The North Carolina Mason

March/April 2010 The North Carolina Mason Page 5 Scholarship student says, “Thanks” Editor’s note: Te Grand Lodge recently recieved the follwing letter from a 2009 winner of a Charles E. Cathey Masonic Scholarship. Tank you so much for providing money to help forward my education. It means a lot to me that I was given a chance to experience college life with the help of your assistance. My first semester was a good one. I tried very hard with my 17 hours worth of introductory engineering courses, and I am quite happy with my results of making the Dean’s List. It made both of my parents quite happy as well. I enjoy being in WISE, the NC State living and learn- ing community for women in science or engi- neering. I get to meet many girls with similar majors while we work on projects to help the community. One project we worked on early in the term was creating emergency food packets for countries which were experiencing famines. While in the application process, I was wa- Mountain Masons raised in a barn The 41st Masonic District, NC’s most westerly, launched a new degree attraction last fall. By Jim Hyde In the far southwest corner of North Caro- lina, the brothers of the 41st Masonic District are fortunate enough to be a short distance from the annual outdoor Rock Quarry Degree in northern Georgia and close to the Cave Degree in eastern Tennessee. However, in order to further promote good fellowship within our own borders, Clay 301 Master Preston Cabe and his Brothers, with assistance from surrounding lodges, took meet- ing in high hills and low dells to new level. One of outgoing District Deputy Grand Master Jim Hyde’s goals to promote fun and fellowship was taken to heart by Clay 301 when they volun- teered to hold the first Barn Raising Degree. Ronnie Smith volunteered to let his hay/to- bacco barn be converted in a lodge room, where the officers’ stations and spectator seating were made from hay bales donated by Brother Smith. Te venue being a working barn, select farm animals could be seen assisting the tyler with his duties of watching for eavesdroppers outside the lodge. Sitting in the barn let one absorb the aroma of seasoned lumber and stacked hay, and gaze at the many poles crisscrossing the rafters. For many it brought fond memories of playing in the family barn as children or the not so fond memories of playing the high-wire act in the hot recesses of the loft while hanging tobacco. It also made one wonder if our forefathers had to meet in similar surroundings out of necessity while their lodge buildings were being built. Due to limited parking, a hay wagon shuttle, dubbed “Solomon’s Express” was used to shuttle visiting brothers from a nearby church to the barn. As the evening came to an end, 56 Masons from four states witnessed what appears to be the beginning of an annual event for the 41st Masonic District. Te degree, held on the evening of October 30, was preceded by a hickory slow smoked (not charcoal) chicken dinner fundraiser with funds raised going toward a new roof for the lodge. Mason cooks met early that morning to light the wood and put 150 chicken halves over the open pit. Several brothers brought family members to share in the good food, while several carry-out plates were sold. When the event came to a close, charges presented, Bibles given, and congratulations conveyed, our two newly raised brothers, Jason Chastain and Darrell Parker, were told that they could proudly say, “Yes, as a matter of fact, I WAS raised in a barn!” Jim Hyde is a member of Robbinsville 672. rial Association’s 100th Anniversary and will run through May 2011. In 1789, first president George Washington and the US Congress were determined to build a great capital city. By 1792, the site was chosen, designer Pierre L’Enfant’s street plan was adapt- ed, and work began. At the city’s center would be the US Capitol, the “People’s House.” Te President’s House would be located on Penn- sylvania Avenue. Washington reviewed the site and personally selected architect James Hoban’s design. Te mansion’s cornerstone was laid with a small civic and Masonic ceremony on October 13, 1792. Although foundation work then began in ear- nest, the government soon discovered the young nation had an abundance of craftsmen, but few master stonemasons. What’s more, those it did have were working on the US Capitol. After a thorough search in America and Europe, agent George Walker traveled to Edinburgh, Scotland. By spring 1794, he had recruited at least eight stonemasons from the Lodge of Journeymen Masons No. 8. With the arrival of the eight Scots stonema- Fathers and sons GREENSBORO — The change of year was the season of the sons at Corinthian 542. On December 28, 2009 (in the photo at top) H. L. McLaurin III stands with his son Scott McLaurin who had just returned his Master Mason cate- chism. In the photo above are Jeff Bullington and his son Richard after Richard’s January 2, 2010 raising. Family ties run deep at Corinthian. — Jeff Bullington STATE, from page 3 Conover Trying to offer assistance to brothers in need, Conover 709 Master Brent Sigmon recently re- minded members that they should call for help if they needed help getting to appointments, get- ting groceries or medicines, driveways cleared, or other such chores. — Conover Lodge Stedman Te Masonic Home for Children was en- riched last year by $6,000 from Stedman 730’s steak dinner and golf tournament. Te lodge also held a yard sale at the end of the year. — Te Blueprint Quitting Expectations? A Master Mason approached Peter Gower and said, “I am not getting from Masonry what I expected. I am thinking of quitting.” Peter Gower responded, “The ash can never again be firewood.” sons, the White House walls rose to completion in 1798. During construction, the stonemasons, being Freemasons, joined the local lodge. Fed- eral Lodge No. 15 had been chartered Septem- ber 12, 1793 by the Grand Lodge of Maryland. James Hoban was its first master. Federal Lodge became the first lodge when the Grand Lodge of the District of Columbia was constituted in 1811. Te exhibit also includes Federal Lodge’s first account book listing the Scots stonemasons and White House architect James Hoban as its first master. Additional materials include a letter from President Truman, historic photographs and other items. Te White House stones were discovered soon after Truman became president in 1945. With major plaster cracks appearing and a pi- ano dropping nearly through the floor, it was obvious that the executive mansion needed a complete overhaul. Te First Family relocated to Blair House as work began. By 1950, only the White House facade and some of the original foundation stones remained. President Truman inspected the work often, and during one tour, he noticed a large number of stones engraved with mason’s marks. Recognizing that they were made by Scottish stonemasons, he contacted the Grand Lodge of the District of Columbia and had more than 100 of them delivered to the Grand Lodge headquarters on New York Av- enue — just three blocks away. In 1952, President Truman asked the Grand Lodge of the District of Columbia to send one of the marked stones to each US grand lodge. Each stone had a small White House brass plaque af- fixed to it accompanied by a letter — framed of recycled White House wood — to each grand master. Additional stones were distributed to Canadian grand lodges, several Order of East- Farmers’ lodge has its own dress code KINOSS, IA — As reported in the June 2009 Grand Lodge Bulletin for the Grand Lodge of Iowa, Farmers 168, here has an unusual, rare actually, dress code — bib overalls. It is a tradition for lodge members [here] to dress in bib overalls when attending lodge. It is believed that the custom stems from the oc- cupation of the lodge members — farming, and goes way back to 1863. Master David Jackson puts it this way: “We’d rather you attend lodge in whatever cloth- ing you feel most comfortable, including jeans and street clothes, than to miss a lodge meet- ing. Many of us wear our bib overalls to honor the tradition of those lodge brothers who came before us. When Grand Lodge officers attend Farmers Lodge to assist in performing degree work or other special events, they don their bib overalls as a show of respect to the long tradi- tions of our Lodge.” It is left to the Brother to choose the style — solid blue or hickory stripes. — Fraternal Review, Southern California Re- search Lodge STONES, from page 1 ern Star state grand chapters, a few local lodges, DeMolay International, the two US Scottish Rite Supreme Councils, the Grand Lodge of Israel, and the Grand Lodge of the Philippines. Many were hand delivered by Truman or by Carl Claudy, executive secretary of the Masonic Ser- vice Association. In 2004, the Grand Lodge of the District of Columbia presented stones to the recently independent Grand Lodge of Alaska and Grand Lodge of Hawaii. Tis unique exhibit of American and Scottish Masonic history is sponsored by the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry, South- ern Jurisdiction, Valley of Washington, Orient of the District of Columbia, and the Grand Lodge, FAAM, of the District of Columbia. It is also made possible by the cooperation and support of many US grand lodges, the Grand Lodge of Scotland, the Lodge of Journeymen Masons No. 8 of Edinburgh, Federal Lodge No. 1 of the Dis- trict of Columbia, and the White House His- torical Association. North Carolina’s foundation stone is among those exhibited. Te George Washington Masonic National Memorial Association is a private, nonprofit educational organization. Its membership is comprised of 52 grand lodges (50 states, plus the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico), representing nearly two million Freemasons in the United States. Te Memorial Association was created on Washington’s birthday, Febru- ary 22, 1910. Between 1922 and 1932, it built the George Washington Masonic Memorial through volunteer donations from American Freemasons. Te Association’s mission is: “To inspire humanity through education to emulate and promote the virtues, character, and vision of George Washington, the man, the mason, and father of our country.” Mark A. Tabbert is the director of collections of the George Washington Masonic Memorial. vering whether I wanted to be a civil engineer. During the College of Engineering Welcome, a seminar I had to attend as a first year engineer student, I heard about a program in the electrical engineering department that related to renew- able resources. Also during the summer, I at- tended a Women in Engineering camp and met with a member of a research center at NC State that was working on green research and smart grid systems. Tey wanted engineers. I am quite excited about this new option and believe it will be a wonderful and challenging fit for my abili- ties and interest. Once again, thank you for the generosity of your gift. Kathryn Hornburg, General Engineering 2013 Ramp for a brother WASHINGTON — When a local Mason re- cently broke his hip, a skilled crew from Wash- ington 675 headed over to his home and built a wheelchair ramp to ease his coming and going. — Larry E. Riegel The Washington Masonic National Me- morial stands atop Shooters Hill. The account books containing the listing of the Scots craftsmen who built the White House and a bust of President Truman.

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