| Los Altos Lodge No. 712: | Last Updated on August 14 2005 |
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The month of June found Los Altos Lodge right on schedule. On June Monday 13th during a very well attended event, I awarded the Hiram Award to Brother David Kimball.
The evening, attended by 68 members and guests began with a fine Prime Rib Dinner, and outstanding fellowship in the dinning room.
The Job's Daughters from San Francisco assisted by setting up the tables as well as by baby-sitting.
I want to extend my hardy thanks to Worshipful Master Melvin Manchester of Mountain View De Anza Lodge, No. 194, and to Worshipful Master John Meyers of Palo Alto Roller Lodge, No. 346. I am happy to say that this is the second event in two months, at which we have had the pleasure of their company. I hope we can keep it up.
After dinner everyone assembled upstairs in the Lodge Room and representatives of the Job's Daughters, and the DeMolay honored the three attending Lodge Masters by escorting them from the Tiler's room to seats in the East.
The evening was kicked off with several musical treats performed as a duet on the violin by Miss Emily Saunders, and Miss Stacie Groshart, members of the Redwood Assembly Rainbow For Girls.
The next event was the presentation of a special annual scholarship presented by Worshipful Dan R. McDaniel, PM. (Be sure to read the details and see the picture of the presentation on page 9 of this issue.)
Following this presentation I proceeded to confer this year's Hiram Award upon Brother David Kimball.
There is little need to introduce Brother Kimball. Almost all members of Los Altos lodge are well aware of the constant devotion he has displayed by his unending labor in the stone quarries of our lodge over many years, and in so many ways.
During his many years of Masonic service, Brother Dave has held many Masonic offices of responsibility. He is a Former Master of The El Camino Research Lodge, a 32nd degree Scottish Rite Mason, and a founding member of the high governing council of 12, Order of the Knights of St. Andrews, San Jose Bodies.
In service at Los Altos Lodge he has elected and served as President, Vice President, and Secretary of our LAMTA Board.
In our Blue Lodge itself he has been installed and served as Secretary, Junior Deacon, Steward, and Organist, and is always available to fill in almost everywhere in a pinch. Finally, he has also been appointed and served as our lodge Sunshine Committee Chairman, and as our lodge Education Committee Chairman. It is well known among the Brethren of Los Altos Lodge (and has been for many years), that when a job needs doing you simply call Brother Dave, and rest assured it will be done. I have quickly learned that I would be hard put as Master of our lodge without his support and guidance.
Following the official presentation, Brother Kimball thanked the lodge, and introduced his family and friends. He then proceeded to give us the benefit of his considerable talent as a storyteller. Congratulations on your well deserved award Brother Dave!!!
July 9 and 10 will be the annual Los Altos Wine Festival. Worshipful Ernie Castillo has volunteered to run the event. Anyone interested in helping please contact Ernie.
I am happy to inform you that one of our lodge Sweethearts, Mrs. Ruth Gautier has moved into the Masonic home.
This year we will be tentatively holding our Past Masters night on August 26th so that we can do it at the Masonic Home, and Worshipful Sterling Bailey can participate.
Fraternally,
Luis Oroczo
Master
In my few short years of Masonry, I routinely hear stories of Masonic orientation, which I just naturally wonder if they are true.
One such story is about the American Indian who made war against the Americans and let his Masonic brother prisoner free rather than violate his oath. So out of sheer curiosity, I had to research this story to which I finally found out this story was true!
As we all know, Masonry was first introduced into the colonies by individual masons, some of whom organized new lodges by "immemorial right." A few charters were obtained from the Grand Lodges of England, Scotland, and Ireland.
As early as 1733, Provincial grand Masters were appointed to regulate the craft on this continent. We all know many colonial Masons were involved in the American Revolution. George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, Paul Revere, John Hancock, John Paul Jones - even Benedict Arnold - were all Masons.
In addition, a free black man named Prince Hall was made a Mason, along with 14 of his friends. But more to the point, during the revolution, the first American Indian was also made a Mason.
Thayendangea was the son of the chief of the Mohawks in the 1750's, and was brought up in the household of a prominent British administration official, Sir William Johnson, who was also a Freemason. Johnson gave him the name Joseph Brant, and when Brant was an adult, he fought several battles against the French with Johnson. Brant became Johnson's personal secretary, and by the time of Johnson's death in 1774, Brant had become completely accepted by the British administration. Brant traveled to England in 1775, and was made a mason in a London lodge in 1776.
He then returned to America to enlist the Mohawks in the fight against the American rebels. The Mohawks, under the command of Col. John Butler and Brant, attacked and massacred the Americans in several battles, and captured prisoners were turned over to the Mohawks to be tortured to death. Brant, however, took his Masonic oaths seriously, and in a few recorded instances, released prisoners who made Masonic signs as they were about to be tortured. After the war, Brant became a member of St John's Lodge of Friendship No.2 in Canada, of which Col. Butler had become Master, before returning to the Mohawks in Ohio.
And, by the way, I do feel like a broken record when I say for three months running, still there is not one member of our lodge stepping forward to assume the duties as Senior Warden for the ensuing Masonic year.
I shutter to think of the consequences relative to our charter should we not be able to have enough support to maintain a line of officers . . . Will you be the one to step up to the plate?
Fraternally,
Hal Bain
Senior Warden
PBS recently had a documentary on the first automobile transcontinental crossing. A very interesting show. It took place in 1905. I received an email with statistics about 1905 and thought I would share it with you. What a difference a century makes! I have not verified any of these facts but they appear to be pretty much in keeping with what I have read. Here are some of the US statistics for 1905:
. The average life expectancy in the US was 47 years.
. The five leading causes of death in the US were: 1. Pneumonia and influenza; 2. Tuberculosis; 3. Diarrhea; 4. Heart disease; 5. Stroke.
. Only 14% of the homes in the US had a bathtub.
. Only 8%of the homes had a telephone. A three-minute call from Denver to New York City cost $11.00.
. There were only 8,000 cars in the US, and only 144 miles of paved roads. The maximum speed limit in most cities was 10 mph. (most city streets were made of cobblestone or bricks)
. Alabama, Mississippi, Iowa, and Tennessee were each more heavily populated than California. With a mere 1.4 million residents, California was only the 21st most populous state in the Union. . The population of Las Vegas, Nevada, was 30!
. The American flag had 45 stars. Arizona, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Hawaii, and Alaska hadn't been admitted to the Union yet.
. The tallest structure in the world was the Eiffel Tower.
. The average wage in the US was 22 cents an hour. The average US worker made between $200 and $400 per year. A competent accountant could expect to earn $2000 per year, a dentist $2,500 per year. A veterinarian between $1,500 and $4,000 per year. A mechanical engineer about $5,000 per year.
. More than 95 percent of all births in the US took place at home.
. Ninety percent of all US physicians had no college education. Instead, they had attended medical schools, many of which were condemned in the press and by the government as "substandard."
. Sugar cost four cents a pound. Eggs were fourteen cents a dozen. Coffee was fifteen cents a pound.
. Most women only washed their hair once a month, and used borax or egg yolks for shampoo.
. Canada passed a law prohibiting poor people from entering the country for any reason.
. Crossword puzzles, canned beer, and iced tea hadn't been invented. There was no Mother's Day or Father's Day.
. Two of 10 US adults couldn't read or write. Only 6 % of all Americans had graduated high school.
. Marijuana, heroin, and morphine were all available over the counter at corner drugstores. According to one pharmacist, "Heroin clears the complexion, gives buoyancy to the mind, regulates the stomach and bowels, and is, in fact, a perfect guardian of health."
. Eighteen percent of households in the US had at least one full-time servant or domestic.
. There were only about 230 reported murders in the entire US.
And the sender added.... And I forwarded this from someone else without typing it myself, and sent it to you in a matter of seconds! Try to imagine what life might be like in another 100 years... it staggers the mind. Now in my lifetime I can attest to some facts of 1939. I remember reading around this time that the average life expectancy was around 40 years old. My father had a grocery store in upper Manhattan, NYC, and I clearly remember the following. A regular loaf of bread cost 7c, a large 11c. Milk came in a bottle with the cream on top and there was a 2c deposit on each bottle. Cigarettes were approx. 15c a pack and we sold them separately for a penny each. It was customary for the lady of the house to purchase 2 or 3 cents worth of rice, dried beans or salt pork for the daily meal. A dishwasher in a restaurant made between $12 to $15 a week. My mother a very fast expert seamstress would bring in between $25 and $35 a week doing piecework. I suspect that W.W.I and the great depression caused the actuarial changes.
Fraternally,
Ernie Castillo,
Junior Warden
Caption under Picture of Grand Lodge Presentation
Each year special scholarships are awarded by the California Masonic Foundation to graduating high school seniors who will be attending an accredited two or four year institution of higher learning as a full-time undergraduate freshman. This year the above pictured presentation award was in the amount of $2,500 and is renewable each year for 3 additional years based upon the student's re-application showing evidence of satisfactory academic progress, and of a continuing financial need. While not required, some preference is given to applicants with Masonic relationship and/or Masonic Youth Group membership. This year our lodge was honored when our Grand Lodge requested the presentation be made in our lodge room. Pictured above left to right are Worshipful Dan R. McDaniel making the presentation to this year's recipient, Miss Kenna McKenzie.
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