Since Dalton, Georgia, is the “Carpet Capital of the World,” Bro.
Lloyd contacted a local manufacturer and showed them our old hand-painted canvas
rollout and asked them if they could reproduce it on a high-quality carpet. With
the new hi-tech carpet manufacturing methods, our Fellowcraft Stair teaching
tool was reproduced on a luxurious 6’ x 9’ high-quality carpet,
which should serve our Lodge for the next 50 years while our original
canvas rendition
holds its honored place in our archives.
After seeing the beautiful job the carpet manufacturer
did for us, Bro. Lloyd got to thinking that other Lodges
may well want the same teaching/learning
tool to use in their Fellowcraft Lodge. He asked me to contact all
of the Masons around
the country to see if they would be interested.
To that end, here is a full-color rendering of our new
Fellowcraft Stair Lecture Carpet. As beautiful as the picture
is, the carpet is
even more
vibrant and
alive with all of the beauty of the lecture itself.
http://www.businesslyceum.com/FCL.pdf
Feel free to forward the link; or the PDF file, to any other Brothers
you want.
Fraternally,
J. F. (Jim) Straw, MM
for: Lloyd Caldwell, PM;
1930 City View Street;
Dalton, GA 30720
Tel. (706) 226-4229
Cost of FellowCraft Lecture Carpet is $695 (s/h included)
VISA & MasterCard accepted
Allow 60 to 90 days for delivery
For more information, you may contact:
J. F. (Jim) Straw
PHLANDER Company
P.O. Box 5385;
Cleveland, TN 37320-5385
Phone: (706) 259-2280 -- FAX: (706) 259-2291
jfstraw@businesslyceum.com
Back to top
JROTC Awards at Annual
Governor’s
Day in Boise, Idaho
On May 7, 2004, the three Cadets pictured
above were the first ever in the Valley of Boise, Idaho,
to be honored with
the Supreme Council’s JROTC Education and Americanism
Award consisting of a medal, ribbon, and certificate. The
three cadets (l. to r.) are Woodrow Smith, Capital High School;
Melissa Adams, Borah High School; and Angella Schmer, Boise
High School. Bro. Robert D. Barclay, 32°, Chairman for
the Valley of Boise, presented the awards during a ceremony
on the Parade Ground of the Veterans Administration Hospital.
Next year, the Brethren of Boise intend also to confer the
Supreme Council’s new ROTC Education and Americanism
Award on selected outstanding ROTC Cadets at the local university.
Back to top
Family Values Award in Pensacola
The Valley of Pensacola, Florida, recently
presented the Judge John P. Kruder Family Values Award to
Martha McDowell-Fleming,
Director of the Speech and Hearing
Clinic at Baptist Hospital. Mrs. McDowell-Fleming is pictured above receiving
the award from James H. Holland, 33°, and Harry W. Seibert, KCCH, Master
of Kadosh. With support from the Scottish Rite Foundation of Florida, she has
been instrumental in expanding the reach of the clinic to preschoolers at their
day care, thus changing lives through early intervention. Also, under Mrs. McDowell-Fleming’s
directorship, the clinic has been able to offer a unique program, called FastForWord,
to older children with auditory processing problems.
Back to top
