Walt Disney, a DeMolay

This has been one of those weeks that I haven't had any burning issues or fabulous ideas to write about. I've been busy trying to pull together programs and information for the Grand Commandery of Knights Templar, which I am going to take a bigger role in beginning in May. I've also thrown myself into starting a new local "chapter" of another Masonic organization, so, I've been pretty darn busy with my side projects. However, I still ponder on things related to DeMolay and recently came across a fabulous article posted on a website relating to Walt Disney and the cartoon community he created.

Titled "Walt and DeMolay," the article discusses what Walt Disney's true involvement in our organization was and just what kind of an impact our fraternity made on this legendary man. While I encourage you to read the whole article, there are two specific quotes that I find really great:

"Walt's involvement with DeMolay meant a great deal to him and he proudly wore a DeMolay ring on his right hand until the late 1940s, when he replaced it with the Royal Claddagh ring, the traditional wedding ring of the Irish since the 17th Century..."


Never underestimate the power of an outward endorsement of an organization. The fact that Bro. Disney wore a DeMolay ring for such a long period of time shows that he had more than just a passing interest in our group.

"In the 1930s another DeMolay member, Fred Spencer of the Walt Disney Studios, began sending an original Mickey Mouse comic strip entitled "Mickey Mouse Chapter" for DeMolay's national newsletter. (break) It was a two-tier black and white comic strip and the first installment has Mickey Mouse creating a poster to get all his barnyard friends to join him in the barn so they can vote on establishing their own chapter of DeMolay, a Mickey Mouse Chapter."


So, even Mickey Mouse was a DeMolay! While our fraternity has changed greatly since the involvement of the likes of Bro. Disney and Bro. Spencer, our mission and values have not. What are you going to do with the rest of your life and what part will DeMolay play in it?


Frat! ~ "Dad" Seth Anthony