Volume 70 No 4 December 2005 WM Richard Elia The Old Year Passes busy and interesting year for Bruce Barnes, Editor Hesperians. Our website at http://www.Hesperia411.org, Happy New Year Brethren, has brought visitors from around Ladies and Friends of Hesperia the world to our Lodge for both Lodge #411! I hope everyone dinner and meetings. One of had a wonderful Holiday Sea- those visitors, who found Hes- son! Not only was the month of peria via the website, is an indi- December both the coldest, and snowiest, December of the last 63 years, but it also seemed to go by so much faster than it has in previous years. For tips on how to help save some money on those potentially large heat- ing bills, see the story on page 7 of this issue. It seems that only a few days ago I was busy preparing the vidual who will be working in January 2005 Hesperian to be Chicago for the next two years. labeled and mailed to the mem- His name is Alberto Ramirez, bers of our Lodge, and now I’m and he does actuarial analysis in the process of completing the for an international benefits last issue of the year 2005. company with offices both here in Chicago and Mexico City. This past year has been both a (Continued on page 15) Inside This Issue . Letter From The East Page: 2 T H E H E S P E R I A N The Blazing Star Page: 5 Cutting Your Energy Bills Page: 7 Oral History Project Page: 8 Hesperia Lodge #411 A F & M Christmas Treats Page 8 Preserving the Craft in the 21st Century Page: 10 Women In Freemasonry Page: 19 Letter from the East Dear Brother Hesperian’s The 166th annual Grand Lodge for the State of Illinois was held in Springfield the weekend of October 7th, 8th and 9th and was, as usual, a wonderful experience. It is always good to see both the familiar faces of years gone by and to meet new Masonic brothers for the first time. While in Springfield, Masons from all over the State invaded the new Lincoln Museum and Library. This venue is now high on my list of recommended sights if you will be traveling to the Springfield area at some future date. Prior to entering the actual exhibits, visitors have the oppor- tunity to see two background presentations that will both introduce and prepare you for your experience in the museum. I strongly recommend you relax and enjoy the 20 minutes it takes to view these films as they will make the rest of your experience come alive with Lincoln history. One of the exhibits includes a live actor, in period costume, handing out information and answering questions – lending to the overall interactive quality of the installation. If you have enough time during your visit, make certain you spend the time and read the information at each of the exhibits and you will be drawn in by the character of the language in use during the period Lincoln lived. Because so much of the information about President Lincoln was written down it was preserved for both our and future generations. Like any other history, had Lincoln’s words and actions not been captured by the archivists of his time, they would have been forever lost. The same is true about any history, whether the actions and recollections of someone placed in the spotlight of history, or by common men like you and me – if we don’t tell our stories to someone, they are lost forever. Therefore, I am asking our older brethren to share their Masonic memories with us so we can place them into the archives of Hesperia Lodge #411. Whether you want to share a specific event, a Masonic experience, some- thing you remember happening in Lodge, or the reason you became a Mason in the first place, we’d like to interview you. Perhaps some part of the Masonic ritual has changed over the years. Was the building used for other purposes? When were the many rooms constructed and why? What about the balcony, did you ever have the opportunity to sit in the balcony when it was open? What would you like to say to another Hesperian 100 years from now? We’d like this oral history project to be as inclusive as possible. Whether you live in the Chicago area and can schedule a time before or after a meeting, want to schedule some time to meet outside of Lodge or would like to conduct a tele- phone interview, we’ll work to accommodate your schedule and record your his- tory. If you tell us when you will be coming to Lodge we will set up a quiet re- laxed area to interview you and record your memories and experiences. We are Page 2 HESPERIA LODGE #411 A F & A M also setting up a telephone line to call for those who, for one reason or another, cannot record their history in person. When giving your story, if you do not know the exact date something happened; perhaps you may remember when a person was Worship Master or when one of the chairs had a particular person. Those records are available, and can assist us in placing your you oral history at the correct time in the history of Hesperia. We want to remember you. For more information on the Oral History Project, see page 8. I recently spoke with Lori Cannon of Vital Bridges, and she was, again, very thankful for the cash donations received from the Lodge members. The monies collected for Cannon at the Friends Night Meeting in June of 2005 (see The Hes- perian, Vol 70 No 3), were used to purchase a 10’ x 10’ UV protected tent, with removable sides and theater style seating. This shelter will allow clients of Vital Bridges to find respite from the sun at both the annual Halstead Street parade and the an annual walkathon along the lakefront in Grant Park, as well as at events where they would otherwise be unable to attend because of medications that make their skin sensitive to sunlight or cause them tire easily from extended sunlight exposure. A big thanks to all of our Brethren from Lori. This is what a Masonic lodge does – we help people. Because of the hurricane devastation caused along the Gulf Coast this past summer, even more help than usual is required. If you are interested in assisting those who were impacted by the storms that devastated the Gulf Coast, you can click on the link to the Ma- sonic Service Association that is on the first page of our website or by sending your check to: MSA Disaster Relief Fund, 8120 Fenton Street Ste 203, Silver Spring, MD 20910-4785. I was at the Lodge early on the evening of Thursday, September 8, 2005, to talk with the Brethren who arrived early. As it turns out, we had a visitor that eve- ning, Brother Sean Watts, a Master Mason, from Achill Lodge No 853 in Johan- nesburg, in South Africa. He was in Chicago for holiday (vacation) and business. All present enjoyed having him sit down to share our meal and the very enjoy- able conservation. Talking to Brother Watts after the meeting, he was very im- pressed with wide variance of the ages of both the Officers and members who were present. Brother Watts commented on the willingness of one Mason to assist another in a friendly and brotherly, in spite of their vastly differing ages. He was very thankful that he had taken the time to attend the meeting. On September 22, 2004 we had two visiting guests. Brother Carlos Reyes, of Benito Juarez Lodge No 22 in Catazaja, Chiapas, Mexico; and Brother Alberto Ramirez of the Lodge de Gral, De Division Heriberto Jara C. No 80 in Mexico City. Our own Senior Deacon, Brother John Sarabia, translated for our guests during the dinner and the meeting. Thank you, Brother Sarabia! On a note of sadness, the Lodge was recently used for a Masonic funeral service. (Continued on page 4) Page 3 VOLUME 70 NO 4 (From the East—Continued from page 3) On Saturday, September 24th, a memorial service was conducted for Brother Louis Ennis. Brother Ennis was a puppeteer, and his partner, Brother Ralph Kip- ness, also a member of Hesperia, brought both an urn containing his creamains, several photographs and some of the puppets used during the shows presented by Brothers Kipness and Ennis at the Puppet Parlor, their theatre in Chicago where they based their business. While talking to one guest, who related the fact that his brother was a Mason in another state, he indicated that he never knew that a Ma- sonic Funeral Service could be so enjoyable, friendly, and memorable. Finally, Brethren, you may have noticed that I am still the Worship Master of our Lodge. It was voted at our meeting of August 11, 2005 to change the date of our annual Business Meeting from October to the first meeting in the month January. That meeting will take place on January 12, 2006. By the time you read this, the steering committee will have met on November 17th, and the initial slate for next year will have been chosen. The first major change, under our newly changed year, will be the election of those so slated at the first meeting of both January and the New Year. Your meeting attendance is important. A complete list of the officers chosen in that initial slate is printed within this edition of The Hesperian.