District Education Officer's Manual for Training of Subordinate Lodge Officers

DISTRICT EDUCATION OFFICER’S MANUAL FOR TRAINING OF SUBORDINATE LODGE OFFICERS Authorized by Most Worshipful James Dean Cole Grand Master of Masons in Virginia Published by The Most Worshipful Grand Lodge, Ancient, Free and Accepted Masons of the Commonwealth of Virginia, Committee on Masonic Education and Publications 4115 Nine Mile Road, Richmond, Virginia 23223-4926 1 March 2001 1 2 Chapter 1 Introduction This manual has been developed for District Education Officers to use in the training of subordinate Lodge officers. The success of Freemasonry in the Commonwealth of Virginia is rooted in the success of the three hundred and thirty Lodges located in every part of the state. While this manual is a living draft, intended to be a compilation of educational ideas from many sources, its overall purpose is to serve as an arsenal of educational materials which can be used, in whole or in part, by the DEO as he serves Freemasonry by educating our local Lodge officers and members. Freemasonry over the centuries has been an institution whose members continually sought further education. This manual represents but one source, one step, on the long road of Masonic education. May every Virginia Mason begin to grow in knowledge by stepping forward on the path of education. JAMES D. COLE Grand Master March 1, 2001 3 THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK. 4 MESSAGE FROM THE GRAND PROVOST 1. Dedication The Officers of the Grand Lodge of Virginia recognize that without the dedicated service to and support of the elected and appointed Officers of the Craft Lodges, the Craft Lodges and the Grand Lodge of Virginia could not continue to exist. To the Officers of the Craft Lodges is entrusted the most critical and vital role in all of Freemasonry. For it is in the Craft Lodges that new Masons are made, and it is there that Freemasonry begins for every Mason. There, every Mason learns his first lessons in Masonry, the tenets of our profession: Brotherly Love, Relief and Truth. The freedom, fervency and zeal that each new Mason finds in his Mother Lodge is what shapes his Masonic attitude and sets the pattern for his future participation in our Gentle Craft. His search for Light, further Light and more Light in Masonry is aided and guided by the elected and appointed Officers of his Mother Lodge. This is sufficient reason to dedicate this Lodge Officers Training Guide to every Master Mason who has ever occupied, is currently occupying, or ever will occupy an elected or appointed office in a Craft Lodge. 1. Background The Lodge Officers Training Guide that you now hold in your hand has been developed over the course of many years and is the direct result of the love for our Craft by a legion of dedicated Master Masons. I do not begin to know all of their names, but permit me please, to tell what I do know. In 1999 with the blessing of the then Grand Provost (now Grand Senior Deacon), Right Worshipful John Randall Quinley, I formed a small publications committee to rewrite the Lodge Officer’s Manual. This committee consisted of myself, Right Worshipful Mickey Ander, and Worshipful Roger Peak. My proposed outline for rewriting the Lodge Officer’s Manual was reviewed and a recommendation was made to go in an entirely different direction. This was briefed to the Grand Provost, who concurred in the recommendation. The recommended direction was based on a survey conducted by Right Worshipful Mickey Ander to determine the minimum body of knowledge and skills required for each of the Lodge elected officer positions. This minimum body of knowledge and skills had been used to produce a Self-paced Officer Training (SPOT) manual for the Brethren of the 54 th Masonic District. The principal authors were Right Worshipful Mickey Ander and Right Worshipful Bruce Palmer. My committee took the SPOT manual as a basis and reworked it to be used as a Grand Lodge document for all Craft Lodges in this Grand Jurisdiction. 5 In 2000, when I became the Grand Provost, the work on the current guide continued. Additionally, I created a Publications Subcommittee under the Grand Lodge Committee on Masonic Education and Publications to begin reviewing all Grand Lodge publications and developing new ones. The Publications Subcommittee is chaired by Worshipful John Shroeder, Division Provost for Area VII. My small committee now had extra editorial help. We expanded the SPOT manual to six chapters and completely rewrote several of the appendices, especially Appendix D, Lodge Programs. The guide, in its current form, has taken over 18 months to develop. The last year the development slowed because I had to learn how to manage the Committee on Masonic Education and Publications, a job my predecessor made to look easy! 1. Appreciation I would first commend the patience and understanding of Most Worshipful George Harry Chapin, Grand Master in 1999, and Most Worshipful William Lee Holiday, Grand Master in 2000. Most of the work on the guide was accomplished during their years; God bless them for understanding that a publication of this nature needed more than one year to develop. I would also commend Right Worshipful Mickey Ander, Right Worshipful Bruce Palmer and all the Brethren of the 54 th Masonic District who participated in the development of the SPOT manual. A special debt of gratitude is owed to Right Worshipful Mickey Ander and Worshipful Roger Peak both of whom put up with my shortcomings throughout the development of the guide and who also labored so prodigiously on the new format and the rewriting of the appendices. Lastly, we appreciate the assistance provided by Worshipful John Shroeder and the members of the Publications Subcommittee for their editorial comments. May the Supreme Architect of the Universe look with favor on all Brethren who have participated in the development of this guide for the education of all Masons in this Grand Jurisdiction. 4. The Challenge of Masonic Education The Chairman and members of the Grand Lodge Committee on Masonic Education and Publications, the District Education Officers (DEO) and the Lodge Education Officers (LEO) are dedicated to providing Masonic Education for every Mason in this Grand Jurisdiction. We see this as not only our duty and responsibility but also as our privilege to share our knowledge and love for our Craft with our Brethren. Unfortunately, far too many Brethren view Masonic Education like a float trip down the river of knowledge. In their infancy and youth, they come splashing and bubbling down the mountainside stream absorbing everything that comes to them. As they approach manhood, the stream reaches the foothills, broadens and slows, and they too slow in learning. As their later years approach, the river is on the broad coastal plain and moves languidly. Then they fail even to try to learn anything. Ironically, it is at this slower pace with the broadest possible view of the river of knowledge that learning can be most readily obtained! We must rediscover forgotten methods or invent new ones for lighting the fires of 6 enthusiasm for education in general and Masonic education in particular. A man should never feel that he is too old to learn or be so full of himself that he thinks he has nothing left to learn. Science has shown that the real difference between a genius and the man of average intelligence is simply an enthusiasm for learning. 4. How to Use the Lodge Officers Training Guide Another thing that science has proven is that we learn best by doing. This is sometimes called the hands on approach. Each of us has a mode in which we learn best. For some, reading is effective, while for others hearing is essential. Some need to feel or be in touch with what they are learning. But for all of us, we learn best by practicing or doing the thing that we are learning. This guide was developed to maximize the hands on approach and it includes exercises to aid in the learning process. The first five chapters are arranged to prepare you for the next position in the elected line of the Craft Lodge. In each, there is a series of exercises to be performed. Chapter six is for the Worshipful Master and is therefore not so much a series of exercises as it is a series of things to consider during your year as Master of the Lodge. After completing each exercise, you are to discuss the exercise with your Lodge Education Officer, mentor or counselor. The name is not important but the function is extremely important. We have tried to consistently use LEO or mentor in the guide. This is the Brother who is to guide you in your search for Masonic education. He will help, aid and assist you as you learn by doing. When you have completed the exercise, have your LEO or mentor initial the exercise. Then record the date in the Exercise Record found in Appendix K. It was intended that you complete each exercise in the order given in the chapter. However, this is not a hard and fast rule. If your situation dictates that some exercises should be done out of sequence, then discuss it with your LEO, mentor or counselor and proceed as you jointly determine is best for your situation. If you receive this guide when you are part way through the line in your Lodge, then start with the appropriate chapter for your current office. As time and opportunity permit, return to the earlier parts of the guide and complete those exercises. Even if you are not going through the elected line of your Lodge, there is much to be learned by completing the exercises.

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