FREEMASON in Order That a Greater Proportion of the Juvenile Co Urts of America
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THE PENNSYLVANIA FREEMASON in order that a greater proportion of the juvenile co urts of America. These young Lodges may at all times be properly repre people are a part- a large part- of our greatest Issued Every Three Months By sented during the vari ous Communications. natwnal resource for the fu ture-our junior The Right Worshipful Grand Lodge o f The Most Ancient citizens. It is the juvenile court wh ich is and Honorable Fraternity of Free and Accepted Masons designed to act as a parent would, or should, of Pennsylvania and Masonic Jurisdiction Thereunto Belonging, through its to salvage them from a life of crime in· their Lodge No. 9 of Philadelphia more mature years. It is the juvenile court COMMITIEE ON MASONIC CULTURE- William E. which the public calls upon to correct and to Yeager, Past Grand Master, Chairman; William E. guide these troubled young people into a life Montgomery, G. Edward Elwell, Jr., Fronk R". Leech, Celebrates 175 th Anniversary Willia m A. Carpenter, Charles A. Young and Ashby of useful ness and, at the same time, to protect B. Paul. Back in 1798, Lodge No. 9 of Philadelphia, the community and to assure its future . APPROVED AND AUTHORIZED TO BE PRINTED BY "contributed to Grand Lodge ten guineas for T remendous as is the challenge as well as CHARLES H. NITSCH building a dispensary to which the Lodge was the responsi bility of the jlll-enile court judge, neither in law schoo l nor in his previous Right Worshipful Grand Master given perpetual rights to send two patients." FREEMASON And 157 years later in what more fitting way private practice is he likely to have had any WILLIAM A. CARPENTER, Editor could this venerable Lodge mark its 175th experience in workin rr wi th children in AN OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE RIGHT WORSHIPFUL GRAND LODGE OF FREE AND ACCEPTED MASONS OF PENNS"(LVANIA Anniversary than by donating S5,000 to Grand trouble before the law. In the adult fiel d, the Mailing Address: The Ma sonic Temple, Lodge to be used for establishing a general procedures are of a trial or adversary nature VOLUME III FEBRUARY • 1956 NUMBER 1 Broad and Fil bert Streets, Philadelphia 7, Po. dispensary in the Hospital at Elizabethtown? in wh ich the judge acts largely as umpire. In And when the dispensary is well under way, the children's field, he is directed to make an Vol. III February, 1956 No. 1 Lodge No. 9 has promised to contribute an inquiry, as a parent would, to find out how other S5,000 for this worthwhile project, and best to correct the individual child. Instead of expects to donate annually approximately acting as though blindfolded, he is to put into Annual Address Highlights of $2,000 fo r the maintenance of this dispensary. practice the universal experience of parents A Message from Our Grand Master When Brother T. Harrison Gibson of and others that no two children are alike but R . W. Past Grand Master Lehr that each has his own personality, so that the Lodge No.9 died, he left a Trust Fund, some of T IS WITH mingled emotions that I address you for the first time as The Freemasons of Philadelphia have pledged themselves to ra.ise, procedure in a juvenile court must be per In his Annual Address as R. W. Grand the proceeds of which are wisely being used as Grand Master. In the fi rst place, there is a deep feel ing of gratitude by personal subscription, $500,000 as their contribution to the outlined above. In the near future a bronze sonalized to be effe ctive. I Master, Brother Ralph M. Lehr cited the prog· to you, my Brethren, for this, the highest honor within your power plaque will be unveiled to the memory of this It is in the Institute that a small group of Hospi tal Extension. To date, Brother Morris Ruberg, Secretary of ress in membership (with about 9,000 candi deceased Brother . judges come together to make a clinical study to bestow. the Philadelphia Committee, has turned over to the Grand Secretary dates initiated during the past year) to an Lodge No. 9 was granted its Warrant on of a Court wh ich devotes all its time to Since my election to this exalted office on December 7th, I have $440,000 against the $500,000 pledged. "all-time high" of approximately 252,400 July 27, 1780 and on the following August 3rd, children's work. Living toaether during the received many communications from my Brethren expressing their For this handsome sum of money we are sincerely grateful and Master Masons. Reference was made to his its Warrant Officers were installed. Lodge No.9 week, they consult with eac~ other and listen faith in me. This touches me deeply and I am indeed grateful. trust that, in the near fu ture, the Philadelphia Masons will go well having caused George M. Leader, Governor of was one of the first to have "established a fund to, and consult wi th , outstanding leaders in I am gratefu l for the many acts of kindness shown me by my over the minimum of $500,000. the Commonwealth, to be made a Mason at for the relief of indigent and distressed relating and in terlacing fields. Stimulated and predecessor, Past Grand Master, Brother Ralph M. Lehr, whose advice January 17, 1956 will be the 250th anniversary of the birth of sight at York, Pa., on March 3, 1955. One new Masons." From then until today this Lodge informed by these exceptional opportunities and counsel will serve me well during my term of offi ce. Benjamin Franklin. Lodge was constituted- Penn-Morris Lodge, has " dispensed charity liberally and generous and contacts, they return home, personally I am conscious and deeply concerned with the magnitude of the Franklin believed that man's greatest service to man was the free ly." This is Masonry at its best. better able to meet their unique, offi cial re· No. 778, Morrisville, Pa., on January 29, 1955. sponsibilities to troubled children. As the task before me, the high trust which the office imposes, its great and voluntary communication of ideas. Without such an exchange Brother Lehr stated that two years ago he Brother Joel Carver, who prepared the His responsibilities, and I have many misgivings when I realize my own torical Resume, presented at the recent cele benefits of the Institute spread more and more among peoples there could be no wisdom, no freedom, no under had outlined an ambitious and constructive bration, indicates that Lodge No. 9 is one of over the country, each juvenile court may, in inadequacy. However, there is comfort in the realization that the task is standing, no peace. All of his life was lived in that pattern. Individual program, of which some projects are complete, the few early Lodges which did not have "gaps effect, become a "hospital," coordinating and not for me alone. No man can assume he has the combined knowledge, freedom and equality were the cornerstones of Franklin's Rights of some in process, and some not yet started but of from two to twenty-three years when they focusing in a responsible, judicial way,_ com talents and abilities of his associates, and if he should think so he surely Man. The great Masonic Fraternity credits him with having helped it to with plans in the making . .He believed this " to ceased labor for some reason or other, showing munity resources for the emotionally cnppled would be doomed to fa ilure. There is an unlimited amount of talent avail change its course from a " club" fo r the wealthy to membership for all have been the busiest two years since the turn Lodge No.9 has a continuous record." child. able to the Grand Master and I am comforted in the knowledge that this classes. of the century." Brother Ralph M. Lehr, then R. W. Grand Answering the announcement of the first talent is his for the asking. Therefore, with your support, your advice, The Freemasons of Pennsylvania should be justly proud of Franklin's At the Masonic Homes, Elizabethtown, Pa., Master, made an official visitation and de session of the Pennsylvania Mason Juvenile your counsel and, yes, your criticism much can be accomplished. activity in our Grand Lodge which he served as Grand Master in 1734. Court Institute, more than 100 judges indi designated by Brother Lehr as " the heart of livered an inspiring address at their 175th It would be unseemly for me to predict what I hope to do. There In the December 1955 issue of the Pennsylvania Freemason, our Anniversary Banquet. cated their desire to attend. Twenty judges Pennsylvania Freemasonry," work is progress were selected and participated, becoming the are, however, some things of which I would li ke to speak and in these Librarian and Curator, Brother William J. Paterson, has written an ing satisfactorily. The utility tunnel is nearing first Fellows of the Institute. These 20 judges, matters yo u can be of great help. interesting and factual article about this great American, titled completion; the work on the new wing of the Protes tant, Catholic and Jewish, came from I fear we recite in our rituals the beautiful lessons of Freemasonry "Benjamin Franklin, The Freemason." hospital is scheduled to be completed in the The Pennsylvania Mason 14 different states and were representative of rather easily and glibly. But do we practice these lessons in our daily It i s my suggestion t hat each Lodge in our Jurisdic tion set near future and immediately thereafter, the America and of our local communities, lives? Are we as tolerant toward our fellow men as we are taught to be? aside a m eeting during the yea•· 1956 in m emory of Brother renovation of the old section will be under Juvenile Court Institute large and small.