The Other Frank

"Dad" Labagh recently wrote a blog post about "Dad" Land, and pondered on some important points relating to "Dad" Land and his place in history. His post made me think "What about the other Frank?" I am referring to "Dad" Frank Marshall, who wrote the DeMolay Ritual.

Over the years the mystique of the DeMolay Ritual has grown. Members and advisors have passed on rumors and conjecture as to how the script was written and the man who wrote it. Not too long ago "Dad" Labagh gave me a copy of a program from Lancaster Chapter dating back to the early days of DeMolay. In that program was an article, written by "Dad" Marshall himself, about the creation of the Ritual.

It early in the summer of 1919, in Kansas City, Missouri, when "Dad" Land approached "Dad" Marshall about penning a piece of ritual for his new boys club. "Dad" Marhsall writes "In a way I was the logical selection for such a task, from Brother Land's standpoint, for I was one of the few newspaper men in teh Scottish Rite Bodies, though by no means was I the only writer;" This simple request would send "Dad" Marshall on personal journey, the outcome of which would be a document used by millions of young men for the next several decades.


"Dad" Marhsall further writes "... but one of the greatest joys I have ever experienced was vouchsafed (SAT word! - Editor) me when I read my first draft of the Opening and Closing and the Initiatory and DeMolay Degrees to Brother Land. The very spot where I read it has a sanctity for me. Brother Land sat at the secretary's desk in the auditorium of the Scottish Rite Temple at 15th and Troost Avenue, in Kansas City and I sat on the step."

It was there, on that very day, that "Dad" Marshall received the blessing of "Dad" Land for his piece of ritual. Interestingly enough, "Dad" Marshall did not create the ritual with the floorwork included. He had only penned the language. It was "Dad" Land who inserted the movements that the young men would follow.

In commenting on the nature of what he had written "Dad" Marshall states "I purposely wrote the DeMolay degree in a key very different from the didectics (Look! Another SAT word!) of the Initiatory Degree. I tried to make it akin to the dramatic instict inherent in all boys and to make it avoid monotony when compared to the Initiatory degree." Even back then "Dad" Marshall knew that Degree work could be boring, but he wanted to ensure that future generations could put their own spin on the work!


"Dad" Marshall would go on to pen several more pieces of DeMolay Ritual, including the Memorial Service, the Institution Service, the Majority Service, and the Funeral Service.

"Dad" Marshall left quite a legacy in those little blue books that so many DeMolays are familiar with. Next time you sit down to learn a part, or go over your floorwork, think of "Dad" Marshall sitting under the shady pine tree in his front lawn at 4506 Jefferson Street in Kansas City, and realize just how important his contribution was.

Frat! ~ "Dad" Seth Anthony

Who Was this "Dad" Land Guy, Anyway?

I am sitting in the basement of the Harrisburg Consistory building waiting for Pilgrim Chapter to finish having one of their marathon member "discussions" so I can show them a video about the history of the Founding of the Order of DeMolay and "Dad" Frank S. Land, and it struck me that there isn't anyone left that I know of who can really talk about "Dad" Land from personal experience. Oh, sure, there are some who met him on one of his tours around the country. As much as I like to tease "Dad" Williamson about his age, he was a young pup when he met "Dad" Land in the early 1950's. What I mean is that there isn't anyone who worked closely with "Dad" Land as a co-worker, an advisor, or even as a young man in a Chapter, who can talk about who he was, what he was like, how he acted in public and in private.

We have the book, "HI, DAD!" written by Rev. Herbert E. Duncan in 1970, a slide show (newly available on DVD) created in 1977, a few audio recollections, a few magazine and newspaper articles, an unpublished memoir by Charlie Boyce who worked at the Headquarters office, somewhere there is film of a TV appearance, and perhaps a few more publications, plus the materials in his office, preserved at the DeMolay Service and Leadership Center in Kansas City, MO, but that doesn't do much to give us a sense of what made "Dad" Land tick.

He has been gone since 1959, and in that time the man has turned to legend, and, in some cases, to myth. So, now it is up to the historians to sift through the accumulated "stuff" to analyze and present an accurate interpretation of the driving force behind the Order of DeMolay for it's first 40 years, and whose memory informed and guided the Order well into the 1980's. But it seems that his influence has diminished greatly over the past 25-30 years such that, today, he is a name that is barely known by most of our members and advisors.

I am not sure if this is a good thing or a bad thing, because sometimes groups that start as a result of a strong personality cannot sustain themselves, left to themselves. With "Dad" Land and the Order of DeMolay, I think it was more that just charisma. I think the sustainability of the DeMolay program came from the force of "Dad" Land's personal moral code. He was above reproach, and was known for his piety (if you don't know the word, look it up-- it is an SAT word, for sure!) and his strong sense of right and wrong. Even more, he was known for expecting others, especially Masons and DeMolays, to live up to the code of conduct he believed was right for all people.

Do you know anyone like this today? Do you follow anyone like this? Is there anyone you like to be around who, by their very presence, makes you want to behave a little better, speak a little more intelligently, dress a little sharper, be a better person? Well, if you do, then you have an insight into what "Dad" Land was like, and why DeMolays and Masons cared about what he thought about them. If you don't know someone like that, perhaps you ought to find someone who can make you strive to be a better person than you have ever been before.

DeMolay's ability to survive the passing of its Founder is assuredly tied to the bigger ideas for which he stood. While it may have grown and thrived under his personal leadership, it has been sustained by the character-building virtues and the leadership training it offers to young men of every community. Its continuance is now up to us, as members and as advisors, and will succeed as long as we deliver the personal growth and development opportunities that "Dad" Land first offered to Louis Lower and his friends. Who was this "Dad" Land guy, anyway? I didn't know him, but I'd say he was a regular guy, like you and me, who had great faith in the young men of his community and looked to provide them with skills and a code of ethics to sustain THEM beyond his passing.

Fraternally,

"Dad" Tom Labagh

POSTBLOG: Oh, by the way, the Pilgrim guys finally got out of their meeting, and we watched the video program, without much of a reaction. Alex noted that "he was in everything!" because the video spends a lot of time highlighting his Masonic credentials, honors, memberships, and regalia. We talked about... I talked about Harry Truman's "campaign" for Land's election to the Imperial Shrine Divan, and the pink Cadillac, and some of what I speculated on above, but in general, it was a dull program about ancient history that is barely relevant to them anymore. Making "Dad" Land relevant-- now that's a challenge that the ISC can debate to death! All of a sudden, I am ready to go to Dallas this year! - TRL

Inquiring Minds Want to Know...

...when the 2009 Financial Report Forms will be sent to the PA DeMolay Chapters! I am happy to let you know that the forms went out in today's mail to all Advisory Council Chairmen and Chapter Treasurers who have requested a copy of the form.

The completed reports - with copies of all year-end bank statements - need to be returned to the PA DeMolay Office with a postmark of March 15, 2010 (or earlier!)

Please be sure that a committee of DeMolays is involved with the auditing of the receipts and expenditures of the past year and with the completion of the financial report. This is an important opportunity for our young men to gain an understanding of managing the money that they earn and spend, better preparing them for the personal budgeting that they will need to understand and practice as adults.

Inquiring minds have also been wondering when the Insurance and Endowment Fund Invoices will be sent to the Chapters. These will be in the mail on Monday, January 25th. The DeMolay International Insurance Premium is $12.76 per member and the PA DeMolay Endowment Fund Fee is $1.00 per member.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact me at your convenience.

"Dad" Dave Berry
es@pademolay.org

PA DeMolay History - Part I

If there is one thing that I truly enjoy about the DeMolay program, it's the robust history that we have inherited. Stretching all the way back to 1919, DeMolay is closing in on its 100th Anniversary. That's quite a long time for such an organization! Pennsylvania was an early adopter of the DeMolay program, and I've always been fascinated by the history of the Order within our own Commonwealth.

Working at the Pennsylvania Masonic Youth Foundation gives me an opportunity to research these early years, learn about our founders, and find out just how DeMolay became such a force in the Keystone State. Any great story, must be told from the beginning, so with that... just how did DeMolay come to PA?

1923 was a good year in the US. The first World War was over, the economy was good, and the middle class was growing. Warren G. Harding was in the White House, and a vaccine was developed to combat a common but serious illness (whooping cough.) In that same year a train load of young men from Kansas City descended on Pittsburgh to induct 1099 members of DeMolay in one swoop. DeMolay was officially in Pennsylvania, but it didn't happen overnight.

How many of you know who Ralph Minehart is? Without him, you wouldn't be reading this blog. "Uncle Ralph," as he was fondly known, is the reason our Order thrives in Pennsylvania today. Born in Brownsville, PA, "Dad" Minehart moved to Pittsburgh at a young age and was raised in the city of steel. He became a member of Crescent Lodge No. 576, and soon became involved in all things Masonic. While it may seem that "Dad" Minehart's Masonic career is boring, it is far from irrelevant. Without his enthusiam and political connections DeMolay never would have made it.


Back in 1923, it wasn't the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania who championed DeMolay, but rather the Grand Commandery of Knights Templar. This isn't to say that the Grand Lodge was opposed to the program. They just had lots of things on their plate, and starting an unproven group for young men seemed like less of a priority. The Knights Templar, and particularly "Dad" Minehart, were looking for this kind of opportunity. "Dad" Minehart served as Right Eminent Grand Commander in 1922. It was during his tenure as Grand Commander that he first witnessed the ritual of the Order while on a visit to New Jersey. Upon his return he immediately submitted a document to prominent Commandery officials in Pittsburgh asking them to take up the program. In a bold move, he followed this request with an official General Order as Grand Commander that all Commanderies in Pennsylvania should sponsor a DeMolay Chapter. This was just the impetus that DeMolay needed, and soon there would be no turning back. These revelations led "Dad" Land and a group of thirty young men from Mother Chapter in Kansas City to travel to Pittsburgh and establish Templar Chapter (which would go on to become the oldest Chapter in Pennsylvania.) It still exists today, and the heritage of the Chapter is not forgotten.

This brings DeMolay to Western Pennsylvania, but how did the city of brotherly love become involved? Philadelphia was actally the first area to try to bring DeMolay to Pennsylvania, but for unknown reasons, the movement failed to gain momentum, and by 1921 it was dead in the water. The story of its resurgence traces straight back to "Uncle Ralph" and the Grand Commandery. Serving under "Dad" Minehart was an ambitious Division Commander named Louis M. Strassburger. Thanks to these two men a Chapter was started in Philadelphia that would bring DeMolay to the Eastern part of the State. "Dad" Strassburger would go on to serve as Grand Commander himself, and further the ties that DeMolay has to the Grand Commandery.

The movement continued to grow in Pennsylvania, but that's a story for another day. Suffice it to say that I am very thankful to all the Knights Templar, then and now, for the hard work and dedication they bring to the table to support DeMolay. It has been my honor and privilege to serve as Commander of my local Commandery, and I hope one day that I, too, can have some impact on the Order, even if I only accomplish a fraction of what "Dads" Mineheart and Strassburger did.

Until Next Time!

Frat! ~ "Dad" Seth Anthony

Almost 60 Years and Still Going!

DeMolay can really create some truly outstanding individuals. Those people then go on to create truly outstanding memories. This past weekend Pennsylvania DeMolay hosted its annual Volleyball Tournament, and I can certainly say it created a memory in me.

I'll be the first to admit that the sports tournaments aren't my passion. However, I do recognize they have a place in the DeMolay program, and for good reason. To each his own, right? Sometimes competition can bring out the worst in people, and sometimes it can bring out the best. This Volleyball tournament certainly brought out the best in one advisor.

I was exiting Memorial Hall on Saturday afternoon when I noticed some folks on the tennis courts. What I saw will stick with me forever. There, outside, working with the fellows from Susquehanna Chapter was "Dad" Les Loomis. "Dad" Loomis will be the first to admit that he's not the youngest pup on the block. We won't tell you how old he is, but he did mention something about a 60 year pin for DeMolay!

So here was a man, who is many years older than the average DeMolay, out on the tennis court, running the Chapter through bump, set, spike, and running drills. I immediately thought to myself "Wow... now that's a dedicated Advisor. That's what the DeMolay program is all about." I continued to reflect on that thought throughout the day. I've seen many advisors who just come to a sports weekend, hope their Chapter team does well, and let the chips fall where they may. But here, HERE was advisor who really cared, and wanted to spend time with his guys. Then I again realized how great the difference in age between "Dad" Loomis and the young men was. There was man from a different generation, lending his talents and abilities to teach young people. All I can do is smile when I think about this.

"Dad" Loomis isn't just involved in DeMolay though. He is also very involved in his local Masonic community, and has served the York Rite of Freemasonry with great distinction. Last year he served as Right Eminent Grand Commander of the Grand Commandery of Knights Templar of Pennsylvania. Even during his tenure in that office, he still took time out to come to Advisory Council meetings and help the Susquehanna guys with their programs.

I've looked up to "Dad" Loomis for a long time... and not just because he's taller than me! This weekend really cemented in my mind the effect that "Dad" Loomis has had with me, and with Susquehanna Chapter. As I continue my journey in Freemasonry I can only hope that I can serve the Masonic family as well as he has.

Thank you "Dad" Les Loomis for all you do!

Frat! ~ "Dad" Seth Anthony