USA > Iowa > Annals of the Grand Lodge of Iowa > Part 5
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In every case possible, a floral tribute was sent for the funeral of each Grand Officer of Iowa.
Grand Secretaries:
M. . W .. John Huske Anderson, P.G.M., North Carolina, died September 9, 1948.
M. . W. . Charles Henry Johnson, P.G.M., New York, died October 28, 1948.
Iowa:
M. . W. . C. C. Hunt, P.G.M., Grand Secretary Emeritus, died July 24, 1948. Grand Secretary 1925-1945.
M. . W. . Homer A. Benjamin, P.G.M. (1939), died Aug- ust 16, 1948.
R ... W. . Carl C. Jacobsen, P.G.T. (1929), died December 18, 1948. (Demitted in 1944)
R ... W. . George Gregory, P.G.T. (1936), died January 14, 1949.
R. . W. James Low, P.G.T. (1927), died February 9, 1949.
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R. . W. . Frank Oglevie, Senior Grand Warden (1948), died February 26, 1949.
R. . W. . George L. Garton, P.S.G.W. (1916), died June 2, 1949.
During the year my mentor for 16 years, Charles Clyde Hunt, was called by death. Truly can I paraphrase the testimony of the Apostle Paul regarding his attitude to- ward Gamaliel-"I am verily a man brought up in this Masonic Library, at the feet of C. C. Hunt, and taught ac- cording to the perfect manner of the law of our fathers." For this opportunity I am eternally grateful.
Courtesy Work
The Grand Lodge of Iowa wishes to express its grati- tude to the several Grand Lodges whose subordinate lodges have conferred 211 degrees as a courtesy to Iowa lodges. It in turn feels honored to have conferred 121 degrees at the request of lodges in Foreign Grand Jurisdictions.
Lodges in Iowa are reminded that they are to arrange all financial matters with their own petitioner and not to ask the lodge conferring the courtesy work to collect any part of the initiation fees.
The plan is reciprocal and the Iowa lodges are not ex- pected to collect fees from petitioners or candidates for courtesy degrees conferred.
Fifty-Year Certificates
More and more lodges are availing themselves of the opportunity to honor those who have attained 50 years of Masonic membership. During the past year there have been 149 Fifty-Year Certificates issued to members of Iowa lodges who have completed 50 years of actual mem- bership in one or more lodges in Iowa or in lodges recog- nized by the Grand Lodge of Iowa. Let us remember that the membership may not necessarily be continuous nor in the same lodge. Whenever the several periods of mem- bership total 50 years, the brother is entitled to a Fifty- Year Certificate.
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Any brother who thinks he is entitled to such a Certifi- cate should submit his complete Masonic record to the Sec- retary of his lodge, who in turn forwards the record to the Grand Secretary, and, if the brother is eligible, the Certificate is forwarded to the Secretary of the local lodge for signatures and the lodge seal. These Fifty-Year Cer- tificates are sent free upon request.
Past Masters' Certificates
During the past year lodges have been issued 1,125 Past Masters' Certificates. These Certificates are bound in pads of 25 each and are sent to any lodge on request. They are ideal for presentation on installation night or on the observance of Past Masters' Night. Every Past Master of an Iowa lodge should have one.
Washington Meetings
Inasmuch as a detailed description of the Washington Conferences is reported elsewhere, I will comment but briefly. Iowa was represented by J. Guy Swartslander, Grand Master; Earl B. Delzell, Grand Secretary; Realff Ottesen, P.G.M .; Clifford D. Jory, P.G.M .; Earl E. Dusen- bery, General Grand High Priest; Roy J. Eide, Grand Mas- ter of the Grand Council, R. & S. M. of Iowa; and Lloyd K. Perry, Secretary of Acanthus Lodge at Des Moines. Broth- er Perry planned his vacation so he could attend this series of conferences. He also acted as official photographer and furnished the picture, appearing in the April Bulletin, showing our Grand Master presenting a check for Iowa's quota to the George Washington Masonic National Memor- ial Association.
Dispensation Granted to New Lodge
A Dispensation having been granted, Daylight Lodge, U. D., at Des Moines was instituted in the hall of Moingona Lodge on the afternoon of November 16, 1948. This is the first daylight lodge to be instituted in Iowa, and the ven- ture is being watched with unusual interest, as there are other cities that could well support such a lodge. Obviously, those primarily interested are brethren who are regularly
See Pp. 28, 86,89
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on a night shift and cannot, therefore, attend an evening session of the lodge.
Lodge Constituted
On June 28, Herbert W. Braack, P.G.T., as the personal representative of the Grand Master, assisted by Grand Of- ficers, constituted Philbrook Lodge No. 659 at Davenport.
Dedication of Lodge Halls
Grand Master J. Guy Swartslander and his officers dedi- cated the hall of Oak Lodge No. 531 at Dayton on April 29, 1949, and on May 4, 1949, dedicated the hall of Gnemeth Lodge No. 577 at West Des Moines.
Incorporation
Under the provisions of Section 382 as amended in 1943, there have been 292 lodges in Iowa that have incorporated.
Lodge Halls Damaged by Fire
On December 5, 1948, the hall of Resurgam Lodge No. 169 at Sabula was seriously damaged by fire. Repairs were rapidly provided and the brethren have resumed activities.
On January 25, 1949, fire destroyed the hall of Guardian Lodge No. 441 at Defiance. A duplicate Charter was is- sued to Guardian Lodge on February 1, 1949.
Research Group Formed
Several Iowa City brethren sponsored the informal or- ganization of a group, which in time might develop into a chartered lodge of research. The name "Cygnulyra" was chosen for this group. The temporary officers are Brothers Ken Denzin, Ray V. Smith, and Ralph Miller from Iowa City, and Rev. Sterling Baldwin from West Union. The group plans to prepare and publish material on Masonic subjects and co-operate with the various Boards and Committees of Grand Lodge that could utilize such material. This project will appear in a later report.
Lodge Secretaries' Conferences
The legislation of Grand Lodge providing mileage and per diem for Secretaries attending the regular Lodge Sec- retaries' Conference has proven a real stimulus to attend-
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ance. More Secretaries were present during the past sea- son than in any other similar period. The interest is re- markable and the benefits are obvious.
Five conferences were held during the year in the towns and on the dates indicated :
Storm Lake, December 2, 1948 New Hampton, December 9, 1948 Burlington, January 27, 1949 Council Bluffs, February 2, 1949 Newton, February 17, 1949
I personally conducted the conference at Council Bluffs; my assistant, Brother Forrest P. Hagan, and I were in charge of the conference at New Hampton; and Brother Hagan led the conferences at Storm Lake, Burlington, and Newton.
These conferences were held on the afternoon of the third and last day of the Regional Schools. This change from the afternoon of the second day to the afternoon of the third day was an experiment, but the general reaction was most favorable. Normally the Grand Master plans to attend the school on the third day and, therefore, many Secretaries prefer to attend at that time.
Visitations
Although it appears "statistical" to merely list my visita- tions, I am doing it to conserve space. Be assured, how- ever, that each visit reflects a warmth of fellowship that is truly heartening. So many friendships were created and developed that it becomes a priceless heritage.
Special mention must be made of the reception given me by my mother lodge, Nodaway Lodge No. 140 at Clarin- da, on February 9. A delightful dinner was served to the Grand Lodge Officers and a few local brethren, after which lodge was opened in the High School Gymnasium. Per- sonally, the tug at the heartstrings came when Brother Merrill M. Dryden, a former high school student of mine and now a prominent attorney in Clarinda, presented me,
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on behalf of the lodge, a gold pocket piece, appropriately engraved with my name, lodge name and number, Masonic emblem, dates of degrees, etc. This is a cherished memento.
I was requested to occupy the East for the First Section and act as Grand Secretary in the Second Section when Brother James C. Anderson was raised to the Sublime De- gree of a Master Mason. The Grand Master was in the East for the Second Section as other Grand Officers pres- ent assisted. Just to make it complete, the brethren re- paired to the lodge dining room where refreshments were served and fellowship prevailed until very late. To me it was a highlight-a night long to be remembered.
1948
June 21 Eighty-fourth Annual Conclave of Grand Command- ery, Knights Templar of Iowa at Templar Park.
June 29
Philbrook Lodge No. 659 at Davenport constituted.
July 18 Meeting at Masonic Library with Grand Master, Board of Custodians, and Committee on Lodges Chartered.
July 26
Funeral of C. C. Hunt, P.G.M., Grand Secretary Emeritus.
August 18 Grand Lodge funeral of Homer A. Benjamin, P. G. M., at Des Moines.
August 27
Funeral in Burlington of Brother Charles A. Schlich- ter.
September 15 Centennial of Clinton Lodge No. 15 at Fairfield. Presented Fifty-Year Certificate to Brother Fred A. Wilkins.
September 20 Reception for Grand Master J. Guy Swartslander at Indianola.
September 21 Ninetieth anniversary of Lewis Lodge No. 137 at Lewis.
September 23
Ninetieth anniversary of Marengo Lodge No. 114 at Marengo and the ceremony of burning the mort- gage.
September 27 Grand Lodge of Missouri at St. Louis.
October 1 Reception for Grand Lodge Officers at the Con- sistory Building in Des Moines.
October 11
Grand Lodge of Illinois at Chicago.
October 15 Seventy-fifth anniversary of Alpha Lodge at Greene.
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October 16
Special Communication at Council Bluffs where May- wood, Illinois, brethren conferred the Master Ma- son's Degree for Bluff City Lodge.
October 18
Reception for Millard D. Thomas, Deputy Grand Master, in Moingona Lodge at Des Moines.
October 29 Reception for Glenn A. Foster, Grand Treasurer, at Winterset.
November 5 Reception for Dorsey L. Andrews, Senior Grand Deacon, at Knoxville.
November 6 Conclave of Red Cross of Constantine at Keokuk.
November 9 Reception at Emerson for Frank Oglevie, Senior Grand Warden.
November 29 Meeting of York Cross of Honour at Des Moines.
December 4 Met with Iowa City brethren regarding a lodge of research.
December 9 Lodge Secretaries' Conference at New Hampton.
December 16 Past Masters' Night in Trojan Lodge No. 548 at Marion.
December 27 St. John's Day and Past Masters' Night in Cres- cent Lodge No. 25 at Cedar Rapids.
December 30 Met with Iowa City brethren regarding formation of lodge of research.
1949
January 15 Met with Grand Master, Iowa Committee on Masonic Education, Board of Custodians, and Committee on Lodges Chartered at Des Moines.
January 17 Funeral of George Gregory, P.G.T., at Marshalltown. February 2 Lodge Secretaries' Conference at Council Bluffs.
February 9 Reception in my honor by Nodaway Lodge No. 140 at Clarinda.
February 11
Des Moines High Twelve Club dinner at Consistory Building.
February 21-24 Washington, D. C., Conferences.
March 1 Grand Lodge funeral of Frank Oglevie, Senior Grand Warden, at Emerson.
March 12 Met with Iowa Committee on Masonic Education at Cedar Rapids.
March 15 Past Masters' Night at Williamsburg.
March 17 Addressed Waterloo Scottish Rite Club.
April 4 Grand Council, R. & S. M., in Cedar Rapids.
April 5 Grand Chapter, R.A.M., in Cedar Rapids.
April 10 Met with Grand Master, Grand Lodge Trustees, and several committeemen at Cedar Rapids.
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Past Masters' Night in Trojan Lodge No. 548 at Marion. Presented Brother John M. Thompson with a Fifty-Year Certificate.
Dedication of Oak Lodge hall at Dayton.
Dedication of Gnemeth Lodge hall at West Des Moines.
Grand Lodge Bulletin
Of the 384 pages contained in the 10 issues of the Grand Lodge Bulletin since the last report, 227 pages have been devoted to Masonic information of a research and defin- itive nature. This alone would make a good-sized Masonic text book. Many appreciate the permanent value of this material and have had these copies bound. When one real- izes that a subscription to the Grand Lodge Bulletin may be had for the asking, it is not strange that the mailing list has increased over that of the same period last year by more than 1,000. Our order for the May, 1949, issue is over 11,000 copies.
We might print many flattering comments on the Bulle- tin, and this encourages us, but we still feel it must stand on its own merits and not what someone else may think of it. We appreciate the comments when constructive, wheth- er they be good or bad.
Many compliments have been received on the contribu- tion which Brother H. L. Haywood has made to the pages of this Bulletin. They are extraordinary articles, and we are fortunate in being in a position to offer 12 of them to our readers.
We are also indebted to the following: Ernest R. Moore, P.G.M., for several items in the Fraternal Review and the article on "Sweden"; Clifford D. Jory, P.G.M., "The George Washington Masonic National Memorial Association"; Ward K. St. Clair, "Browne's 'The Master Key'" and "A Trini- dad Ritual"; Ken Denzin, "Cygnulyra - What's in a Name?"; James F. Risher, Grand Master, South Carolina, "Liberty Versus Security"; Lowell Thomas, "Jerusalem, Battleground of the Ages" (courtesy of the Indiana Free- mason) ; John A. Mirt, "The Story of Masonry on Postage
April 26 April 29 May 4
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Stamps"; Edna Root Peebles, "Masons on Postage Stamps"; J. D. Northey of Victoria, "Can Freemasonry Help Us with Modern Problems?"; S. F. Herbert of Leicester, "The Builders and the Craft"; Sarkis H. Nahigian, "A Priceless Possession"; J. W. Shuttlewood of Vancouver, "The Mis- informed Mason" (courtesy of Masonic Relief Association Bulletin) ; Donald T. Brodine of Vermont, "Iowa's Great- est Poem" (There Is No Death) ; and Dr. Cloyd H. Marvin, President of George Washington University, "This Atomic Age."
The four departments have been continued during the year-"Fraternal Review" by Ernest R. Moore, P.G.M .; "Information Desk" by H. L. Haywood; "Iowa Committee on Masonic Education" by Burton H. Saxton, P.G.M., and Cecil S. Myers, Junior Grand Warden; and "With the Craft in Iowa" by the Editor.
Charter Surrendered
Upright Lodge No. 653 at Melvin, after an existence of less than 24 years, voted on January 3, 1949, to surrender its Charter. The details will be reported on by the Com- mittee on Lodges Chartered and Under Dispensation. It is to be hoped that the former members of this lodge will establish a Masonic membership in the lodge of their resi- dence.
Appreciation of Loyalty and Support
The past year has been one for which loyalty is particu- larly appreciated. Last June, I was elected Grand Com- mander of the Grand Commandery, Knights Templar of Iowa. The attitude of the Grand Lodge Trustees toward my assuming this added responsibility merits my sincere gratitude, and the office and Library staff have shared in the feeling that "the show must go on," or "the mail must go through." The show has gone on and the mail has gone through, thanks to those whose loyalty is priceless.
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B. LIBRARIAN'S REPORT
One year melts so imperceptibly into another that dur- ing the last days of the one and the first days of the next we are conscious of no change except in the calendar. It is as true of the Grand Lodge year as of the civil year. Nevertheless as the work of the Iowa Masonic Library for the last Grand Lodge year came to an end it was easy to see, as one looked back upon it, that it had had an individ- uality of its own which had set it apart from all preceding years.
It is one thing to have a large collection of books, book- lets, clippings, documents, and other materials of a like kind; it is another thing to keep the collection in use. One is as important as the other. Unless a library is being used, there is no justification for the expense and labor of maintaining, housing, and administering it. Those ac- tivities which every library rightly and normally carries on in order to keep its treasures in use everywhere are called library promotion.
It was promotion of this kind that was kept to the front by the Iowa Masonic Library during the Grand Lodge year from June, 1948, to June, 1949, and this it was which char- acterized the past Grand Lodge year and set it apart from all preceding years. I am, therefore, using the word "pro- motion" in its library sense. There is no need to tell you delegates assembled here in Grand Lodge Communication that we did not undertake to sell anything. We brought no pressure to bear upon anybody, anywhere. We did not attempt to tell any lodge or Mason what to do. The Li- brary did not try to aggrandize itself.
Growth of the Masonic Library
With this Grand Communication the Iowa Masonic Li- brary has entered its 105th year. It began with a few volumes in one bookcase in 1844. It now fills to overflow- ing two large buildings, and it overflows to such an ex- tent that it has become a problem to find one more shelf for one more consignment of books. But the mere size of it is not the most important fact about it. Within the
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Library as a whole are many departments and special col- lections; and these are so numerous and are of so great a variety that I doubt if the most veteran member of this Grand Lodge can have more than a partial conception of it all. One of the principal purposes of the year of pro- motion has been to acquaint Masons throughout the juris- diction with all those many departments and collections. What all do Iowa Masons possess in their extraordinary Library? During the past year we have attempted to answer that question and to answer it as widely as possible ..
Promotional Plan for Circulation
On January 1, 1949, we had in Iowa 546 lodges, with 87,563 members. A man does not need to be a professional statis- tician to see that, among a number so large, thousands necessarily have never heard of the Library, or, if they have heard of it, they do not know that each of them in- dividually is welcome to make use of it. Or, yet again, they do not know of the many uses to which they could put it, each one for his own purposes. It has been one of the aims of library promotion to bring that information to each and every member in Iowa.
We carried on that promotion by methods which were effectual, and yet which were dignified and according to the strict letter of correct Grand Lodge procedure. I can- not describe all the methods that were used, because space does not permit of it; I shall describe only three or four, and by way of illustration. At the beginning of the year a letter was sent to each new Worshipful Master, and with it was enclosed a descriptive catalog of books. Start- ing with its issue for last September, the Grand Lodge Bulletin used its back cover for news about Library ser- vices. In the reading matter in each of those issues of the Bulletin were articles, signed and unsigned, which had the Library as their background. At least one half of the paragraphs in the "Information Desk" department were about unusual and important treasures on its shelves or in its vaults.
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During the year the Grand Master and his officers made use of all possible opportunities to acquaint Iowa Masons with their large, rich, and many-sided possessions in the Iowa Masonic Library. As Grand Librarian, I tender to them my sincere and hearty thanks.
The Mechanics of Operation
Visitors to the Library are conducted on a complete ex- cursion through both wings and on all floors, with a staff member to explain everything as they go. This "tour of the Library" has become so well established and so widely known that visitors are beginning to ask for it.
With the exception of some 200 books in the department of religion and two small collections in German and French, the Library has shelved all the volumes which for many years had been kept in storage in the basement.
The collection of documents, both holograph and printed, is a very large one-also, some parts of it are exception- ally valuable. The rarest items are kept in the first-floor vault in sixteen document boxes made especially for the purpose. Brethren may see them upon request ..
The contents of some hundreds of books are indexed in two large cabinets, which are called the Index Rerum. At the last count it contained 289,800 index cards-a number which, if it were to be begun anew, would keep one man busy for more than nine years. At the same time of count- ing, the Clipping Bureau contained 39,420 index cards on general subjects, 11,474 index cards on Masonic poetry, a total of 50,894. Under the general subjects are filed 108,000 separate clippings, not including poetry.
Marked Increase in Interest
The number of individual book borrowers was almost double that of last year. The number of borrowers from the Clipping Bureau was almost three times as many. The larger part of the correspondence that comes to the libra- rian's desk consists of requests for information, and it comes from over the world. During the past year the volume of it trebled over last year.
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During the same period the Library staff prepared thir- teen reading courses covering all the more important Ma- sonic subjects. They contain a description of each book, and along with it give author and title. One of them, "The General List," with 48 titles, already has had a wide circulation.
The Masonic Library Exhibit
Thus far the Iowa Masonic Library Exhibit has been presented three times. It consists of an eight-foot table with a row of panels across the back, on which are fastened or stacked specimens of all kinds of special collections in the Library-books, booklets, leaflets, music, pictures, rare letters, etc.
The past year was fortunate in the unusual number of gifts received from friends of the Library, not only in Iowa but in other states and even from abroad. There were five or six large collections of books, many individ- ual volumes with two or three rare and valuable books among them, and a number of documents, letters, signed photographs, and specimens for the museum. Although a personal letter in addition to the regular certificate of gift went at once to each individual donor, they can now be assured collectively of the appreciation of this Grand Lodge for their thoughtful generosity. We are hoping that during the coming year, or at least in the next two years, we may be able to persuade lodges and individual Masons to be on the lookout for Masonic books which are now lying about unused but which if placed in the Library could come into use for many years to come.
Rare and Valuable Material Preserved
One of the librarian's regular duties is to go through the catalogs issued by dealers in second-hand and rare books in the United States and abroad. Any book found in them of Masonic interest, of sufficient value, and not already on the shelves, is purchased. (Masonic books are becoming increasingly difficult to find.)
More than a hundred of the most interesting specimens in the rare letters collection are kept in four albums which any visitor is welcome to see.
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The copies of the earliest Proceedings, Constitutions, and Monitors are kept in kraft envelopes in three stacks. The larger number of them are of booklet or pamphlet size. Among them a certain number are exceedingly rare, and a few of them are of high money value. During the year, 295 of the most valuable were put in library binders. Also, and during the same period, 216 of the books on the general shelves which are too small to stand alone were put in similar binders.
Two New Features
Two new readers' services have been inaugurated in re- cent months. One of them, called the Perpetual Lodge Library, is a variant of the Traveling Library service, which has been in operation for more than a quarter of a century. It enables any lodge to keep a small library on hand year in and year out. The other, called Book Kits, gives an individual borrower three bound volumes on a given subject along with a collection of booklets and pam- phlets packed in a small carton. The borrower returns the three books at the end of three weeks (they are sub- ject to renewal) in the same carton, but keeps the booklets and leaflets for himself.
Whatever comes to the Grand Lodge offices or to the Library from each of the lodges in the form of notices, bulletins, leaflets, and newspaper clippings is filed by lodges in cabinets. These files have been maintained over so many years that a number of lodges have been able to compile their own histories out of the materials in them.
Visitors to Library
During the fall and winter the museum was visited on an average of slightly more than once a week by groups of boys and girls from the Boy Scouts, the Camp Fire Girls, and other youth organizations, and by groups of students from the grade schools.
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