Reseda Masonic Lodge No. 666 F&AM
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Reseda Masonic Lodge No. 666 F&AM
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History of Reseda Lodge Number 666
I feel privileged to have served as Worshipful Master of Reseda Lodge during 2003, our 75th Anniversary year. I also was privileged to serve this Lodge as Master exactly 40 years before. During my 50 years of membership in Reseda Lodge, I have had the good fortune to know,and sit in Lodge with, more than half of the Charter Officers of this Lodge.Unfortunately, I have also had the sad duty to conduct and attend funeral services for many of them. They were outstanding Masons. I pay tribute to them and bequeath the success and conduct of this Lodge to those Masters and Brothers who follow Jack R. Vickers, PM |
"Great Men Make Great Things Happen!"
This quote, author unknown, is very relevant to the history of Reseda Masonic Lodge No. 666.
From its inception in a lumber yard office in the town of Runnymede [now known as Tarzana), in the summer of 1926 to its 75th Anniversary status, Reseda Masonic Lodge No. 666 has been blessed with Great Leaders and supported by Great Lodge Brothers.
Obviously the history of any great institution is closely related to that of the community in which it is located. Except for a few early references there is no real attempt to correlate this record with that of the history of Reseda. I leave that honor to the respected historians so knowledgeable in the deeds and happenings of that city itself.
From the beginning to the end of this narration, of necessity, names must be mentioned. However, it must be understood that all who have made outstanding contributions to the success of the lodge cannot possibly be noted. This list would be tool long! Needless to say, to all who have contributed to the past, the present and to those who have yet to contribute to the future success and prestige of this Great Lodge. we salute and acknowledge you.
A SHORT HISTORY OF
RESEDA LODGE NO. 666
Reseda Masonic Lodge No.666 received its dispensation on April 5, 1928, and was granted its charter on October 11. 1928.
Before Reseda Lodge existed, a few Brother Masons met and decided to organize a “High Twelve Club,” with the agreed intent to raise money and to apply for a charter. This meeting, held in the aforementioned lumberyard office, was to be the very beginning of Reseda Masonic Lodge NO.666! Shortly afterwards, these few Masonic Brothers, their number now increased, and outgrowing the lumber yard office were invited by its pastor to use rent–free the basement of the Community Church in Runnymede [now known as Tarzana) as the Club’s meeting place.
On the evening of August 13, 1926, Brother Thomas B. Turner called a meeting with 36 brothers present to discuss the desirability as well as the ways and means of forming a Lodge. Brother Gale F. Bonney was unanimously elected as the temporary chairman, with Dr. Claude Damon serving as Secretary and Tom Turner as Treasurer. At this meeting, George W. (Bill) Aiton, a former major league baseball player with the St. Louis "Browns," was called upon for information regarding the building on Reseda Boulevard that he was about to construct and which would have a meeting hall in it, available at $75.00 per month. In the general discussion which followed, it was the opinion of the majority that objections would not be raised by neighboring Lodges and that steps should be taken to get a dispensation to act as a Lodge, pending the granting of a charter. Twenty-two Master Masons signified their intention to demit into the new Lodge, if formed. It was moved that the hall be rented from Brother Aiton when completed and that a Club be organized to take care of the rent and other expenses. The name "High Twelve Club" was adopted and monthly dues of $2.00 were approved.
Ten days later, on August 23, 1926, 22 Masons met again with District Inspector Carl Barkla and Secretary Otto Gschwind of Owensmouth Lodge No. 611, who both gave instructive talks on the organization of new lodges. Methods of securing more members and defraying the expenses of obtaining a charter were the chief topics of the meeting.
On the evening of August 30, 1926, with 38 Masons attending, names were placed in nomination for the offices of Master, Senior and Junior Wardens, Secretary, and Treasurer for the proposed Lodge. In addition, Monday evening of each week was voted as the regular meeting night of the new club.
From August 1926 until February 1927, the "Club" met regularly in the church basement and worked steadily and resolutely towards its goal of obtaining a dispensation and charter for the proposed new Lodge.
In April of 1927, the name "Reseda Lodge" was adopted, the first Thursday of each month was established for the Stated Meetings (75 years later it is still the first Thursday), and an initiation fee of $100.00 and annual dues of $9.00 were set.
On April 5, 1928, the Most Worshipful Will H. Fischer, Grand Master of Masons of the State of California, officially instituted Reseda Lodge (under dispensation] in conformity with the rites of Masonry. The Grand Master then invested Brother Gale F. Bonney as Worshipful Master and his officers with the jewels of their respective offices and, for the first time, this great body of Master Masons took their respective stations in the newly instituted Lodge. The first corps of officers for Reseda Lodge was as follows:
Wor. Gale Fuller Bonney Master Bro. Frederick George Cooper Senior Warden Bro. Charles Rufus Willard Junior Warden Bro. Harlan Otis Hayes Treasurer Bro. Robert Fast Ward Secretary Bro. Alexander Hutcheson McVicker Chaplain Bro. Thomas Benton Turner Senior Deacon Bro. Walter Benjamin Smith Junior Deacon Bro. Leland Lennel Pickering Marshal Bro. William Kavanaugh English Senior Steward Bro. Harry Walton VanDerveer Junior Steward Bro. Cornelius Davis Tiler As with all newly established organizations, many "Firsts" were encountered in the beginning years. The following represent only a few of the early highlights in the history of Reseda Masonic Lodge:
- First regular Stated Meeting-May 3, 1928
- First petitions for the degrees of Masonry with seven read at this Stated Meeting!
- First degrees ever conferred-June 14, 1928
The Lodge dispensation was surrendered and sent to the Grand Lodge Examining Committee on October 1, 1928, and the charter was granted on October 11, 1928.
The first anniversary was celebrated on April 5, 1929, with an elaborate banquet. Dinner was served that night to 215 people and the affair was deemed a complete success! The Secretary's report at the end of the first year included:
Charter Members on April5, 1928 25 Members Gained by Conferring Degrees 9 New Members Gained by Affiliation 8 Total Members This Date 42 The ensuing years were both gracious and kind to Reseda No. 666. The Lodge prospered and slowly but confidently grew in Wisdom, Strength, and Leadership.
The first mention of a new Temple Building was officially noted in the Lodge Minutes on July 4, 1946, when the Master, Worshipful Lloyd Parker, selected a committee to pursue this objective. Brother Frank Barnard was appointed Chairman of this committee. On August 7th, letters were mailed to all m@mbers soliciting pledges of $1 00.00 for the Building Fund. The Fund soon grew to $2000, and on October 2nd, the Building Committee borrowed an additional $800.00 to purchase a lot on the north side of Sherman Way. On July 1, 1947, this lot was sold for twice the amount paid (purchased for $2,757 and sold for $5,418) and the Lodge Building Fund now stood at $5,682. On November 4, 1947, the Lodge approved the Board of Directors' purchase of a lot at 5837 Reseda Boulevard for $7,125. Another lot at Arminta Street and Reseda Boulevard was purchased on January 11, 1949, for $7,144. All of the above-owned properties were ultimately sold, and on April 7, 1955, Brother Ben Myers, Secretary of the Building Committee, announced that the Board of Directors had purchased a 160- by 350-foot lot on Darby Avenue for $13,800. On July 7th, a city zoning variance was granted to start a building in six months.
During this and the foregoing periods of time, many varied methods were used to raise funds. The Order of Eastern Star held a "DimeA-Dip" dinner to help raise money. There were several Lodge barbecues from 1952 through 1955 that netted a good profit and the Building Fund continued to grow. During this time, many sketches and layouts of various Temple designs were made by Brother Norman O. Nelson.
An artist's rendering of the exterior of the proposed new structure was displayed to the Brethren. The new building would have 14,000 square feet of floor space. There were four brothers who assisted in the final details of the building. They were Jack R. Vickers, who prepared the basic floor plans; Richard Shuck, who prepared the foundation plans; and Dave Moore and Frank Baldwin, who prepared the elevation and section detail plans. As with any building, the detail planning resulted in growth of ideas, and the new Temple housed over 19,500 square feet of floor space when the design was completed. The addition of storage spaces and an apartment for a custodian were the driving forces which led to the growth.
Lloyd Parker was elected President of the Building Association and served as the Master Builder during erection of the new Temple. The Building Fund continued to grow, and now there was enough money to start the long-awaited project. October 13, 1956, was designated as the day for ground breaking. On that day, the Board of Directors met with many of the Brethren and local dignitaries for that purpose. Worshipful Bill Felsburg, Master, and Worshipful Robert Ward, the Charter Secretary of the Lodge, proceeded in performing the ceremony with Worshipful Ward shoveling the first loose dirt. That same day, the Brethren proceeded with the work. As with any endeavor such as this, the initial phase was enthusiastically supported and the work progressed at a remarkable rate.
The wives of the Brethren and the ladies of the Eastern Star, assisted by the Rainbow Girls and Job's Daughters, served lunches to the workers on Saturdays and Sundays during the entire time of construction. The DeMolay boys assisted in the building construction by carrying huge amounts of materials and lunches to the various parts of the Temple where needed. The cornerstone of the new Temple was actually laid on October 12, 1957 – one day less than a year after the ground was broken.
The first meeting was held in the new Masonic Temple on Thursday, December 3, 1959, which was Stated Meeting night. Even though the Temple was now dedicated, some work still remained to be completed, but was accomplished over a period of time.
One major project the Brethren faced was retirement of the mortgage. Following the occupancy of the new Temple, each subsequent Master scheduled worthwhile programs to achieve this goal. There were many dinners, plays, and breakfasts held by the youth organizations and the Order of Eastern Star to help raise funds needed to retire the mortgage. The Temple Building Association held semiannual breakfasts also for this purpose. A "Buck-A-Month" club was formed in 1962 by Worshipful Adolph Dryden. Each Brother was encouraged to contribute a dollar each month to help with mortgage payments and operating costs. (Up until the Temple property was sold in 1999, this proved to be an effective way to raise necessary funds.)
Finally, the mortgage was retired and on September 15, 1972, Most Worshipful Lester S. McElwain and his Grand Lodge officers met to burn the mortgage of Reseda Temple. It was preceded by a delicious dinner prepared in the usual Reseda tradition. Worshipful Lloyd Parker had passed away, so he was not there to share in the joy of the experience. It is significant though that his widow Ethel wrote the final check that retired the mortgage when she learned that the Temple loan was so close to being paid off.
The past 75 years have been a fruitful and memorable period for the members of Reseda Lodge. The Lodge grew from its humble beginnings to a membership. of 910 brothers in 1968. Growth came slowly at first. From the beginning in 1928, the membership grew to 77 brothers in 1939, and to 135 in 1945. It was the interest shown by the returning servicemen that caused our membership rolls to swell. By 1958, we had grown to 627 brothers, by 1964 to 847, and we topped out at 910 in 1968.
Over the next 20 years, however, we slowly declined to 745 members, a similar pattern to that experienced by the entire state of California. Unfortunately, the decline continues and presently our membership is near 300. The following chart provides much more visibility:
Year Members 1939 77 1945 135 1958 627 1959 664 1960 692 1961 733 1962 771 1963 812 1964 847 1965 880 1966 900 1967 904
Year Members 1968 910 1969 904 1970 904 1971 903 1972 907 1973 906 1974 905 1975 908 1976 899 1977 898 1978 877 1979 885
Year Members 1980 880 1981 858 1982 829 1983 809 1984 797 1985 778 1986 759 1987 745 1988 715 1989 697 1990 665 1991 638
Year Members 1992 606 1993 570 1994 539 1995 509 1996 476 1997 437 1998 371 1999 352 2000 329 2001 306 2002 283 2003 Over the years we have been subjected to two major traumas of Mother Nature: the Sylmar Earthquake in 1972 and the Northridge Earthquake of 1994. Both quakes caused superficial damage to our Lodge Building, principally because the superstructure was both well designed and constructed. In each case, the Brethren responded and made necessary repairs.
Our building was closer to the epicenter of the Northridge Quake. Consequently, many of the ceiling tiles fell, requiring the ceilings to be redone. The air conditioning and heating diffusers also had to be repaired and repainted. Brothers James Stump, John H. Monroe III, Lew Bickerton, Fred Gray, and Nick Demetral, P.M. began the repair effort. John H. Monroe, P.M. had just been elected President of the Building Association Board of Directors and was saddled with the responsibility of putting the building back in shape. The major ceiling damage was repaired in two phases by contract labor, at a cost of $45,000. Our Grand Lodge provided a grant of $4500 to assist us in our effort. There was exterior cracking in the stucco, but it was over wire lath and responded well to patching. Because the building was structurally sound, it was pressed into community service immediately after the Northridge Earthquake, and for several weeks, Reseda Lodge hosted an emergency Red Cross station on site.
We erected our Lodge Building more than 40 years ago. We were very comfortable and able to meet our financial obligations, but it became obvious that we couldn't continue in a sound financial position with declining membership. Discussions were held with West Valley Lodge about consolidation, but this was rejected by our membership. We determined that the building would command good value, and in 1998 the course was set to sell the building. In May 1999, the building was sold to a church group, with the Lodge carrying a second trust deed. Assets from the sale were invested and today provide the membership with income to continue our Lodge activity.
Immediately after the sale, we rented the Lodge Hall of West Valley Lodge and relocated our Lodge Secretary's office to Remmet Avenue in Canoga Park. That Lodge Hall was subsequently sold, and on March 1, 2000, we were informed that we had one month to relocate. Previously. we had discussed the possibility of renting from the Van Nuys Masonic Center, and on April 6. 2000, we held our Stated Meeting sans dinner at that facility. The main Lodge Room was already occupied on Thursday nights, so we used the much smaller upstairs Lodge Room. On May 4th and June 1 st, the Stated Meeting dinners were reinstated with barbecues held on the downstairs patio, and the meetings upstairs in the small Lodge Room. Eventually, Hollywood-West Valley Lodge purchased a new facility and moved, allowing Reseda to occupy the large downstairs Lodge Room at Van Nuys as our Masonic home.
Deaths and demits have taken their toll, but the friendliness and warmth of the Lodge continues to make Reseda Masonic Lodge one of the most outstanding Lodges in California. This synopsis reflects a record of honor, loyalty, and service. May it continue to inspire the current and future officers and members of Reseda Lodge to so live among men and Masons that we may earn and merit for ourselves and our Lodge the esteem, the affection, and the respect of all men.
In the rearing of a Masonic edifice, each man gives of himself and adds what he can toward comnleting the whole.
During its first seventy–five years, Reseda Lodge was blessed with many dedicated and devoted brothers who who contributed much — both materially and spiritually — toward its heritage. Their love for Masonry, and their fellow man, and, partricularly, Reseda Lodge, has been indelibly imprinted upon the pages of its history.
To those brethren who gave so unsparingly of themselves during the formative years, we owe a great debt of gratitude. We how followed are endeavoring to repay that debt by justifying the faith they had in us when we were accepted into the Lodge.
Let us therefore rflect for a moment upon those who have gone this way before; who now dwell with our Heavenly Father in the Celestial Lodge above, and who have gained "Well Done," The Tongue of Good Report.
“The flower seed must die in order for rebirth. And too, our Brothers live again; They have merely passed from Earth.”
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS We are deeply indebted to the late Robert F. Ward, Past Master, Charter Member, and Charter Secretary of Reseda Lodge, for much of the early historical information contained herein.
Later material was obtained from records of the Lodge Secretary and the personal experiences of such Brothers as John Monroe, PM., Richard Read, PM., Ken Chew, PM., and Jack R. Vickers, PM..
BEHOLD, HOW GOOD AND HOW PLEASANT IT IS FOR BRETHREN, TO DWELL TOGETHER IN UNITY. Psalms 133:1
