Centennial Memory #27: Westmoreland Chapter Ritual Proficient

To celebrate the DeMolay Centennial, PA DeMolay will be counting down 100 memories worth celebrating that took place within the DeMolay Chapters and Jurisdiction of Pennsylvania.

Ritual performance is an important part of what makes our organization unique, and something that the members take pride in. The members of Westmoreland Chapter have been known to excel in their ritual performance in recent years. Current members have taken on Installing parts and primarily serve as the cast during the annual Rose Croix Class. As you'll see in the article from the Fall 1987 Issue of the DeMolay Cordon provided below, not much has changed over time.

In 1987, members of Westmoreland Chapter traveled to the Great Lakes Ritual Tournament. They competed in multiple categories, but the impressive part is the competitions that they won. The Chapter brought home top prize for their Initiatory Degree, DeMolay Degree, and Chapter Proficiency teams.

Ritual is still important to the Chapter, as they are continuously represented at the Mid-Atlantic Tournament of Champions.

Until next time - "Dad" Joe Pullin

Centennial Memory #99: Grand Master's Class

To celebrate the DeMolay Centennial, PA DeMolay will be observing 100 memories worth celebrating that took place within the DeMolay Chapters and Jurisdiction of Pennsylvania.

Every December, Pennsylvania DeMolay has become known for holding a Membership Induction Class in the honor of a Masonic affiliated dignitary. Some of the previous classes include “Supreme Tall Cedar Class,” “Grand High Priest Class,” “Thomas Ranken Patton Class,” and even a “Walt Disney Class.” Two weeks ago we held the “Right Eminent Grand Commander's Class.”

One of the regular induction classes that PA DeMolay holds is the “Grand Master’s Class,” in honor of the current Right Worshipful Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania. Traditionally, this celebration takes place every other year, although it has been known to rotate due to the Grand Masters availability.

The classes are held at the Masonic Conference Center - Patton Campus in Elizabethtown. The degree teams are made up of an All-Star cast of DeMolay members from across PA DeMolay. This class allows the members of DeMolay to meet and interact with the Right Worshipful Grand Master (and yes, as the pictures indicate, sometimes that includes a game of basketball). It also gives the Grand Lodge Officers the chance to see the young men perform ritual work and display leadership. PA DeMolay appreciates the continued support of the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania.

Until next time - "Dad" Joe Pullin

DeMolay Week: The Best Week of My Life

This blog post is from Brother James McKeown, PMC of Friendship-Bray Chapter and Region H Representative for Pennsylvania DeMolay. 

My greatest experience in DeMolay was KeyMan 2016. This was my second time at KeyMan and one of the best weeks of my life. This week was not only one of the best weeks of my life, but it also changed my life.

During the summer of 2016, I was going through some changes in my life. I just graduated from grade school and I was preparing to enter high school. I was super hyped that whole summer to finally leave my school and experience a change for once. During that summer, I was also Master Councilor of my Chapter. Leading up to KeyMan, I was going through a midterm crisis. My term as Master Councilor really wasn’t going the way I wanted it to, and because of this I was losing interest in DeMolay. I felt like taking a break from DeMolay once my term as Master Councilor was over. I didn’t really feel like going to KeyMan at the time. I just wanted to hang out with my friends and not be bothered by DeMolay, but I already signed up, so I had to go.

I got to KeyMan and I was still not excited about being there. I was put in the Ritual Track. I already met half the guys in my group because of the Patton weekends, but the other half were all from Canada. The week started out a little slow. I was enjoying the courses and what I was learning, but I wasn’t having a lot of fun. It started to pick up around Tuesday. I started to get to know the people in my group during the activities we participated in, the times we were eating, and the times we were supposed to be sleeping. I was bonding with these people who I just met or only met a few times. I went to KeyMan the previous year, but I didn’t really bond with the guys in my group. We started to work together as a team. I’ve been on a lot of teams before, but not a team that was this close together. Everything we did together was fun. We had to perform the Opening and Closing of a Chapter and The Ceremony of Light for the end of the week project. I’ve been on tons of ritual teams over my DeMolay career, but not a team that worked so smoothly and so in sync. It kinda felt like we could read each other's mind while performing. People say that ritual makes us unique, but it can also bring us together and help us grow. The week came to a close and I made sure to keep in contact with everyone.

The week might not have been the best and most fun week ever, but it honestly changed me. It made me care about DeMolay again and motivated me to finish my term as Master Councilor with a full head of steam. Without this week, I'm probably not the person I am today.

Thinking Outside the Box

One of the biggest challenges in DeMolay is for us to keep the program interesting for everyone involved, members and Advisors alike. In DeMolay and in Masonry, we're constantly battled with the mindset of "That's the way we've always done it, so that's the way it will have to be." What happens if we don't do it that way? What happens if we do something different and creative? The only real answer to this question is, "You won't know until you try." 

It's very easy to get complacent in our programs. The old saying goes, "If it's not broke, don't try to fix it." Although I agree in part with this saying, sometimes its needed to be original. The same thing that worked 20 years ago, may not work today. The thing that worked 20 years ago, may need to be revisited because it will work today. With DeMolay, I've learned that there is really no right or wrong way to do most things. Sure not everything works, but you have to be open to try new things. You have to be willing to adapt to the times and to the young men around us. I've also learned that even the necessary things that need to get done, should have some element of fun mixed into the program, otherwise you may lose people's interest.

"Dad" David Labagh taught a workshop at the last Patton Campus weekend about the 30 second elevator speech promoting DeMolay. He pointed out that the same words that were in that speech when him and I were in DeMolay, are the exact same words we use to promote DeMolay today. We need to be original and find a new way to promote the program that we all enjoy. The same can be said for lodge presentations, educational experiences, and even practicing ritual work. Most lodges may have seen the Flower Talk and Ceremony of Light so many times that their tired of it. It's OK to try something else. Maybe the Shield Talk and the Historical Lecture will keep their attention. Maybe do a question answer session or a quiz style program asking what members know about DeMolay. Try something new. If it doesn't work, try something else. Be creative in your approach. See what the other members want to do and build around their ideas. Think outside the box.

Until next time - "Dad" Joe Pullin

  

The Key to Success is to Learn from our Failures

The following blog post is from Brother James McKeown, Region H Youth Representative and PMC of Friendship-Bray Chapter.
Failure; it isn’t fun, but it is something that is a part of life. We constantly have to deal with it in school, sports, personal life, and sometimes even in DeMolay. No one’s perfect, which is why I'm sure we've all experienced failure at least once or twice in our lives. People might think it's a way of saying that you didn't succeed, but I see failure as an experience gained. An experience, good or bad, can be used as experiences for your benefit. Quitting is the only true way to fail at something. I’m going to tell you a few stories of failure that happened to me.

The first story happens over the span of four years. I played basketball for my grade school from 5th grade to 8th grade. Over those four years, I was never on the best team, despite my school having one of the best basketball programs in the Catholic School League. I would always be on the “B” team, due to my lack of skills, but that didn’t stop my team from winning. Every one of those four years, my team would be top three in the league, putting us in good spots for the playoffs. We fought hard each year through the playoffs to make the championship and made it to the big dance all four years! In true Buffalo Bills fashion, we lost the championship four straight years. Looking back at this makes me ask the question, "why?" "Why couldn’t we just win one of those championship games?" "Why couldn’t I step up and do more for my team?" I’m never going to get an answer to these questions. The reason I ask these questions is because they are part of the experience I gained through losing. This experience helped me realize some important things in life. The first thing that comes to mind is that "life is so unfair." We have all heard, or even used this phrase. The only time we think about "life being unfair" is when it smacks us in the face. I truly believe that my team and I never failed. It taught my team and I that winning isn’t everything, that life still goes on after a loss. Losing taught us to keep moving forward and use the loss as motivation to better yourself.   

The second story is about a failure that I experienced in DeMolay. It was September 2017, and happened at the Mid Atlantic Tournament of Champions, which we know better as MATOC. During MATOC, I was set to perform the Magnificent Seven. I should have taken a few lessons from the Boy Scouts prepared better.I was not ready to perform the Magnificent Seven and I was going into this competition knowing that it will not be pretty. The lack of confidence showed, because I got 10 out of a possible score of 1000. I almost gave up halfway through the competition. Quite frankly, I never wanted to do ritual again. This experience of failure was hard to come to terms with, but it also taught me a few key lessons in life. It is still teaching me a lesson, which I still am learning to this day, and that is procrastination is bad. I really wasn’t motivated to learn my part for MATOC and that is the main reason why I procrastinated until the final few days to learn my part. Another lesson it taught me is to be confident. Being confident can make a major difference in one's performance. Looking back at this year's MATOC, I am glad I went. Without this experience of failure, I wouldn’t be learning these key lessons that will help me down the path of life. This experience helps me strive to do better in ritual, because now I know the embarrassment of doing poorly while other people are judging you. Will I do better in ritual now? I don’t know the answer to that question. All I know is that I will strive to do better and try to be the best ritualist I can be. 

Going into writing this blog post, I wanted to share experiences to help combat failure, but I realized that combating failure just comes naturally. We need failures in order to succeed. We need to know the bitterness taste of defeat before tasting the sweetness of victory. I’m glad I got to experience failure, because I can now use these experiences as motivation to better myself. The only way you don’t succeed is when you decide you've given up. Just because you failed at a task, doesn't make you a failure. Learn from these experiences, and I promise you that you will succeed.

Why Do We Do Ritual?

One of the things that sets DeMolay apart from other youth organizations is our ability to perform Ritual. When the term "Ritual" is used, it's usually referred to in a negative sense. The definition of Ritual is "an established or prescribed procedure." When DeMolay performs Ritual, it's used as a prescribed way of expressing the beliefs of our organization and the things we stand for. It expresses our belief in the 7 cardinal virtues of the order, our appreciation towards our country and all those who have served for our freedom, and our respect for the public school system, among several other things. Each piece of Ritual is a lesson that is used to educate members of DeMolay as well as others.    

At a young age, young men and women have choices to join activities, such as sports and theater, that allow our youth to share their talents with an audience. The way Ritual is performed by our DeMolays is no different from those activities. The young men of DeMolay take pride in the way they perform each ritual part. They want the viewers to leave satisfied with the way they present the work. The young men make sure that the movement looks good, the words flow properly, and that they look professional in the presentation of the work. It takes effort and practice to make sure that it's performed right, the same way that athletes attend practice and actors hold rehearsals.

As a Senior DeMolay, I enjoy seeing the Ritual performed to such a high quality that the members  are capable of performing it. It reminds me of the days that I put the same effort into those parts. Recently in Pennsylvania, the Mid-Atlantic Tournament of Champions was held in Gettysburg, a DeMolay Ritual Tournament in which members perform their parts competing against the best of the best in the Mid-Atlantic Region. It was encouraging to see the young men perform the Ritual of our work to the level that they did. It shows that we really do have something special with the organization of DeMolay.

Until next time - "Dad" Joe Pullin     

  

KMU Course Selection: Ritual and Performance

The following is a blog post highlighting a specific department that will be offered at KeyMan University this summer. Today's post is written by PA DeMolay Executive Officer, "Dad" Gregory Schaeffer, who will be the Department Chairman for the Ritual and Performance Department. 

The Ritual and Performance Department wants YOU to join us at KeyMan University!  On staff are 3 Senior DeMolays, who are all veterans of DeMolay Ritual, and will guide you through a week-long journey of learning, teamwork, and brotherhood.

Are you a new DeMolay who doesn't have much ritual experience?  No problem!  We start off by covering the basics of DeMolay ritual and public speaking.  We'll help you find the most effective way to memorize speeches (each person is different); we'll show you how to navigate the floor work and understand how a Chapter room should be set up.  We'll help you learn your Obligations.  And you'll get to work in a fun environment with other DeMolays, working together to learn and perform new ceremonies.

Are you a DeMolay who is nervous about public speaking?  We were too... we will give you individual attention throughout the week, to understand your strengths and weaknesses, and help you exit KeyMan as a more confident speaker.  This will help you not only in DeMolay, but at school, and for your future career!  You'll also get to work with Jurisdictional Officers throughout the week who will be like older Brothers, helping you 1-on-1.

Are you a DeMolay who is an experienced ritualist, and is looking for more knowledge?  We'll help you learn how to coach DeMolays in your home Chapter, to improve the quality of their ritual.  We'll teach you about ritual competitions, and how to maximize your scores.  You'll get to see the original 1st Edition of the DeMolay Ritual, read through some of those passages that the DeMolays had in 1919, and participate and discussions and debates about the history of the ritual, and what its role is in a modern DeMolay setting.

No matter your current skill level, we can promise a fun week, where you will come away excited about the ritual, and a more experienced public speaker.  We look forward to seeing you at KeyMan 2017!

To sign up for KeyMan University, visit the website at keyman.pademolay.org.

KeyMan University

For the 32nd year, Pennsylvania DeMolay will host the annual KeyMan Conference, known for the last 4 years as KeyMan University. The week long DeMolay experience will take place at the Masonic Conference Center - Patton Campus in Elizabethtown, PA on August 6th to 12th, 2017. Members and sweethearts are encouraged to join us for what is known throughout DeMolay International as a premier DeMolay leadership program. So why should you attend? Here are several reasons why you will want to be in Elizabethtown in August.

10. The Directors of KMU, "Dad" Dan Loughin and "Dad" Matt Blaisdell, have put together a stellar staff roster to help teach members and sweethearts everything they need to know during the week.

9. Participants will enjoy a week long stay at Patton Campus. For those who have never been to the campus, the facility consists of several meeting size rooms, dorm room style accommodations, a state of the art Multimedia Center, a cafeteria, and plenty of outdoor space to play all kinds of games and sports.  

8. Patton Campus has a half Olympic size pool that participants will have opportunities to enjoy. Assigned time frames for the pool will be reflected on the schedule.  

7. For the sports fanatics, there will be assigned time to let off some steam, with sports such as dodgeball, flag football, kickball, volleyball and basketball. Not a fan of sports? Not to worry, there are plenty of other things to do on campus, including a closet full of board games and a few chess tables in the atrium. 

6. One of the things that makes KMU special is the emphasis on service through our various service projects that will be built into the week. More details on this will come in a later post. 

5. Each participant will be placed into a department, which will be the emphasis for their learning experience through the week. New members will be placed in the DeMolay Education department. Other departments include Ritual and Performance, Chapter Leadership and Operations, Communications and Media, Events and Program Planning, Brotherhood and Membership, and Interpersonal Development.

4. There will be opportunities to work on LCC's throughout the week. Participants can also start working on their Representative DeMolay Award. 

3. FOOD!  

2. Participants will get to meet other members and sweethearts from their Jurisdiction as well as others. KMU is a DeMolay International known program, with participants traveling from Virginia, Maryland, New York, Canada and others to participate in our program. 

1. The week long fun that will be had at KMU will surely provide stories and memories that can be shared for years to come. It will also provide lessons that can, and should, be taken back to your home chapter.   

I hope this motivates members and sweethearts to join us for what is guaranteed to be a great DeMolay experience. Registration is open now, so go to keyman.pademolay.org to register now.

Until next time - "Dad" Joe Pullin

Reasons to be at Convention 2017

Convention 2017 is roughly a month and a half away. Are you registered yet? If not then what are you waiting for? If you're looking for more reasons why you should be there, then look no further. Here are the top ten reasons why you should be at the PA DeMolay Convention in Breinigsville, PA. 

10. Members will have the chance to participate in Ritual Competitions, from the Flower Talk to Ceremony of Light. 

9. You'll have the chance to stay at a fancy hotel, the Holiday Inn of Allentown, for the entire weekend. 

8. The hospitality suite will be a nice place to relax with plenty of food and drinks, hosted by the members and Advisors of Allentown Chapter. 

7. You'll get your very own copy of the 2017 PA DeMolay Convention Yearbook, with pictures and memories that remind us of the year's activities and adventures.

6. Friday, there is a optional opportunity to play Laser Tag at Lehigh Valley Laser Tag. The cost is only an additional $17 with registration. 

5. Also on Friday, participants will go to a Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs baseball game (the Triple A affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies). There will be a firework presentation, and the first line signer on the most petitions from last Convention to this Convention will throw out the first pitch at the game.  

4. Your chapter will have the chance to receive awards during the business session and luncheon. Awards include Outstanding Chapter, RD of the Year, Visitations, Publications and many more. 

3. You'll get the chance to vote on your Elected State Officers for the 2017-2018 term. This includes the election of the State Sweetheart as well. 

2. After the luncheon on Saturday, participants will enjoy the rest of the night at Dorney Park and Wild Water Kingdom. A traditional picnic dinner will also be provided at the park.

1. Convention gives you the chance to see friends from the entire state of Pennsylvania for a great brotherhood atmosphere. 

Are you convinced yet? Registration is due June 1st, so don't wait too long. Hope to see you in the Lehigh Valley area this summer.

Until next time - "Dad" Joe Pullin 

Let’s Talk Respect, or Initiatory Promises Translated

Why do we wear a coat and tie to our business meetings? We don’t dress so formally for fun night, or for rehearsals. Yes, it’s true, that dressing up seems to change us, and make us feel better about ourselves, and it makes us look good to outsiders, but I think we wear a coat and tie to our business meetings as a matter of respect toward DeMolay and the Ritual we perform.

Every one of you made promises when you were obligated into DeMolay, and you repeat them every time a new member is obligated. Do you remember any of them? I would be willing to bet that unless you have studied the obligation, you don’t remember any of the promises (you may have some vague recollection of the concepts…). I think there is a reason for this. It turns out that the Initiatory Degree Obligation, and the promises it contains were written a long time ago using words that are no longer in fashion. Let me give you an example. Here is a line from the Initiatory Degree Obligation: I promise that I will live a clean and moral life, keeping my body free from dissipation and my mind free from the uncleanness that defiles and debauches youth. Huh? Well, that is the way they wrote things back then. 

So, let me translate the Initiatory Degree Obligation promises for you, into words that you may understand a little better:

You promised to try to be a good son and to do everything you can to let your parents know you love them, as much as they love you.

You promised to be a good person, and not get involved in stealing, using drugs or alcohol, or being a part of any gangs.

You promised that you would support God and your church and that you would treat others the same way you would like them to treat you.

You promised that if you had to fight for your country that you would do so gladly, and that the flag of our country is just as important and because of all of this, you wont break any laws.

You promised that if you ever found someone plotting against our country, you would let the police know about it, and that you believe your school and your schooling is very important to you.

You promised that you think that Jacques DeMolay (who kept his promises and paid for that by dying) is a good example of how to live, and that you would do the same for something you truly believed in.

You promised to treat all DeMolay’s as brothers, and that you will always be nice to them, help them whenever you can, and not speak badly about them to others.

And finally, you promised that you will NEVER treat any woman badly, or call them names, or let someone else hurt a woman if you could stop them from doing it.

And do you remember who you promised this all to? You promised it to God!

Every one of these promises deals with respect. Respect for your family, respect for your country, respect for God, respect for the promises you make, respect for your school, respect for your DeMolay brothers, respect for others in general, and respect (especially) for women. 

So you can really sum up what it means to be a DeMolay in one word: Respect! Please remember that a DeMolay has essentially promised to ALWAYS be respectful, and let me give you a hint, if you can’t remember all the promises you made, it doesn’t matter as long as you always remember to be just one thing; respectful. 

 How respectful have you been today?

This blog post was created by Allentown Chapter Advisor, "Dad" Rich Shevalier. Thank you "Dad" Shevalier for your contribution to the PA DeMolay blog. A very important lesson that all should remember. 

Top Ten Reasons to be at Convention 2016!

Its the middle of May, which means the clock is ticking and Convention is right around the corner. This year, the annual Convention will be held at the Seven Springs Resort in Champion, PA from July 15 to 17, 2016. If you've never been to a PA DeMolay Convention, your probably asking yourself "Why should I go to Convention?" Below are the top 10 reasons why you should be at Convention 2016.

10. Members will have the chance to compete in Ritual Contests, from the Flower Talk to the Ceremony of Light.

9.  You'll get the chance to stay at a fancy hotel for the entire weekend.

8.  You'll get a free copy of the 2016 Convention Yearbook, with pictures and memories from all of the year's great activities. 

7.  Convention will be loaded with fun activities to fill the entire weekend. We start at the Caddie Shak Family Fun Center, which will have Mini Golf, Go Karts, Bumper Boats and much more. Then on Saturday, the Seven Springs Resort has several fun activities including the Alpine Slide, Disc Golf, Paddle Boats and Summer Tubing.

6.  Convention will provide food for every meal.  

5.  Your chapter will be able to receive awards based on the accomplishments they have performed throughout the year. 

4.  You'll have the opportunity to congratulate "Dad" Sam Williamson on being elected to the DeMolay Hall of Fame in person. The actual induction takes place on June 17 in San Diego, California.

3.  You'll have the chance to vote on your Elected State Officers for the 2016-2017 term. This includes the election of the State Sweetheart as well.

2.  This will give you a chance to get out of the house for the weekend.

And the number 1 reason that you should be at Convention 2016...

1.  Convention gives you the chance to see friends from the entire state of Pennsylvania for a great brotherhood atmosphere.

Hopefully this is enough to convince you that you should be at Convention this year. Registration is due June 5th, so get it in soon to guarantee that you won't miss out.

Until next time - "Dad" Joe Pullin     

Survey Says: How to Improve the PA DeMolay Product

A few weeks ago, I put together a survey to try to get an idea of the areas in which we can improve the overall PA DeMolay product. I'm happy to say that we had 58 members and advisors take the time to fill out this survey. Here are a few of the things that I have learned throughout the survey: 

In terms of the Keystone Crusader:

• 32.8% would like to receive the Keystone Crusader through social media or email.
• A large portion of the group would like some new content to the publication. 
• Some families receive multiple copies of the newsletter, and would like that lowered.

In terms of bringing back a PA DeMolay activity:

• 30% would like to see 007 weekend back in the future and 24% would like NERF weekend back in the future. 
• A good portion of the "other" responses wanted the Athletic program back.
• The major thing that can be taken out of the results of this question; if the members will support it then we should do it. 

In terms of the Athletics program:

• Almost half of the people surveyed want the Athletics program brought back as a feature to the programs we currently have. 
• About 38% want the Athletics program brought back the way we had it. 
• Make sure that brotherhood is the most important lesson if the program is brought back.

In terms of a specific Athletic Program:

• 42% want to bring back the Flag Football weekend
• 21% want Basketball weekend back
• A good amount would like to see brotherhood style since some chapters cannot field teams. 

In terms of ritual:

• 52% of the people surveyed think that all options should be used. The options were assigning a youth director, hold ritual competitions and set aside time at state weekends for ritual programs.
• Some people think that if ritual is pushed too hard, we could lose members. Find a way to make it fun.  
• A few people are not in favor of the idea of a youth director

In terms of Call Em All: 

• 33% of people say that their chapter uses it all of the time. 
• about 20% would prefer a text message than a phone call from a machine.
• The chapters that don't use it state that they prefer personal phone calls because of the small number of members.

In terms of the squire program (a program designed for 9 to 11 year old boys prepping them for DeMolay):

• 45% think that the squire program is a great idea to get young guys ready for DeMolay.
• 25% of people need more information about the program, including success rates from other jurisdictions. 
• A majority of people think that it's a great idea, but it will need added support from advisors to make it happen. 

In terms of the website and blog page:

• Some people think that the web page needs more updates, especially chapter specific news. 
•  A lot of people like the idea of the blog and would like to see guest bloggers as well. 
• Content needs to be more youth oriented.

In terms of new programming for PA DeMolay:

• Some people would like the idea of video blogs, interviews and podcasts added to the content. 
• A few people like the idea of teaching more life skill oriented programs such as finance, resume building and time management. 
• A few people think that a statewide community service project is a good idea. 

In terms of membership:

•  A lot people think that we should have better incentive programs 
• Some would like to see updated chapter brochures. 
• Advertise

Suggestions, Concerns Complaints:

• Find ways to encourage smaller chapters to participate. 
• Some people like the idea of bringing in guest speakers.
• We need to focus on keeping members and recruiting advisors.

Thank you to everyone who helped out by voicing their opinions on the matter. Here at the PA DeMolay office, we take all recommendations into consideration in order to make this a well rounded product for members and advisors. We have already worked on improving some of these requests, and look forward to making more in the near future. 

Until next time - "Dad" Joe Pullin

DeMolay New Year's Resolutions

As we prepare to make the best of the new year, January 1st is the time that we set personal goals to help improve ourselves for the future. Every year we set New Year's resolutions that include losing weight, finding a better job and improving our social presence. Although the goals would be different in concept, DeMolay Chapters should set resolutions as well. We should always be looking for ways to improve our DeMolay experience for the benefit of ourselves and the chapter. Here are a few goals that we should take into consideration to help improve that experience:

Membership

The organization of DeMolay thrives on membership. Without bringing in new members to share the experience, our organization will cease to exist. Chapter members should think of new ideas that they can use to bring members into the organization. What makes DeMolay appealing to you? What drives you to continue to come back to DeMolay on a regular basis? Share this information with all of your friends that are not in DeMolay and they might be interested in joining. Hold prospect parties that will draw the interest of local prospects of the community. Ask Masonic members if they have a son or grandchild who may be between the age of 12 and 21. Think outside the box and start helping improve our great organization.

Ritual Work

One goal that every member of the organization should consider is to learn a new ritual part. It can be from any piece of the ritual. Chapters may need someone to perform a ceremony for lodges, such as the Flower Talk or Ceremony of Light. You may want to learn a part for the DeMolay Degree, such as Jacques DeMolay or one of the Inquisitors. Perhaps you would like to help chapters with Installations by doing a part in this ceremony. All of these suggestions are great parts to learn and can help make the DeMolay experience better. 

Learning Your Obligations

Every DeMolay should take the time to learn the obligations that they received at the altar. The DeMolay oath and obligation should be important to every member because it is what we as members believe in. Also, learning the obligations will mean that you can help obligate members into your chapter. 

Earn Your Representative DeMolay Award

Six months after joining DeMolay, every member has the opportunity to earn their Representative DeMolay Award. This award consists of a self evaluation that measures multiple areas of life including social, emotional, physical and DeMolay. Our founder, Frank S. Land, once said that "Every DeMolay should be a Representative DeMolay." 

Become a Leader of the Chapter

One of the most important lessons DeMolay can teach is leadership. Become a leader within your chapter. You could start by taking the lead in planning an activity and working with a committee. Once you're ready, go about the process of becoming Junior Councilor and work your way to become Master Councilor of the chapter. 

These are just a few of the common goals that members of DeMolay may look to achieve. Other goals include, but are not limited to, earning merit bars, completing each lesson of the Leadership Correspondence Course and making life long friends. Good luck in your venture to make 2016 the best year of your DeMolay experience.  

Until next time - "Dad" Joe Pullin

But... but, they aren't REAL DeMolays!

How to Tell the REAL DeMolays
from the Fake Ones

by "Dad" Thomas R. Labagh

The old argument about whether DeMolays who come just for sports are "real DeMolays" just never seems to die.  I have been hearing it since I was initiated in 1970.  It is as poor an argument now as it was back then.

DeMolay athletes are just as important to the Order of DeMolay as the guys who "only show up for ritual" or those guys who "only like doing service events" or those guys who "only come for the dances."

It always seems to fall as a harsher judgment on the athletes who are usually judged in the midst of their most competitive mode, but who, in truth, can be just as good at ritual, fund-raising and service as the other guys when called upon.  

Each Chapter has its own criteria for filling its team roster.  Some want winning athletes.  Others want "full participants" who also want to play sports.  It is each Chapter's decision-- and some establish their criteria each season, while others establish a policy through their advisory council, and others create bylaws to govern themselves.  As long as the method is fair, any of these methods is fine. 

It is expensive for some Chapters to travel long distances, so sometimes we only see the really competitive side of a Chapter, for instance, because they value a basketball championship or a volleyball championship as part of their membership recruiting program the rest of the year.

If Dad Land had envisioned a program where every young man came to every activity and every DeMolay was an officer, we would never have grown in the early years.  The Order of DeMolay grew because it offered so much, to so many people.  Sadly, it has changed over the years to offer a complete program to just a few members of each Chapter who can become officers, and Advisors tend to value more, those who embrace the whole thing.  

But like the Masonic Fraternity, DeMolay offers a wide variety of activities to those who choose to be involved in them.  Only 10% of Lodge members attend meetings, but they ALL value their membership.  That is because membership is more than just attending-- it is about the ideals of the organization.  

DeMolay is no different than Lodge, in that respect.  And our casual Lodge members and DeMolay members look to the officers for guidance and role models, and hopefully find something they like to see.  It isn't easy, but our goal, as Advisors, is to teach our members to accept ALL DeMolays as equal members, simply for the fact that they share the common bond of membership, given to them as a result of taking the same obligations as all DeMolays around the world.

Personal Responsbility in Action

On Monday, I wrote a lengthy post about being an adult and how that relates to personal responsibility. It's been quite popular and has had several reads and shares. I know that I take a narrow view of responsibility and adulthood, but I was reminded why this is the case on Monday evening. When I wrote that piece, little did I know that I would have to put my "money where my mouth is" so to speak.

On Monday evening, I was to confer the First Degree in Freemasonry in my Lodge as the Worshipful Master. What does that mean to the average person? That I needed to perform about 45 minutes of memorized speaking for a brand new Brother joining the Fraternity. I would be his first exposure to Freemasonry and how I performed would stay with him for the rest of his life.

Prior to my performance, we had some other degree work to do. I participated in the work in another position, waiting my turn to take center stage. As we did this work, I found myself feeling increasingly un-well. Before Lodge, I had rushed home and then headed back out to visit "Dad" Dave Berry while he recovers from surgery. I failed to have dinner and I was paying the price in the form of some very bad stomach cramps. I had made a decision to skip dinner and it was my turn to face the consequence of that decision. I needed to take responsibility for my choices.

As I returned to my chair in between Degrees, I pondered what to do. I thought about asking one of the other members to do the Degree and excuse myself. I though about trying to get through half and then perhaps switch out. Then I remembered my blog post. What would switching out solve? It might relieve me in the short term, but what did it say about me as a Brother? As an officer? As a leader? It said that if I didn't feel up to the task, I'd just quit and make someone else do it. That's not me. I refuse to quit.

When it was my time to do the Degree, I manned up. I took my station. I powered through. I was in a pretty decent amount of pain, but I managed. It was uncomfortable to say the least. I know that I skipped some parts and missed a few words, but I made the performance sound sharp. I did the best job I could and tried to make the candidate feel welcome. As I finished the degree, I openly asked the Brothers for their forgiveness of my mistakes, stating that I wasn't feeling well. Several members came up to me and congratulated me on doing a fine job. They said that they didn't even notice I wasn't well and that knowing I was feeling bad made the degree all that much more impressive. I didn't offer my admission as an excuse for a less than adequate performance. Rather, it was meant as a heartfelt acknowledgement that I wasn't on my game and that they should expect more of out of me. Thankfully, that's exactly how my Brothers took it and they supported me (even as I quickly left for home.)

I'm proud that I got through that Degree in the condition I was in. But, I'm more proud that I had managed to live up to my own ideals and musings. I had taken personal responsibility for my actions. I didn't shirk my duties or discover a way out. I dealt with the discomfort as best as I could and performed under the circumstances. I was responsible to myself, to my Lodge, to my Brothers, and to the newest member I had just conferred the work on.

That was an adult decision.

Frat! ~ "Dad" Seth Anthony

A Little Help with the Flower Talk

As we prepare for Key Man University, I'm reminded that one of the biggest accomplishments made by DeMolays at the program is the memorization of a new piece of ritual. I went digging through my files and found a copy of the memorization aid for the Flower Talk, one of DeMolay's most beautiful ceremonies. If your Chapter doesn't have someone who knows this Ceremony, now is the time to encourage a Brother to learn it - with the help of this memorization aid!

Flower Talk Memorization Aid

Mb, yhjbp ttuy tnoootw mhkf. Nycs “IaaD.”  Tbd wotp oeitc otgaoy bhaa whdt ttioJD, doc ttfoyp wgyd ithtom.  TbaaaDi, t, ahow aym mbjp.

Ibrior, yhbi itscv otgO.  Whyhbdi wtltt. Tinbf owtbycafl ttpotv. TOoD tmbl, bnimi thatrfw, amefm. Iif, t, tyhbcu tsabtA iafmose utvwhbgfp atjatCoY—FL.

Fmpn, tAidtom wlnf. Ymrtp ogiic, popl, bycnrth oymshfy. Ymsitld oiad bnbtrohl. Tmoiwasyh. Tinm seb, scv, sul thdnhihh assaa ftmohml.

WItdyapold, iwnbto
Asa / Waftifog, / Batat-wm / Wagatf.

Iwym wlybywb—wcyflm cthh aitfot tGhih apttvos tgyl. Iwswcfy dthyoi atsldyoc.  Ayhgld, shdtc, t, t-h, haet wsomstkhtd.  Ymhata molamoc apwcg oaeoya. Yarattil wywbeioym.  Ttww dhbyth mbsaygo, bttom-l cnb.

Tbutyoyl wyhrttom, ymmws itwotp:

“Mbfyb, s, / Bbast, / Ctoaty / Ofywst. / Icnm ymas, / Bmgh hkyw. / Ygh / Bmtl wrb. /
Aaml bap, / Wamd buas / Fyyf ttb, / Tyaawsf. / Tytl cgyp / Wdnsima? / Tytl cgys /
Wdnm mpgl? / Aycdnet / Wsnm wps. / Boa tIhd, / Rmil, Os. / Ktpb faf, / Mlimt. /
Fml mnww, / Fml hnwc, / Asyg nws / Ftdn wywb.”
TfwysooA asotm-l—tw, tlotmwhg—atr, tmwsltbyl.
Fitdr ohh / Waihas / Skas. / ‘Thskip / Wfa lsoluhs. / Hhiffasp. / Alacf, eptw /
Tbtw swa, / Tltrotct.

Wweoy ttafftA. Iymhpottos, ywcawf akiasthm.  Mtsoi aqetmoh asya iyetbw ohhaafy.  Iymil, ywcarf.  Wyght, gitym. Thiior oGbgtam—hml. Thiyaas—”M, Ilaglt. Tchhmrmf hmyrmtm. Igtttsyd hmIa tsyhm atlacygm."

Sdyftf, Iknw, pihBopb ososp, asw twtnhm ttowlfy, hs, ibtc oas. Mb, eoywpt arowf ftA.

Dcanmoy ttysestl atbwoyml.

Meet the KMU Staff: The Ritual Department

New to DeMolay?  Not very good at public speaking or ritual?  Then choose the Ritual Department at Key Man University!

We’ll start from the basics, and first teach you what makes a good ritual performance, how to do floorwork, and how to memorize effectively.  Once you have that down, we’ll move onto how to act, understand and interpret our ceremonies, and improve your public speaking.  Then we’ll get into some advanced concepts… how to mentor other DeMolays in ritual, how to compete and win at ritual tournaments, and how and why the Ritual changed over time.

The faculty members are all expert ritualists, and we look forward to working with you at Key Man!  You’ll receive individual coaching and instruction, and learn how to perform well in a team setting.  We promise: you’ll graduate as a seasoned veteran!

"Dad" Greg Schaeffer is the Department Chair.  He is a Senior DeMolay from Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania, and Deputy Member of DeMolay International.  He was also Director of Ritual for New York DeMolay for 8 years.  For the last 10 years, he’s been a key part of the Ritual & Regalia Committee, and was the architect of the latest 15th Edition of the Ritual.  At the same time, Dad Schaeffer also knows what it’s like to be a very nervous DeMolay ritualist, and how to overcome a huge fear of public speaking.  This is his 16th year on the staff of Key Man and he can’t wait for another great year!

"Dad" Andrew Strucek is a Senior DeMolay from Point Pleasant Beach Chapter on the Jersey Shore. He served as Charter Master Councilor in 2003 and later State Master Councilor in 2007.  Dad Strucek was the 2008 Congress Parliamentarian and Chairman of the Congress Ritual Committee.  He now serves the State of New Jersey as its Director of Ritual.  He looks forward to a return to Key Man, where he first learned Orator and the basics of ritual that shaped his DeMolay ritualistic career.

Rounding out the Department is "Mom" Nancy Storrs. Nancy has been a DeMolay Advisor for 10 years , and previously served as Director of Marketing and Communications for Wisconsin DeMolay. She has directed, produced or costumed numerous plays & musicals and confesses to having written bad comedy. This summer she hopes to share more acting tips, and memorization techniques with the young men of DeMolay as a Ritual Advisor.

Ritual, Manhood, and You

Today's post comes from the Art of Manliness. It's so DeMolay appropriate that I don't even know where to begin. It's about how ritual is an important part of the social structure of organizations and groups. Check it out...

http://www.artofmanliness.com/2014/01/06/the-power-of-ritual-building-shared-worlds-and-bonds-that-transcend-the-everyday/

I have rarely seen such a good explanation of why ritual is important and how it strengthens our bond as Brothers. If you only read one Art of Manliness article that I post this year, it should be this one.

Frat! ~ "Dad" Seth Anthony

A Man's Need for Ritual

While I had not planned on blogging much over the break, I stumbled across an article online that I had to share with everyone. The folks over at the Art of Manliness are doing a series on man's need for ritual. It's a really great series and everyone should check it out:

http://www.artofmanliness.com/2013/12/16/the-rites-of-manhood-mans-need-for-ritual/

Continue enjoying your holidays and I'll see you all in January.

Frat! ~ "Dad" Seth Anthony

Ceremony of Light

I was recently checking out DeMolay videos on YouTube when I came across a magnificent video presentation of the Ceremony of Light performed by Brother Louis Martino down in Texas (but posted by Tennessee DeMolay.) This video shows what can be done when a person knows the words so well that they can then improve on the performance of the Ceremony. Perhaps it will inspire some of you to try to reach this level with your ritual work.

The video does start slowly, but I urge you to stick with it, as it's a great performance.

 

Frat! ~ "Dad" Seth Anthony