The North Carolina Mason

PHIL ANT HPY: The Rain Brings Life Homecoming at the Masonic Home for Children By Kevin Otis, Administrator, Masonic Home for Children at Oxford T he rain always comes with a promise of sun – in weather and in life. Homecoming at the Children's Home this year reminded us of that. The forecast kept changing by the hour, and what looked like a misty day turned out to be a deluge. But, despite gray skies and soggy turf, spirits were high and celebrations continued, albeit tempered to the will of the Great Architect. Yet, the rain was fortuitous; Friday was beautiful. As the BBQ teams set up and grilled their specialties for the crowd, the children and guests danced and sang to the bands' beats. Bellies were full, laughter was great, feet tapped, and heads nodded. Though the rain may have dampened some events, it renewed life in others. On Friday, the members of Lux Libertas Lodge planted a "Davie Poplar" on the lower campus. The original Davie Poplar can be found at the center of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill's campus, very near the Old Well. Legend has it that when William Richardson Davie was traversing the grounds of the would-be university, he rested himself against a poplar sapling, giving the mighty tree its now distinctive lean. Seeds from the famous tree were collected by Jason and Suma Hallman, and carefully nurtured by Speed and Susan Hallman. Time, talent, and a green thumb sustained the seeds into a hearty sapling, which was presented to the Children's Home's Vocational Counselor Gene Purvis, who maintained the young tree until planting. Davie's Poplar was known to be present on the campus of the University when Grand Master Davie laid the cornerstone for Old East in 1793, establishing the state and nation's first public University. Davie's charge to the legislature to create the university came with a meaningful charge: "it is the indispensable duty of every Legislature to consult the happiness of a rising generation." Serendipitously, two of Davie's descendants were on hand to memorialize this new planting: Jeremy and Andy Hicklin, both members of Lux Libertas Lodge. Davie's descendants, and in fact the members of the lodge that bears his university's motto, agreed the location of the planting was profound and intentionally symbolic – to ensure "the happiness of a rising generation." Friday's planting and Saturday's rain are indeed symbolic of the good work and nutrients required to sustain Freemasonry's mission to empower the next generation to do good. The Masons of North Carolina established the state's first university and first children's home. Now the Davie Poplar that The location of the Davie Poplar's planting on the lower campus was profound and intentionally symbolic – to ensure "the happiness of a rising generation." 32 | T H E M A S O N M AGA Z I N E

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