Where we've been...

Today's post continues my recent series of articles related to the new online DAD Training we're working on. One of the things we want to do is provide a short but concise history of DeMolay and its evolution here in the Keystone State. We dove back into the history books and pulled out some of the most important facts and put them in a timeline format. This should help everyone plot the development of DeMolay, right up to the present day. This resource will appear as a part of the historical section in the online training, so check it out!

• 1890 – Frank S. Land, the Founder of DeMolay is born in Kansas City, Missouri.
• February 1919 – Frank S. Land meets with Louis Lower and 8 of his friends at the Scottish Rite Temple in Kansas City, MO. These young men would provide the first members of DeMolay. Today, they are known as the “Original Nine.”
• March 1919 – the group assumes the name “Order of DeMolay” and a ritual is drafted. Kansas City Chapter No. 1 is formed. Later it will be known as Mother Chapter.
• 1920 – the second DeMolay Chapter is formed in Omaha, NE.
• 1921 – First meeting of the Grand Council of the Order of DeMolay, predecessor to the Supreme Council of DeMolay International.
• October 28, 1922 – the Grand Commandery of Knights Templar of Pennsylvania, led by Ralph C. Mineheart, Grand Commander, requests that the local Commanderies take up the cause of supporting DeMolay in Pennsylvania.
• February 12, 1923 – Templar Chapter, the first Chapter in Pennsylvania, is established in Pittsburgh, PA. The initial membership class consisted of 1099 young men.
• February 14, 1923 – DeMolay comes to Eastern Pennsylvania when 1,178 members are inducted at the Metropolitan Opera House in Philadelphia.
• 1924 – the Representative DeMolay Award program is instituted. “Dad” Land shares his vision that “Every DeMolay should be a Representative DeMolay.”
• 1925 – the DeMolay Legion of Honor is conferred for the first time.
• 1926 – DeMolay membership in Pennsylvania peaks at 12,067 members.
• June 1926 – the Associated Chapters of the Order of DeMolay in Pennsylvania is formed. The first Conclave is held in Pittsburgh, consisting of delegates from 36 Chapters.
• 1936 – the Degree of Chevalier is instituted to honor DeMolay leaders who were not yet eligible to receive the Legion of Honor.
• 1937 – “Dad” Land starts the DeMolay Hall of Fame.
• 1937 – PA DeMolay is split into two Jurisdictions – East and West – being led by two different Executive Officers.
• 1951 – The two PA Jurisdictions are reunited under the leadership of “Dad” Clarence Head. “Dad” Head would go on to serve as Secretary General of DeMolay International after the passing of “Dad” Land.
• 1959 – the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania publicly endorses DeMolay and Lodges begin to sponsor DeMolay Chapters.
• November 8, 1959 – “Dad” Frank S. Land dies.
• 1967 – the DeMolay Congress, consisting of representatives of the Active DeMolays from each Jurisdiction, meets for the first time.
• 1969 – DeMolay celebrates 50 years of existence.
• 1982 – “Dad” Samuel C. Williamson establishes the Pennsylvania Masonic Youth Foundation to support Masonic Youth Groups in Pennsylvania.
• 1986 – the first PA DeMolay Key Man Conference is held at the Masonic Conference Center at Patton Campus in Elizabethtown, PA.
• 1986 – DeMolay Advisor Training becomes mandatory.
• 1990 – DeMolay Advisors begin to voluntarily submit to comprehensive criminal background checks.
• 2006 – the position of Youth Director of Convention is established.
• 2007 – the position of Youth Director of the Key Man Conference is established.
• 2009 – PA DeMolay begins offering advanced Advisor training through the DAD Plus program.
• 2010 – the Key Man Conference celebrates 25 continuous years of DeMolay leadership training in PA.
• 2012 – Online DAD Training introduced.

Let us know what you think in the comments sections!

Frat! ~ "Dad" Seth Anthony