Through the years I’ve often lamented about the fact that far too often, when we lose Lodges treasures end up in the trash. Far too often when a Freemason dies, treasures end up in a junk store. These are horribly sad consequences of our own lack of care.
I know that I am not the only one with this concern, indeed it is why MW Sam Roberts set our Jurisdiction on the path of building an Apron Memorial where at least our Aprons can be honorably laid aside, and why so many of our Masons generously donated so that the beautiful Memorial could be constructed.
This morning I ran across a blog comment that was addressing this very situation that I felt was worth sharing and discussing:
“…having gone from well over 4 million members in the USA we are now less than a million and certainly from an actuarial perspective will be at a half million or less in short time. In the resulting scramble, whole libraries have been lost, important pipe organs junked, precious documents dumped, and so on - - carnage of our past. An observer might say we are unfit to be stewards of our inheritance.”
I disagree with the Brother’s vision of half a million Masons in the US in the near future, and current numbers from Washington seem to back that up, but I certainly do agree with his main point.
As Freemasonry has contracted in membership numbers in the US, important treasures have been lost, junked, dumped. We have, by not caring enough, ravaged our own material history in far too many cases. We have, far too often, proven ourselves unfit for that which we have inherited.
How do we change it?
How do we ensure that the historic buildings we have inherited receive proper maintenance and remain in good order?
How do we ensure that moneys donated over generations continue to exist and work for the good of humanity, instead of being squandered, used only for the needs of today?
How do we ensure that those items of historical importance retained by our Lodges remain within the Fraternity?
Proper stewardship isn’t necessarily about membership numbers. It is about care. How do we create a Lodge culture that cares?
We emptied our storage locker, to save on a bill and to consolidate records and other items.
Now we have almost a century of Lodge records. Assuming two meetings per month that’s 2400 sets of minutes plus records for thousands of members (in the early 60s we had 550 members at one time!).
There’s interesting history in those files. Our Secretary found the handwritten minutes of the 1923 meeting which led to the formation of our Lodge.
But how do we go through these records in an organized way? How do we, say, digitize records in bulk without damaging them?
I could probably write a novel on this topic that would be by turns both sad and hopeful through the ups and downs of our Fraternity’s treasures. From the Lodge whose antique jewels were kept in a safety deposit box which no one knew about and when the old secretary passed and the bill stopped being paid the box was drilled and auctioned off, to the deterioration of old records in musty attics and damp basements (especially a problem in old buildings in the South!), to the Grand Lodges who have with foresight and passion created (and more importantly properly funded!) Library/Museums to house and care for the most important records and artifacts, to the Lodges who have found partnerships with Universities and been able to place their older records, which are often deeply intertwined with the history of the area on permanent loan to those institutions where they can be properly preserved, digitized, and available for study by scholars.
The questions the Grand Master has asked above are a broad swath of preservation, and honestly at some points conflict with each other. Unfortunately sometimes being good stewards of the moneys from generations past means letting buildings that have become unsustainable go rather than pouring all of the Lodge’s money into them to ultimately be left with nothing. Money and Buildings are the two most difficult conversations any Lodge can have, but they are conversations that need to be faced with calm and measured, respectful discussions.
The question of historically important items is a much easier one for me to answer, and it is a multi-pronged approach. Lodges should be educated on how to properly store old records (I know of several Masonic Library/Museum Directors and Archivists who are more than happy to provide input/training/guidance to Lodges looking to do better in that space), if the Lodge cannot properly care for their records look for local organizations like Colleges, Historical Societies that are well funded and maintained, to partner with in order create a collection with them to ensure professional maintenance of the Lodges historic documents. There are some great resources (the Masonic Library Museum Association for one http://masonic-libraries.com/) online about how to preserve a wide variety of items. We made mistakes in the past that unfortunately cannot be undone (for example laminating paper to wood…) but there are affordable options out there.
When I have talked to Lodges in the past about the importance of preserving their records I usually like to look in old Grand Lodge proceedings for interesting facts about the Lodge, or even go through the Lodge’s records before a meeting to find things to share with the members that make them proud of the history of their Lodge and serve to connect the current members with the past, striving to create a resonance there that leads to passion to save their history.
As an example, the year I was Master of my Lodge at our second meeting of the month instead of reading the minutes from the last meeting (those were emailed and posted, we didn’t read minutes) we read an excerpt from the closest date to that one from 1863, when Baton Rouge was occupied by Union Forces in the middle of the Civil War.
Well, there are a couple separate (but equal) issues in this topic.
For the buildings, a lot of them were built in the heyday of masonry, where giant edifices were constructed to the glory of the craft, thinking things were only going to get bigger and brighter. With todays declining memberships, these buildings have become albatrosses to the local temple boards, expensive dilapidated testaments to days gone by. Such buildings, while historically significant, are not feasible today. The best you can do is file for state tax exemption, and pray some rockstar with masonic ties will donate a bunch of money for restorations. Perhaps getting on a historical record, but those come with a lot of caveats and requirements that may also be more expensive than it's worth.
For the various furniture and jewels within the lodge, there are other lodges that may need them. After PO consolidated with JPJ, the extra officer jewels were donated to the nearest Prince Hall lodge, which were much needed. But I have a picture of a pawn shop in Colorado with a set of masonic pillars sitting in the front window. I know that the lodge in Bremerton has a lot of items from Charleston Lodge when it merged with #117 sitting in the storeroom. I think the idea was having a Charleston Lodge night once a year, but I haven't actually seen it.
But when a lodge dies, the items within the lodge are mostly useless to the rest of the population. Who wants 100 year old theater seats? What items of "historical significance" in a lodge room are desirable to anyone outside of masonry? Other lodges already have those items. POJPJ had over a dozen top hats, big box of gavels, etc, what lodge would need those?
It occurred to me recently that wee could take some cues from the exhibition practices of museums. They routinely borrow or loan their collection pieces for exhibit in traveling curated shows. This gets an item in front of new viewers to appreciate and is reciprocated when the collection rotates through and viewers see artifacts from other locations.
We could do a similar show (or series of shows) of masonic artifacts assembled from within the jurisdiction. If done correctly, perhaps other jurisdictions would be interested participating?
A side benefit is it helps to reaffirm that artifacts in our possession have value and are important.
I for one save and collect Masonic items from thrift stores and other places. First, it shouldn't be in the hands of non Masons. In my home Lodge we a a small display case for Lodge pins and passed jewelery possessions of Masons. We should keep and honor old ciphers, books and aprons. I know we have a repository for aprons, but we proudly display our past deputies and Grand Masters. It's all about respect for the Craft.
The craft is shrinking. The future will bring fewer resources, and fewer people to steward the artifacts. Important choices will be made, whether desirable or not. Putting increasingly more stewardship on increasingly fewer masons isn't a strategy for success.
Broadly, Masons can either partner with non-Masons in their communities to preserve elements of local community history, they can attempt to grow their ranks, or basically most things will be lost for simple reasons of cold calculations around people, time, and money.
One day after I posted this, a Brother came to me with a large box of rituals and membership records from the Allied Masonic Degrees. It seems that the box was dropped off at a Goodwill store, whatever employee ran across it realized that it would be important to the Masons, and called the local Lodge to come and get it.
Now it sits in my living room, I'll get it where it needs to go.
But clearly, a Secretary's records, over a long span of time, were almost lost forever.
We’re working through this.
We emptied our storage locker, to save on a bill and to consolidate records and other items.
Now we have almost a century of Lodge records. Assuming two meetings per month that’s 2400 sets of minutes plus records for thousands of members (in the early 60s we had 550 members at one time!).
There’s interesting history in those files. Our Secretary found the handwritten minutes of the 1923 meeting which led to the formation of our Lodge.
But how do we go through these records in an organized way? How do we, say, digitize records in bulk without damaging them?
I could probably write a novel on this topic that would be by turns both sad and hopeful through the ups and downs of our Fraternity’s treasures. From the Lodge whose antique jewels were kept in a safety deposit box which no one knew about and when the old secretary passed and the bill stopped being paid the box was drilled and auctioned off, to the deterioration of old records in musty attics and damp basements (especially a problem in old buildings in the South!), to the Grand Lodges who have with foresight and passion created (and more importantly properly funded!) Library/Museums to house and care for the most important records and artifacts, to the Lodges who have found partnerships with Universities and been able to place their older records, which are often deeply intertwined with the history of the area on permanent loan to those institutions where they can be properly preserved, digitized, and available for study by scholars.
The questions the Grand Master has asked above are a broad swath of preservation, and honestly at some points conflict with each other. Unfortunately sometimes being good stewards of the moneys from generations past means letting buildings that have become unsustainable go rather than pouring all of the Lodge’s money into them to ultimately be left with nothing. Money and Buildings are the two most difficult conversations any Lodge can have, but they are conversations that need to be faced with calm and measured, respectful discussions.
The question of historically important items is a much easier one for me to answer, and it is a multi-pronged approach. Lodges should be educated on how to properly store old records (I know of several Masonic Library/Museum Directors and Archivists who are more than happy to provide input/training/guidance to Lodges looking to do better in that space), if the Lodge cannot properly care for their records look for local organizations like Colleges, Historical Societies that are well funded and maintained, to partner with in order create a collection with them to ensure professional maintenance of the Lodges historic documents. There are some great resources (the Masonic Library Museum Association for one http://masonic-libraries.com/) online about how to preserve a wide variety of items. We made mistakes in the past that unfortunately cannot be undone (for example laminating paper to wood…) but there are affordable options out there.
When I have talked to Lodges in the past about the importance of preserving their records I usually like to look in old Grand Lodge proceedings for interesting facts about the Lodge, or even go through the Lodge’s records before a meeting to find things to share with the members that make them proud of the history of their Lodge and serve to connect the current members with the past, striving to create a resonance there that leads to passion to save their history.
As an example, the year I was Master of my Lodge at our second meeting of the month instead of reading the minutes from the last meeting (those were emailed and posted, we didn’t read minutes) we read an excerpt from the closest date to that one from 1863, when Baton Rouge was occupied by Union Forces in the middle of the Civil War.
Well, there are a couple separate (but equal) issues in this topic.
For the buildings, a lot of them were built in the heyday of masonry, where giant edifices were constructed to the glory of the craft, thinking things were only going to get bigger and brighter. With todays declining memberships, these buildings have become albatrosses to the local temple boards, expensive dilapidated testaments to days gone by. Such buildings, while historically significant, are not feasible today. The best you can do is file for state tax exemption, and pray some rockstar with masonic ties will donate a bunch of money for restorations. Perhaps getting on a historical record, but those come with a lot of caveats and requirements that may also be more expensive than it's worth.
https://dahp.wa.gov/historic-registers/national-register-of-historic-places/criteria-for-national-register-listing
For the various furniture and jewels within the lodge, there are other lodges that may need them. After PO consolidated with JPJ, the extra officer jewels were donated to the nearest Prince Hall lodge, which were much needed. But I have a picture of a pawn shop in Colorado with a set of masonic pillars sitting in the front window. I know that the lodge in Bremerton has a lot of items from Charleston Lodge when it merged with #117 sitting in the storeroom. I think the idea was having a Charleston Lodge night once a year, but I haven't actually seen it.
But when a lodge dies, the items within the lodge are mostly useless to the rest of the population. Who wants 100 year old theater seats? What items of "historical significance" in a lodge room are desirable to anyone outside of masonry? Other lodges already have those items. POJPJ had over a dozen top hats, big box of gavels, etc, what lodge would need those?
It occurred to me recently that wee could take some cues from the exhibition practices of museums. They routinely borrow or loan their collection pieces for exhibit in traveling curated shows. This gets an item in front of new viewers to appreciate and is reciprocated when the collection rotates through and viewers see artifacts from other locations.
We could do a similar show (or series of shows) of masonic artifacts assembled from within the jurisdiction. If done correctly, perhaps other jurisdictions would be interested participating?
A side benefit is it helps to reaffirm that artifacts in our possession have value and are important.
I for one save and collect Masonic items from thrift stores and other places. First, it shouldn't be in the hands of non Masons. In my home Lodge we a a small display case for Lodge pins and passed jewelery possessions of Masons. We should keep and honor old ciphers, books and aprons. I know we have a repository for aprons, but we proudly display our past deputies and Grand Masters. It's all about respect for the Craft.
The craft is shrinking. The future will bring fewer resources, and fewer people to steward the artifacts. Important choices will be made, whether desirable or not. Putting increasingly more stewardship on increasingly fewer masons isn't a strategy for success.
Broadly, Masons can either partner with non-Masons in their communities to preserve elements of local community history, they can attempt to grow their ranks, or basically most things will be lost for simple reasons of cold calculations around people, time, and money.
One day after I posted this, a Brother came to me with a large box of rituals and membership records from the Allied Masonic Degrees. It seems that the box was dropped off at a Goodwill store, whatever employee ran across it realized that it would be important to the Masons, and called the local Lodge to come and get it.
Now it sits in my living room, I'll get it where it needs to go.
But clearly, a Secretary's records, over a long span of time, were almost lost forever.