Does your Lodge have a strong bench of men who can step up for Degrees?
It seems that some Lodges, some whole areas even, rely upon a single man to do a particular Lecture for example. If he isn’t available, there often isn’t anyone else who can do the work well.
How can we encourage more men to learn the larger parts of the work? The Lectures, Charges, other long and more difficult passages?
Surely if those Lodges that rely upon a single man don’t develop a bench, they will find themselves in a very bad way when he is no longer able to do it.
Should we, our Lodges or even the Grand Lodge, figure out a way of providing recognition to those who learn the Lectures and other long parts?
We do, as a Grand Lodge, certify those Brothers who can demonstrate proficiency in the entire Standard Work, but we don’t offer much in the way of recognition for that. Should we? If so, what form should that take?
Many hands make small work. Every master mason member of a lodge when raised should be given a part to play in each ceremony and memorize it. If the lectures are spread among 13 men, it's only a few paragraphs each. And that's just the officers. If every member of a lodge was involved, it would only be a few sentences each. Attendance should be mandatory, and quality delivery should be a criteria for good standing.
Thankfully my Lodge is pretty strong when it comes to conferring the EA and FC Degrees. The only time we require some outside help from our sister Lodges is to fill some of the roles in the MM Degree's 2nd Section. However, we have been fortunate to initiate a good number of new Masons this year so we should shortly be able to fill in those spots. Yet, that is not to say we don't enjoy having our Brothers from other Lodges come and join us, neither are we opposed to answer the call when they need us.
Florida has a Proficiency Card program in which you are presented with a colored card depending on what part of the Work you are proficient in. I myself hold a Silver Card for proficiency in the three Catechisms, and an Orange Card for proficiency in the EA Lecture. I am currently working toward receiving a White Card for proficiency in the ritual work of the EA Degree. When a card is presented it is mostly done during our District-wide meetings. Having a whole auditorium of Masons recognize your achievement and come up to you afterward and give you a congratulatory handshake is a great motivator. The Grand Daddy of all cards if the Gold Card which means proficiency in absolutely everything in the Florida Work.
First, and emphatically, I'd like to say that I have the greatest respect for Brothers who have committed the degrees to memory and deliver their parts in a very engaging and convincing manner. It's a fine idea to recognize them, however I don't believe this would result in significantly more Brothers reaching similar proficiency. Just like the employee wellness campaigns in the 90s accomplished little more than motivating the healthiest workers to go to the gym more often, a degree recognition award will likely result in the already proficient Brothers having yet another lapel pin.
Increasing the number of Brothers who can do this will require a time machine allowing us to travel back to the 50s or 60s for degree conferrals. Memorization is no longer a skill taught in our schools so its an unnatural act for a man who is younger than 50 when he becomes a Mason. In days gone by delivering by memory was the effective way to provide a quality degree experience for candidates. And that's the objective: providing a quality degree experience. Degrees read well can deliver that experience.
In a symphony performance the finest musicians all read their parts to ensure that the audience enjoys the highest quality of performance. They could probably play from memory but they don't take the chance that the first chair violinist will stand up and point at them and say "No, that's supposed to be an F-sharp!", but we tolerate past masters doing that kind of thing all the time. As new generations become Masons it's only going to get worse.
Too few memory-proficient Brothers is not the problem. Too few high-quality degree conferrals is.
I'll now brace myself for strenuous rebuttals from memory-proficient Brothers.
Many hands make small work. Every master mason member of a lodge when raised should be given a part to play in each ceremony and memorize it. If the lectures are spread among 13 men, it's only a few paragraphs each. And that's just the officers. If every member of a lodge was involved, it would only be a few sentences each. Attendance should be mandatory, and quality delivery should be a criteria for good standing.
Thankfully my Lodge is pretty strong when it comes to conferring the EA and FC Degrees. The only time we require some outside help from our sister Lodges is to fill some of the roles in the MM Degree's 2nd Section. However, we have been fortunate to initiate a good number of new Masons this year so we should shortly be able to fill in those spots. Yet, that is not to say we don't enjoy having our Brothers from other Lodges come and join us, neither are we opposed to answer the call when they need us.
Florida has a Proficiency Card program in which you are presented with a colored card depending on what part of the Work you are proficient in. I myself hold a Silver Card for proficiency in the three Catechisms, and an Orange Card for proficiency in the EA Lecture. I am currently working toward receiving a White Card for proficiency in the ritual work of the EA Degree. When a card is presented it is mostly done during our District-wide meetings. Having a whole auditorium of Masons recognize your achievement and come up to you afterward and give you a congratulatory handshake is a great motivator. The Grand Daddy of all cards if the Gold Card which means proficiency in absolutely everything in the Florida Work.
First, and emphatically, I'd like to say that I have the greatest respect for Brothers who have committed the degrees to memory and deliver their parts in a very engaging and convincing manner. It's a fine idea to recognize them, however I don't believe this would result in significantly more Brothers reaching similar proficiency. Just like the employee wellness campaigns in the 90s accomplished little more than motivating the healthiest workers to go to the gym more often, a degree recognition award will likely result in the already proficient Brothers having yet another lapel pin.
Increasing the number of Brothers who can do this will require a time machine allowing us to travel back to the 50s or 60s for degree conferrals. Memorization is no longer a skill taught in our schools so its an unnatural act for a man who is younger than 50 when he becomes a Mason. In days gone by delivering by memory was the effective way to provide a quality degree experience for candidates. And that's the objective: providing a quality degree experience. Degrees read well can deliver that experience.
In a symphony performance the finest musicians all read their parts to ensure that the audience enjoys the highest quality of performance. They could probably play from memory but they don't take the chance that the first chair violinist will stand up and point at them and say "No, that's supposed to be an F-sharp!", but we tolerate past masters doing that kind of thing all the time. As new generations become Masons it's only going to get worse.
Too few memory-proficient Brothers is not the problem. Too few high-quality degree conferrals is.
I'll now brace myself for strenuous rebuttals from memory-proficient Brothers.