FORWARD

This is a selected section of the history about Daylight Lodge No. 232, Free and Accepted Masons in Seattle, Washington, its formation and service to Masonry and the community. In preparing this history the author has chosen to adopt the most obvious and convenient method of organizing by year, with a basic biographical background of the Master and some of the interesting and informative events for that year. Nor has there been an attempt to gloss over or sanitize some controversies as they were told because they are an important part of a real history. Thus, the author has interpreted the tale of Daylight Lodge as he sees it. It is by no means definitive because even as it is written, changes and new information comes forth. Doubtless, others would present a different view and hopefully some future writer will see fit to add to this history in his own style. Credit must be given to Worshipful Brother Andrew Carnahan who asked that a history be prepared for the lodge‘s 75th Anniversary Celebration. That effort prompted this more extensive essay.

In some cases, particularly in the early years, there is virtually no information about many of the Masters. Likewise for a number of years there exist nothing but lodge minutes, formal printed Trestleboards and Grand Lodge reports upon which to base a tale. The few members still living in the 1990s when this was being written that might provide remembrances prior to the 1960’s were very elderly and could remember few details. Fortunately, a number of older members were interviewed in the early and late 1970‘s and furnished some details about the lodge’s formative years.

This is a history of a lodge which is part of a rather unique group of lodges across the nation, tied together by their daytime nature, originally by their entertainment professions, so where information was available the author has elected to highlight more than just the Seattle area history. Now revised and expanded, parts of this history were first in the published in the 1970‘s by the now defunct Washington Masonic Quarterly. The section entitled, As the Sun Rises, was published in a slightly different version as a Masonic Service Association of North America, Short Talk Bulletin in March 1990, under the title DAYLIGHT MASONRY: AN OLD IDEA RENEWED. If this history provides the reader with a greater knowledge of a singular aspect of our Masonic Craft, the author will be happy that his efforts were not in vain.

Coe Tug Morgan, Secretary & Past Master

The PROLOGUE
AS THE SUN RISES

The practice of a lodge meeting during the daytime hours is not as unique as it may seem for Masonic historians suggest that operative lodges were generally held Saturday’s during daylight hours when wages were paid, the apprentices examined and general matters discussed, after which they no doubt repaired to a festiveboard for the day’s repast.

It is also logical to assume that our more ancient brethren would have met during the daylight, for otherwise they like the medieval cathedral builders would have faced the immediate problem of light by which to work. But with the ascendancy of Speculative Masonry in the 17th and 18th Centuries, improved lighting techniques and more permanent meeting places, the evening hours became the accepted and usual meeting time.

The daylight hours were not completely forgotten for necessity prompted the formation of a few Speculative Lodges that met regularly during the daytime for various reasons. When the first lodge of daylight Masons was instituted cannot be ascertained? The Grand Secretary of the United Grand Lodge of England replied to an inquiry, “… a large percentage of our Lodges at least start their meetings in the daylight.” And also, that it is not in the least “… unusual in hot climates for a Lodge to be opened early in the morning, transact its domestic business, call off, and be called on again in the cool of the evening for Installation or Degree work. It would be quite impossible, however, to quote the names and numbers of any such Lodges, or to state with any accuracy which is the oldest of them.”

But not always; and in North America lodges meeting only during the daytime have been a small but recorded fact since the United States became a nation. A history of St. Paul Lodge A.F. & A.M. in Ayer, Massachusetts, once a daytime lodge, suggests that the Revolutionary War, a Tory prisoner, a girl and romance may have had a hand in its formation. And some sixty years later the Civil War’s Field and Sea Lodges, brought forth another, St. Cecile Lodge No. 568 in New York City, Mother Lodge of the Entertainer’s Lodges, while this same civil conflict was to cause the demise of one lodge and in its place arose Irwinville Lodge No. 315 in Georgia.

As a rural lodge, St. Paul chose not to follow the usual custom of meeting by the light of the moon, but rather to meet by the light of day, which may not have been as unique as it now seems for D. Burleigh Smalley, Jr., when Grand Secretary of Vermont reported that,

“… in connection with providing a facsimile of an original charter (lost by fire) for Seventy-Six Lodge No. 14 in Swarton, Vermont we came across mention of meetings held regularly in 1828 at 2 and 3 p.m. Apparently at least some of the lodges may have met during the daytime hours…

That other lodges may or may not have met during the day does not detract from the fact that St. Paul Lodge had a long history of daylight meetings and though time, fire and handling were not kind to many early lodge records, a lodge history late in the last century found enough remaining information to attach a bit of historical romance to its beginning.

When news of Paul Revere’s ride and the events at Concord and Lexington reached the Ayer area northwest of Concord, the local militia immediately left to aid their brothers in arms and the home guard duties were taken up by their wives disguised in men’s attire. Near Jewett’s Bridge on the Nashua River, where a stone tablet was later erected to commemorate their valor and judgment, they captured Captain Leonard Whiting of Hollis, New Hampshire, a well known Tory who was carrying correspondence from British commanders in Canada to the British Governor General in Boston, Thomas Gage. He was taken to Groton, a town four or five miles away where he was held prisoner in the home of Oliver Prescott, brother of the leader of the local militia. It must have been a fairly easy confinement and it grew into a lasting friendship. A friendship which would later find the jailer’s son, Oliver Prescott, Jr. marrying Captain Whiting’s daughter, Nancy. Twenty years later on January 26, 1797, St. Paul Lodge receive its charter from the patriot who carried the alarm from the Old North Church in Boston, Grand Master Paul Revere and the first Senior Warden was Oliver Prescott, Jr. and listed as a charter member was Leonard Whiting of Hollis, New Hampshire.

Lodge records, etc., led 19th century historians to surmise that if ex-prisoner Whiting was not himself responsible for the inception of the lodge, his influence was most likely felt. Years later Grand Master John Abbott, a Past Master of St. Paul Lodge laid the cornerstone for the Bunker Hill Monument. Nearly seven decades later, St. Cecile Lodge No. 568 in New York City, the first of the entertainer’s daytime lodges was chartered. During the Civil War, several northern Grand Lodges chartered Field and Sea Lodges, many in regimental bands. Many of those band members after their enlistment‘s, returned to New York City to work in orchestras and entertainment fields, but because of their night professions they found they could not continue their Masonry.

St. Cecile’s own published history tells how some of them drifted together during the day to a restaurant operated by a former musician, they discussed their mutual problem and lead by Frederick Widow, several brothers met with RW Robert Holmes, the New York Deputy Grand Master and explained the idea of a daytime lodge. He promised his support.

In no time at all, as required by New York Masonic law, twelve Masons signed a formal request for a lodge to be … held in the daytime between the hours of 12 noon and 8 o’clock in the evening. Kane Lodge No. 454, on January 10, 1865 agreed to the request, other lodges quickly followed and a short fifteen days later a dispensation was granted by RW Brother Holmes. Being mostly musicians, several different names relating to the trade were suggested such as Harmony, Melody and of course Daylight, but in the end, St. Cecile was chosen. The French form of the patron saint of music and musicians was selected, over the more commonly used Latin St. Cecilia, in recognition of the aid given by the Deputy Grand Master and whose wife, Mrs. Cecile Robin Holmes was French born.

This same Civil War that inspired St. Cecile caused the demise of many southern lodges. In Irwin County, Georgia the first lodge, Irwin Lodge No. 212 was started in 1856. The lodge had barely gotten organized when, what the Southerners would call The War of the Confederacy broke out, and nearly every young man supporting the Southern cause, including most members of the Craft, enlisted in the army. The toll of men, including of course Masons was so great that the Irwin Lodge charter had to be surrendered. In the 1880’s interest in Masonry was renewed in the area and a new lodge planned. An acre of land was donated for the purpose of erecting a Masonic building and the new lodge, Irwinville Lodge No. 315 was constituted on November 28, 1885 under the sponsorship of Western Light Lodge in Abbeville which itself had originated from the defunct Irwin Lodge. Charter members paid $8.50 for a charter fee.

In an article that appeared in the Ocilla Star, August 23, 1973 Mrs. W. M. Smith wrote of the lodge history:

“ in 1885, Irwin County was not thickly settled, plantations were miles apart the members of the Masonic, Lodge had to travel on horseback or by buggy to come to meetings. These men were working and making a living for their families, and disliked the idea of leaving them alone nights. After due consideration, they decided to hold their meeting each third Saturday at 10 o’clock thus making this a daylight lodge…”

Mrs. Smith‘s article included additional interesting comments about this lodge:

Now let me tell you about my first glimpse [as a child] of the inside of a Masonic Hall. ‘Twas after the first of January in 1919 ‘ and the Lodge was being recovered. I was carried upstairs. Even today I recall that eventful visit upstairs. But most of all I remember the distinguished looking men that look down on the room from all four wall. I recall the high scaffolding that was set up for the men to climb to the roof.

Now I have this information from Mr. R. Z. Player who tell me, ‘The boards used to recover the lodge at this time were rived by Jim Cheney in 1917 — from Cypress trees cut at Colman Pond.

Now there seems to be no exact date as to when this lodge built ‘ nor if this is the original Lodge building ‘ or if there was an earlier Hall ‘ no record of the cost of erecting the Hall nor the time consumed in building nor the amount paid the carpenters.

The building was put together with square headed nails and built of the best heart lumber, the floor was made of six inch wide boards.

And she concluded the article saying, Evidently the Masons have been around for quite a long time, as I‘ve heard that Masonic emblems were found in the Pyramids.

In the southwest during the same period of time the Grand Lodge of Texas chartered Pleasant Hill Lodge No. 380. When this history was prepared, a history of Pleasant Hill had not been received but in a letter (September 1995) from past secretary, Ralph Walker, District Deputy Grand Master, he writes,

“… Pleasant Hill Lodge, although meeting at Noon on third Saturday of each month, is not considered a “Daylight Lodge” in the meaning that most daylight lodges are conceived. You see the lodge is one hundred and twenty two years old and has met at this time since its inception. The reason for this is quite simple, there was no electricity when the lodge was formed and the meeting time has never been changed. The majority of the members as this time are in their early to mid fortys [sic] ‘ ‘

These daytime lodges born of conflict or practicality, are examples of the Masonic Craft adapting to the needs of its’ members, but it was St. Cecile Lodge No. 568 which became a great influence in the Masonic fraternity because it was the inspiration for other daytime lodges across North America as touring performers carried the message about New York’s unique entertainer’s Lodge of the Arts, to their brethren in other cities.

For example Chicago became the home of St. Cecilia Lodge No. 865 on October 8, 1902. As can be assumed from the name, the lodge was formed to accommodate musicians plus the usual printers and other newspaper personnel. It seems that it was allowed to select its number and honored New York‘s St. Cecile No. 568. In a letter written in June 1973 then lodge secretary, Herbert F. Arney wrote:

On installation day, the musicians of the lodge would form a symphony orchestra consisting of 40 or 50 members and perform a concert to honor the incoming Master and guests. During the 1920‘s and 1930‘s when vaudeville and stage and pit orchestra were the vogue ‘ these musician and stage hands were candidates who would be posted between shows. During that time the membership almost attained 865 members …

and he concluded:

The members were more famous in the Middle West than nationally, as they played in the Opera and Symphony Orchestra of Chicago.

Washington D. C. became the home of King Solomon Lodge #38 when a charter was issued May 10, 1905 to the nation‘s capitol‘s first daytime lodge. On May 13, 1989 the lodge consolidated with to other lodges to become Solomon-Harding-Brightwood but still meeting as a daytime lodge. A little over two years later this combined lodge united with Washington Centennial Lodge under the name of Washington Daylight Lodge No. 14.

Ohio had its first daytime lodge in 1911, born in a print shop where presses rumbled and the odor of ink and lead/zinc-printing plate pervaded the atmosphere. The idea of a providing night workers at the old Cleveland Leader, a morning paper, was the cause for the founding of Meridian Lodge No. 610 in Cleveland, Ohio. The first meeting to organize the lodge was held in early March and on June 225 of that year the dispensation was granted, and the Grand Lodge granted it a charter on October 19 while is session in Dayton. The lodge instituted a ‘Sunrise Raising,‘ on August 14, 1912 during an International Convention of Newspaper Printers. The idea was to confer the degree after ‘30‘, a printer‘s term for the end. This ‘Sunrise Raising,‘ continued for nearly seventy years.

By the 1920’s almost every major city in the country played by a major vaudeville circuit could claim a daylight lodge. Boston became home of Euclid Lodge when members of the Craft working in the arts and sciences received a dispensation on February 23, 1916. It received its charter from the Grand Lodge on December 19, 1916. The idea of the daytime lodge was the outgrowth of a dinner club of Master Masons of the New England Conservatory of Music whose evening professional engagements like so many entertainers prevented them from attending their own lodges. The lodge can lay claim to a number of top professional entertainers, most notably Metropolitan Opera star, baritone John Charles Thomas and Norm L. Crosby, a Past Master of the lodge.

At about the same time a new daylight lodge was put to work in Chicago that was not to be an entertainer‘s lodge. Howard G. Richter in a 1973 letter wrote:

‘ in the late winter of 1915 Brother Charles H. Shell Sr. definitely (sic) started the movement to form a new lodge, and to hold their meetings after midnight. Brother Shell, who was a night Supt at the Western Union Telegraph Co, heard of a Masonic Body in Cleveland, Ohio who held their meetings after midnight, so he thought it would be a good ideal to have one in Chicago, so they formed a Masonic Club, and extending an invitation to Masons of various firms, who employ night workers, such as Railway Express (sic) Company, Newspapers, Rail Roads, Printing Houses, U. S. Post Office, and Telegraph Company and Telephone Company. The first meeting of the club was held Feb 10, 1915 ‘ There were 35 Master Masons who registered for Affiliation in the Club. They proposed three names for the lodge, Corona, Low Twelve and Sunrise. Needless to say they selected Sunrise‘

This lodge was issued its dispensation on March 20, 1916; John Skinner McCurdy was installed as the first Master. At that meeting 35 petitions were received. The lodge received its charter as Sunrise Lodge No. 996 and was fully constituted on October 30, 1916.

Modern daylight Masonry arrived on the West Coast in early 1905 in the West’s leading city, San Francisco when twelve tried and true Master Masons met in the Powell Street office of Edward Lada, musician and conductor at the Alcazar Theater. The gathering of twelve met the California Grand Lodge rule requiring that a new lodge could be started with not less than twelve or more than twenty-five Master Masons. Five of the brethren at that meeting were from Doric Lodge No. 216, which for many years had been favored by musicians. The professions of those first members included six musicians, five newspaper employees and one businessman. A total of eight different lodges were represented from four Grand Lodges. At one of the several meetings that followed an undated first meeting in May, Mark Eugene Levy of Port Townsend Lodge No. 6 in Port Townsend, Washington was elected to fill the position of acting Master. Levy had at one time demitted to Port Townsend from Meridian Lodge No. 182 in California and demitted back to that Grand jurisdiction in 1905.

First choice of name for the new lodge was Acacia, but when informed by the Grand Secretary that another lodge had previously been so named, the secretary took it upon himself to substitute the name Jewel and thus it was to remain. Many of the home lodges of which the charter members belonged were quite slow in issuing the necessary demits, dual membership seldom being allowed, and this held up the issuing of a dispensation for the new lodge in until October 1905. However after much work and waiting, Grand Master Motley H. Flint, who also prompted an abortive daylight attempt in Los Angeles, issued a dispensation dated November 21, 1905, and the first meeting of Jewel Lodge U. D. was held November 28, 1905, for the ancient ceremony of Institution and Installation of Mark F. Levy, Worshipful Master and his officers.

The first stated meeting was held on Friday, December 8, 1905 at 1:30 p.m. and nine petitions for the degrees and three for affiliation were received. The lodge met regularly on Fridays. On October 19, 1906, according to a lodge history, MW Grand Master Edward H. Hart,

‘ convened Grand Lodge at the hall of Jewel Lodge in King Solomon’s Temple at 12:30 p.m. After reading the charter issued by Grand Lodge October 10, 1905; signed by Motley Hewes Flint, Grand Master and George Johnson, Grand Secretary, the Grand Master proceeded with the ceremony of constituting and dedicating Jewel Lodge No. 374; and thus the Lodge started on its career.‘

And with it, daylight Masonry on the West Coast.

Past Master Leo Bruck, first secretary of the lodge, further on in his Concise History of Jewel Lodge No. 374, wrote,

In 1909, December 3rd, meetings changed to Thursday at 1:30 p.m. at the earnest solicitation of several members who played at the Alcazar Theatre, and who stated they could not attend on Fridays, as they held rehearsal that day.

He concludes the story,
But strange as it may seem, they did not attend on Thursday either.

Beginning June 2, 1941 Jewel Lodge after several years without candidates for the degrees, voted to become an evening lodge. Jewel Lodge was not the inspiration for Seattle’s brethren but rather Silver Trowel Lodge No. 415 in Los Angeles. This lodge held its formation meeting on December 23, 1909 in the office of Los Angeles accountant H. H. Meday. There were fourteen Master Masons present an auspicious start for the lodge. Professionally, as was often the case with a daytime lodge, entertainment craftsmen represented the greatest number of professions involved there being six musicians, one stage-hand, an attorney, a restaurateur, a detective, and accountant and employee of the tax collector’s office. Also present to meet with the brethren was Right Worshipful Deputy Grand Master Dana R. Weller and Worshipful Brother E. B. Spencer of Southern California Lodge No. 378 who would serve as advisors to the brethren in their efforts. One of the first orders of business was the selection of H. H. Meday to serve a chairman, still later as Worshipful Master and R.W. Burnes as secretary.

Daylight Masonry in the Los Angeles area had been considered at about the same time or before Jewel Lodge was formed in San Francisco when a Brother Cartwright had first suggested the formation of a lodge to be composed principally of those in the printing trades who worked nights. The idea was a barren one until sometime later when California’s Grand Master Motley Flint suggested the idea to a Brother R. W. Burns.

Again the idea however appealing it may have been, did not bear fruit for the necessary steps which the Grand Master set forth did not produce sympathetic vibrations in the ears of any who listened. One of his requirements was the each charter member should forward $100.00 apiece for the purchase of jewels, furniture, clothing, etc., for the lodge. This was at a time when the fees for the degrees in most of the Los Angeles lodges were set at $50.00 or about half of an average monthly wage.

Still the idea was a seed dropped on fertile ground and Brother Burns was not to forget the idea and some time later he discussed the idea with Deputy Grand Master Weller who assured him that he felt that it would be sufficient if each charter member put up $10.00. The immediate result was the December 23, 1909 meeting at which a petition for dispensation signed by nine Master Masters was sent to Grand Master William Frank Pierce. At the same time it was proposed that the lodge be named Silver Trowel.

Brother Jerome B. Rosen in his biography of Silver Trowel Lodge explains,

At the time of organizing the lodge, a large silver trowel was sent round the world for the purpose of spreading the cement of brotherly love of all Masons withersoever dispersed, as a lodge of Masons was being organized, the meetings of which were to be held in the daytime it was suggested by Brother (J. S.) Fogel, and deemed appropriate, to name Lodge Silver Trowel as they were spreading the cement of brotherly love and providing a place for Masons to meet and partake of the benefit of Masonic communication which was denied them.

At the second meeting of the brethren of the proposed Silver Trowel Lodge, the actions of the first meeting were enacted a second time, as there was some doubt as to the legality of the first meeting and if it met the Grand Lodge requirement that not less than twelve Master Masons request a dispensation. This dispensation was granted in due season on April 25, 1910 by Grand Master Pierce and the first meeting of Silver Trowel Lodge U.D. was held at 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, May 10, 1910 with Deputy Grand Master Weller representing the Grand Master.

The elected officers installed that morning were H. H. Meday, Worshipful Master; Arthur Wright and Frank Clayton as Wardens; Charles W. Lyke, Treasurer and John C. Stick, Secretary. With the development of the motion picture industry in Hollywood, Silver Trowel Lodge became home of many of the silver screen’s Masonic members and its they contributed to the entertainment enjoyment of millions upon millions of people worldwide. In the middle 1990‘s Silver Trowel Lodge merged with Los Angeles Lodge and formed Los Angeles Silver Trowel Lodge No. 42 no longer meeting during the day or in Hollywood.

In Cincinnati, Ohio Grand Master Frank H. Marquis issued a dispensation for a daylight lodge to become High Noon Lodge No. 635, the result of efforts started October 1915. The lodge historian Past Master Eddie B. Wesley wrote in 1980 about the start of High Noon Lodge,

A special meeting for the constituting of High Noon Lodge ‘ was held in the Scottish Rite Cathedral on November 3, 1916, at 11:00 A.M. The High Noon Orchestra, under the direction of Brother J. Henry Fillmore struck up the national air ‘The Star Spangled‘ much to the delight of the members and visiting brethren. The Grand Orator noted in his address the ‘ fact that the Grand Master had constituted and consecrated High Noon Lodge at the High Noon Hour.

A letter was read from Meridian Lodge in Cleveland, Ohio, the only other ‘Daylight‘ Lodge in the jurisdiction. With declining membership, the lodge ceased operations in the late 1980‘s but for many years it was well known for its Midnight Raisings and also as a willing sponsor of new lodges. Within three months of receiving its charter the lodge helped sponsor College Hill Lodge No. 641. Many members were honored over the years as 33rd degree Scottish Rite Masons.

ACT ONE
Places All – Curtain Up

In the early fall of 1919, less than ten years after the chartering of Silver Trowel Lodge, Craft members of the Seattle community who were employed in evening professions began to privately discuss the concept of a daytime lodge. Brother John Wesley Butterfield, Sr., a newspaper stereotyper and member of South Gate Lodge No. 320 in Los Angeles and a stage hand, James Thomas Laflour of West Gate Lodge No. 128 in Seattle, inspired by their knowledge of other daytime lodges and Silver Trowel in particular, began to ferment active interest for such a lodge in the Seattle Masonic community and it was finally agreed that a meeting should be planned to determine if the were really enough interested brethren to make such a lodge a success.

Accordingly on Friday, November 28, 1919, at 10:30 in the morning Butterfield and Laflour, with the able assistance of L.R. Smith, assembled sixteen other Master Masons in the Arcade Building (now the site of the Seattle Art Museum) Masonic Club Room for the purpose of organizing a daylight lodge for Seattle. Perhaps the date chosen for the meeting augured success for it was the same day that Jewel Lodge had held its first meeting as a lodge under dispensation.

Brother Monte Carter, theatrical promoter and actor was elected temporary chairman with L. R. Smith as temporary secretary. The discussion at this meeting had one unifying thought, that there was a need for a lodge in Seattle which could serve the Craft during the daytime hours, after all Seattle was the principle headquarters of a number of vaudeville and traveling theatrical troupes and two morning newspapers, both a certain source of members. Thus what was to become Daylight Lodge had its inception.

The minutes of that meeting show that:

after considerable discussion there was a motion made, second and carried, that this lodge charge a charter fee of $5.00 and that dues be $6.00 per year…

Monte Carter was then unanimously elected acting Master and Smith the secretary. The Deputy Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Washington Thomas Beggs attended the meeting and provided encouragement. Two members of Eureka Lodge No. 20 Past Grand Master Ralph C. McAllister and their Senior Warden, Adolph Behrens, agreed to assist the members in becoming proficient in the ritual.

During the second meeting on December 10, it was moved by Brother Laflour that, As the lodge would meet around high noon, that the name Meridian be adopted. It was seconded … and carried unanimously. But at the next meeting the brethren were informed that there was a Meridian Lodge No. 196 located at Zillah in the Yakima Valley. The name Daylight was promptly adopted.

1919/1920 – Edwin Michael – Charter Master
Acting Master Carter, highly busy in Seattle’s entertainment community as a promoter of different theatrical enterprises, including baseball and sporting events, found that his busy schedule was too full and he submitted his resignation at this same meeting. It was sadly accepted and the members promptly “elected by acclamation,” Edwin Michael, a violinist and orchestra leader at the Pantages Theater, a member of St. Joseph Lodge No. 78 in St. Joseph, Missouri. Little is shown in lodge records about his background other than he was born May 4, 1888 and was raised as a Master Mason March 15, 1910. In the early years of vaudeville, particularly in the Pantages circuit, the orchestra did not have a conductor but followed the lead of the first violin player and the members felt that this gave Michael the experience needed to coordinate and lead the new lodge. Sadly he was one of those brothers who was dropped for non-payment of dues during the Great Depression. On December 9, 1930 the records show he owed two years dues, $13.50 and was dropped but he was reinstated on January 8, 1947. He died in California July 9, 1973, having left Masonry and Daylight lodge a strong legacy, a cornerstone of special harmony and joy tied together by his original strong leadership. For the next five months, under Michael’s guidance and the tutelage of McAllister and Behrens the future lodge members held regular meetings as the members developed their proficiency.

The population of the City of Seattle in the 1920 census was 315,312 and Grand Lodge membership for the year was 28,617 and on March 2, of that year, the future Daylight Lodge members living in this growing community petitioned Eureka Lodge No. 20.

To the Worshipful Master, Wardens and Brethren of Eureka Lodge No. 20, F. &. A.M.

Brethren,

We, whose signatures are hereto attached, for ourselves and those who sign with them the annexed Petition to the Most Worshipful Grand Master, praying dispensation to open a new Lodge in the City of Seattle, the be known as “Daylight Lodge,” do hereby fraternally request of your Lodge that it makes due inquiries as to the Masonic standing and proficiency of the petitioners in the matters required of them by the Masonic Code of Washington, and if found worthy and well qualified we further ask of you, your official endorsement, certification and recommendation to the Grand Master as required by the Code before dispensation may be issued. We hold ourselves ready to prove our attainments as may be desired by you and remain.

Fraternally yours,

{s} Edwin Michael, W.M.
{s} Reginald Tudor Thomas, J.W.
for the petitioners”

There was attached a list of the brother’s names, lodges, locations, age and professions which can be found as footnote at the end of this history. At a later meeting that same month Smith resigned as secretary and Erwin Gastel, a cellist with the Orpheum (Moore) vaudeville orchestra was elected to take his place, a office he held until his death twenty-one years later.

The minutes of the April 21, 1920 meeting read in part,

A number of Master Masons who have heretofore been meeting at stated intervals for the purpose of promoting the organization of a Masonic Lodge in the City of Seattle to be know as “Daylight Lodge,” was held in the Ionic Room of the Masonic Temple in said city, on the 21st Day of April, A.D. 1920, A.L. 5920, at 10:30 A.M. The meeting was called to order by Brother Edwin Michael. The following Dispensation, issued by M.W. Thomas Skaggs, Grand Master of Masons in Washington was read by Brother Erwin Gastel.

The minutes continue after copying in full the Dispensation:

After reading the Dispensation, Brother Edwin Michael named therein to be Worshipful Master appointed the following brethren to fill the various stations and places in the Lodge not provided for in the Dispensation, to-wit:

Treasurer- George Tilman
Carder Secretary- Erwin Gastel
Chaplain- Don O. Noel
Marshal- Ralph C. Parkhurst
Senior Deacon- Beach B. Taylor
Junior Deacon- James Laflour
Senior Steward- Hildus Hansen
Junior Steward- John W. Butterfield
Tyler- Walter Steffen
Organist- Charles S. Burnett

A lodge of Master Masons was opened in due form with the following officers: W.M. Edwin Michael; S.W. Floyd Hart; J.W. Reginald T. Thomas. Bro. Ralph C. McAllister, Past Grand Master then read the charges to the officers and members as provided in the Washington Monitor.”
The new Daylight Lodge, U.D. promptly set to work and adopted bylaws, received thirteen petitions for the degrees and one for affiliation, paid bills and heard instruction from P.G.M. McAllister on the pitfalls for a new lodge to avoid. At the end of the first official meeting the secretary reported a bank balance of $751.62

Between April 21 and the date of the charter ceremonies the lodge held two stated meetings and seven specials. Twenty-six petitions for the degrees were received, the average age being 36. Two petitions were rejected, interestingly enough petitions number one and two on the list. Three petitions for affiliation were accepted. Fourteen of these petitions were from the entertainment world trades. Degree work abounded and sixteen Entered Apprentices were made, thirteen brethren were passed to the Fellowcraft Degree and two were raised as Master Masons. A busy schedule in a little more than two months, there was no question that show biz, was going the be a major influence on the lodge.

On June 20, 1920 Daylight Lodge U.D. was given the number 232 and granted a charter by the Grand Lodge along with five other lodges: Mount Adams No. 227, Yakima, Terrestrial No. 228, Eatonville; Roosevelt No. 229 (later renamed Theodore Roosevelt), Seattle; Royal A. Gove No. 230, Tacoma; and Waverly No. 231, Waverly.

On Friday morning, July 2, 1920:

‘ the brethren who had been granted a Charter … to be known as Daylight Lodge No. 232 assembled in the Corinthian Room of the Masonic Temple.

The Grand Lodge assembled in an adjoining room and was opened in ample form by Grand Master James H. Beggs. The charter … was then read by the Grand Secretary after which the Most Worshipful Grand Master proceeded to constitute Daylight Lodge No. 232 in due and ancient form … (and) duly install the officers.

The officers installed were the same as those who had been selected in April with the exception of Lloyd Spencer became chaplain and Otto Crownhurst organist. The Tyler’s book shows that there were 161 Master Masons present for the occasion from as far away as Trinidad. Daylight Masonry was represented in the person of Brother C. G. Cooper of St. Cecile Lodge No. 568 in New York. In light of their encouragement of the brothers at the first gathering in late November 1919 it was fitting that the Grand Lodge should be presided over at this meeting by Grand Master Beggs with the able assistance of Past Grand Master McAllister acting as Deputy Grand Master.

Under the leadership of Edwin Michael, Daylight prospered and grew in membership from the original twenty-two. The secretary’s first annual report to Grand Lodge for December 31, 1920 provided the following resume of the work, etc. of the lodge.

Charter Members: 22
Total Membership, Dec. 31, 1920: 55
Number of petitions received: 41
Number of petitions rejected: 6
Number of degrees worked: 79
Degrees done by courtesy: 6
Affiliations: 7
Fees received from petitions: $2.475.00
Received from dues: $388.50
Total: $2,863.50
Total warrants paid: $1,794.73
Paid over to treasurer: $2,834.50

It is of equal interest to consider the Treasurer’s first financial report for the lodge during that first year of the roaring twenties.

Received from secretary: $2,834.50
Disbursements
Books for lodge: $19.80
Stamps, Stat’y and printing: $174.73
Aprons: $79.00
Refreshments: $108.35
Returned fees: $300.00
Officers Exp. (organization): $41.15
Flowers: $20.00
Salary, secretary: $60.00
Grand Lodge: $168.50
Hall Rent: $301.20
Paraphernalia: $386.52
A. Behrens (watch): $100.00
Taxicab: $6.50
Telegrams: $1.98
Masonic Club membership: $10.00
Total: $1,795.73
Cash balance, Jan 1, 1921: $1,038.77

1920, as the secretary’s report shows, was very busy with degree conferrals and several of the brothers who become Daylight Masons that year became fairly well known. One of them, B. Marcus Priteca was to become internationally famous as an architect and designer of theaters. None of his larger theaters exist in Seattle but in both Portland, Oregon and Vancouver, B. C. his Orpheum Theaters were refurbished during the late 1980’s and in Tacoma, Yakima and Hollywood his Pantages Theaters continue to be active. The Coliseum Theater facade remaining at the corner of 5th and Pike in downtown Seattle at least gives his hometown a slight idea of his outstanding work, as does the Langston Hughes Center at 16th and Yesler. Originally designed as a synagogue, in the 1980‘s the building was designated as a historical building by the City of Seattle, helping to preserve it for future generations to admire and use.

The several vaudeville circuits were a very important part of the daily lives of early Daylight members. A large percentage was directly connected with one or the other of the famous organizations and there was a friendly and healthy rivalry between Orpheum and Pantages members. In the days before talkies brought about the end of so much live theater, Daylight and the other daytime lodges around the country, were kept busy conferring degrees on stage hands, set designers, bill posters and the minutes and correspondence abound with requests for courtesy degrees.

Mr. De Wolf is a scenic artist by profession and in this capacity is out of the city a larger portion of the time. His address c/o Palace Hip Theatre Seattle, Washington, and he is acquainted with several members of Daylight Lodge, hence the request that this lodge confer the degrees., reads a letter from Temple Lodge No. 6 in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Another from Acacia Lodge No. 17 in Salt Lake City reads:

I am directed to advise you that in accordance with your request … conferred the Fellowcraft Degree upon Brother Bernard Marcus Priteca, an Entered Apprentice of your Lodge, on November 27, 1920…

A letter received by secretary Gastel on the letterhead of the Pantages Circuit of Vaudeville Theatres, Alexander Pantages, proprietor, says in part:

… week of March 11 there will be playing at the Pantages Theatre an act called Harvard, Holt and Kendricks. Kendricks’ right name is Charles Groebourn, Washington No. 21 Lodge, New York. He is anxious to get his Third Degree and asked me to ascertain from you if you could confer the Third Degree that particular week? I advised him I would find out from you and let him know, as I am told you will only to pleased to give him the work in Seattle.

Kindest personal regards to all.
(s) Edgar G. Milne
New York Office Representative

And Brother Gastel replied:

Dear Brother Milne:

… we will be glad to confer the Third Degree at our stated meeting provided his request from his lodge reaches us by that time … The boys as well as myself send you kindest personal regards and wish you all success.

Indeed the request was received and the brother raised as Milne had requested. Milne himself had been one of those who had petitioned Daylight at its first official meeting and at one time served as an appointive officer. He is an example of one of the problems that faced the lodge during its first years. As theaters opened and closed or new management and different shows arrived, the members of the theater trades would jump from town to town. For example in the early twenties the Considine Circuit closed at the Palace Hip in Seattle and with it went some jobs, there was a shift of members out of town and new members of the Craft moved into their jobs both in the theater and in the lodge. The term theater Gypsy was not unwarranted for there were few people outside of the railroads who saw as much of the country.

Two charter members that were to serve as Master in later years were good examples of this movement. Floyd better known as Stubby Hart, the first Senior Warden did not sit in the East until 1927 and Beach B. Taylor who was the first Senior Deacon still later in 1931.

Ed Milne himself was an excellent example of this for after working for the Pantages Vaudeville Circuit, he later worked as the advance man for the popular Evangelist Preacher, Amy Semple McPhearson and her revival circuit. Beach Taylor told of an occasion when he had handled some of the advance advertising, tickets, etc., for this group and they left for Spokane without paying him his money. He contacted Brother Milne in Tacoma, they met in Seattle the next day and Brother Taylor got his money.

But Brother Milne was not always in that position. He also stands as an example of the many problems that faced members of the Craft during the early part of the lodge’s history. In 1935 he wrote secretary Gastel the following letter,

Dear Brother Gastel:

In receipt of your notice and hasten to reply. I have had a couple of bad seasons and have had to neglect everything, have not worked since last June but I am opening again this month season with Blackstone the Magician, we play Dayton the thirteenth of December and have eight weeks contracted taking me to February the tenth at El Paso, Texas, so if you can give me just a few weeks more I will be able to send the full amount.

Fully expected to be out there this summer but conditions changed and I was left high and dry in Portland, Me., but those are the chances we take in show business today …

At the same period of time another brother wired secretary Gastel after receiving some financial help from the lodge:

Lost tremendously after Salt Lake through desert country to Los Angeles. Pantages couldn’t use us. Have wife with, will pay all soon, twenty-five San Bernardino like blessing from Heaven. Ask McLain (at that time J.W. of lodge and musician union local business agent, ed.) any use to try Pantages in Frisco?

These examples, while not necessarily dated in the 1920’s, do illustrate why after spending time and effort in the lower lodge chairs, officers often failed to become Master. Musicians, actors and other entertainers continued to be vagabonds and travelers. But these stories do get ahead of the account of Daylight’s first years.

Returning to 1920, the minutes of the July 21, 1920 Stated meeting show that the Bylaws were amended to change the meeting from the third Wednesday at 10:30 a.m. to the second Wednesday and raise the Petition fee to $75.00.

A special communication on September 24, 1920 is a typical meeting for that first year. After lodge was opened on the 3rd Degree, labor was suspended and a lodge of Fellowcraft Masons opened and that degree conferred on one brother, labor was then suspended on that degree and opened on the 1st Degree for a conferral. That month there were degrees on the 1st, 3rd, 8th, 15th, 17th, 22nd, and 24th.

At some time during the meeting on the 24th Brother Frank Bradley gave a brief speech recorded with the minutes saying:

I am here this morning a spokesman for the ten Master Masons composing the Moore Theatre Orchestra, … When I first became a member of the Orpheum Orchestra ten years ago, Masons were conspicuous by their absences, in fact there was not one Mason in the pit. When I left the orchestra to join the Navy in 1917, there were four Masons. Now thanks to the opportunity presented by Daylight Lodge, which gives night workers a chance to attend Lodge … we are first 100% Masonic Orchestra of which we have any record. That this is unusual condition is emphasized every week, when traveling performers members of the Craft express their surprise and, gratification in finding the first 100% Masonic Orchestra in their experience.

Secretary’s Gastel’s first report to the Grand Lodge shows that the petition fee was $75.00, dues $6.00 and rent for nine months totaled $37.00, there were 33 members, eighty degrees were conferred, and the Grand Lodge and Masonic Home dues paid were $209.50. There were at least three official courtesy degrees from lodges outside the jurisdiction of Washington but the minutes show that a number of Seattle area lodges used Daylight’s services for their candidates. In fact the remaining correspondence for the 1920’s is mostly of requests for the lodge to confer courtesy degrees or asking other lodges to handle one of Daylight’s touring brothers. And Daylight received a request dated December 28, 1920 to conferred the Master Degree on Athol R. Laity of Silver Bow Lodge No. 48 in Montana. Laity officially joined and became Daylight’s 1929 Master.

December 8, 1920 marked the first election of officers after chartering, etc. and would also shift officers around. The election for Master found Ralph Parkhurst receiving a clear majority of twenty- four votes. He had been lodge Marshal, but was the principle ritualist of the lodge and in a large measure responsible for meeting the Grand Lodge’s ritual qualifications and his election was in a large part his lodge brother’s recognition of this fact. Floyd Hart who had been Senior Warden received the next highest votes, but according to the memories of the few charter members who remembered the first years, he had been offered a job in a San Francisco theater and was very willing to forego the East in 1921. In fact Hart’s name is seldom found in the Tiler’s book until about 1924 when he became Senior Deacon.

R. Tudor Thomas was elected Senior Warden but it took two ballots to elect Walter Steffen Junior Warden. George Carder and Erwin Gastel continued as treasurer and secretary and the a motion passed reading:

“… owing to the increased amount of work of the Secretary, his salary be raised to $20.00 per month.”

It was an auspicious installation on December 22 with Grand Master Beggs assisted by Past Grand Master McAllister installing the new officers.

1921 – Ralph C. Parkhurst
The lodge’s new Master was a band musician who played with many of the marching and park entertainment bands that dotted the Seattle landscape in the early decades of the century. He was a versatile musician but primarily trumpet and cornet, was first chair leader of the brass section in Wagner‘s Municipal Band, part of the Nile Temple Band and of course played in many of the local dance bands. He was also active in the York Rite Bodies and served as High Priest of his Royal Arch Chapter and Eminent Commander of his Commandery. He received his degrees in Ballard’s Occidental Lodge No. 72 completing them January 27, 1915. He was one of two of the twenty-two charter members that records indicate as born in Seattle, December 21, 1888 and was called by the Supreme Grand Master on October 28, 1977 at the age of 89.

And this second year of Daylight Lodge under Parkhurst’s leadership continued to see much activity. During the first six months of 1921 ten petitions were voted on for the degrees, four were rejected and three brothers affiliated. There were thirteen meetings with some degree work at almost every meeting. The minutes never indicate who filled what position or who gave the lectures, but mention only the degree and the candidate. There is one exception in the minutes of March 30, a Master Mason Degree special communication:

The Police Degree Team consisting of Chief W.H. Searing, … exemplified the work in a most excellent manner by raising Brother J. D. Landis, a Brother Officer, to the Master Mason Degree.

The May 11 minutes contain an interesting item. On motion, adopted, the salary of the secretary be reduced to $10.00 per month until further notice, at his own request. Also it was proposed by R. T. Thomas to change the meeting hour from 10:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. to give the members more time to get to work without rushing meetings. Matinee performances were common in most theaters at either 1:30 or 2:00 cutting the time short to get a street car from the Masonic Temple at Harvard and Pine to the various stage houses, etc. This hour was adopted and was to remain so ever after.

On July 1st a special meeting was held to celebrate the lodge’s first birthday. Guests included the Grand Secretary Horace W. Tyler, Past Grand Master McAllister and Adolph Behrens who the members by then had begun to refer to as “Granddaddy” Behrens because of his hard work as ritual coach and in getting Daylight through the first months to get it‘s charter.

A printed program of the day’s events included with the minutes gives the first mention of Daylight Lodge Orchestra that consisted of:

Edwin Michael, violin
R. Lemon, clarinet
M. Burnett, violin
V. P. Rossi, clarinet
E. Gastel, cello
F.C. Bradley, cornet
A.C. Anderson, bass
A.W. Ward, trombone
C. S. Burnett, piano
O. R. McLain, Drums
F. Horsfall, flute

The music listed in the program included a Quartette – “Nocturne” by Doppler played by the two Burnetts, Hosfall and Gastel and the Trio, “Petit Mari – Petit Femme” by Biber, this played by the Burnetts and Gastel, plus other selections played by the entire orchestra.

The balance of 1921 was equally busy with at least two meetings held every month and on December 14 with thirty three members present, R. Tudor Thomas was elected to the East with thirty-two votes cast for him, one blank, Senior Deacon H. L. Carney became Senior Warden. The records indicate no solid reason that Steffens who had been Junior Warden did not get the votes to continue to the West but a close examination of the Tiler’s Register finds his signature at only four of the twenty-two meetings held during 1921. Junior Deacon O. R. McLain advanced to the South. On December 28 retiring Master Ralph Parkhurst installed his successor.

1922 – Reginald Tudor Thomas
Tudor Thomas, the new Master was a good Welshman, born March 31, 1887 in Merthyn Tydvial, Wales. He first became a Mason in Lodge 61 in Wilkesbarre, Pennsylvania in 1903. He came to Seattle in 1907 and worked as a printer at the Seattle Post-Intelligencer until he retired in 1944. He then worked part time at the Ballard News where the lodge bulletins were printed. He was active in Local 202 of the Typographical Union, became a Past Patron of Daylight Chapter Eastern Star. He died December 10, 1967 after long years as one of the cornerstones of dedication and service to the lodge.

1922, the new Masonic year would prove to be just as busy as the previous two. Once again there were at least two communications a month with degree work at nearly every meeting. On April 12 an addition to the Bylaws was adopted, Article III, Section 5. The fee for Life Membership shall be $100.00. On October 11 the Secretary Gastel’s salary was raised back to $20.00. A number of names well known in Seattle music over the years were added to the roster, Frank Horsfall the principal flute with the Seattle Symphony well into the early 1960’s affiliated from Fairweather lodge No. 82 in Tacoma and Century Lodge No. 208 gave band leader Grant Kuhn, Jr. Petitions for the degrees included Harry Reed who was to become a well know name in Seattle’s musical and early radio community. The year-end report showed that lodge membership had more than doubled to seventy-four and that forty- four degrees were held.

1922 also saw the start of two more daylight lodges on the West Coast. In Long Beach, California to be called Queen Beach Lodge and in Vancouver, British Columbia movement began for another to become Meridian Lodge. Once again musicians were the leading force in the effort.

It was a 40 or 50-mile trip to Los Angeles to attend Silver Trowel and in 1922 after several informal meetings held in the headquarters of the Long Beach Municipal Band, formal action was taken and a dispensation was requested. The name Queen Beach was chosen because in the 1920’s Long Beach was known as the Queen of the Beaches. The dispensation was issued on October 9, 1922 and the new officers installed on November 2nd.

A year later the charter was granted to Queen Beach Lodge No. 540 on October 11, 1923, full chartering ceremonies took place October 25 and added a fourth daytime lodge to West Coast Masonry. Even while being a daytime lodge, for many years the lodge had a custom of a midnight meeting and raising. The first such meeting took place one minute after midnight on March 8, 1927. The second such meeting on July 31, 1928 featured the Metro Goldwyn Mayer Degree team and an unidentified member composed special music that was used with the ceremonies. In having this custom of a midnight meeting that was held regularly every three or four years until the 1950‘s, Queen Beach joined a number of daytime lodges around the nation doing so.

In Canada in the month of December 1922 a number of brethren, again mostly musicians, held their initial meeting to investigate starting a daytime lodge. Fifty brethren signed the petition for dispensation and the lodge was officially instituted on June 7, 1923. The ritual chosen for lodge use was known as Canadian.

1923 – Harry Lee Carney
Harry Carney was elected Master for 1923 on December 13, 1922 and installed by Ralph Parkhurst on December 27. He was born November 27, 1882 in Sand Lake, Michigan, he came to Seattle in 1914. His was amongst the first petitions received by the lodge on April 21, 1920 and he was Raised July 14 of the same year, twelve days too late to be included in the list of charter members. According to Ralph Parkhurst interviewed a short time before his passing, the original members had purposely held off raising any new candidates until after the charter was granted so that the list of charter members would be limited to those initially involved in putting the lodge together. And Carney was one of those who waited.

His trade according to the records was telegrapher, which may explain why Parkhurst said that he was an outstanding ritualist, the apparent reason for his having been appointed Senior Deacon in 1921 and his rapid advance to the East. The records show that with the exception of Parkhurst he installed the lodge officers every year until the 1930’s, a total of seven different Masters.

At Carney’s first meeting the lodge received:

Communication from a number of Brothers to sponsor the formation of a new Lodge, to be called Elliot Bay Lodge with G. C. Hallett as W.M.; … was referred to a committee consisting of R. T. Thomas, R. C. Parkhurst & O. R. McLain for investigation.

At this same meeting there was a resolution submitted to establish a Permanent Fund, for investing, etc., the lodge’s savings. This was approved on March 14 and made a part of the Bylaws. The request to sponsor Elliot Bay Lodge (which consolidated into St. John’s Lodge No. 9 in 1997) was reported on March 14 and the minutes read:

The Committee appointed to investigate the request of a number of brothers for a Dispensation to form a new Lodge brought in the following Resolution which was adopted: Resolved; That this Lodge do recommend the petition of Brothers …. Praying for a dispensation to establish a new Lodge at Seattle, Wash. by the name of Elliot Bay Lodge, and do avouch for said petitioners as being Master Masons in good standing and recommend that the prayer of the petitioners be granted. That in the judgement of this Lodge, the Brethren named in said Petition as officers of said new Lodge are competent properly to confer the Three Degrees and impart the lectures thereunto appertaining.

The lodge then went on to other business conferring the Entered Apprentice Degree. On Wednesday, June 27 the lodge celebrated it Third Anniversary with a program of music, speeches and a banquet. Once again the year went by with at least two meetings a month, degrees at nearly every meeting as can be assumed from the fact that twenty-seven were held and the membership as of December 31, 1923 reached ninety-eight.

To the north of Seattle in Vancouver, British Columbia, 1923 saw the chartering of Meridian Lodge No. 108, AF & AM. It had a sister Canadian daytime lodge in Winnipeg, Manitoba that was chartered a year later. This lodge, Tuscan No. 141 became an evening lodge in 1965 and later vanished from the list of lodges, but Meridian maintains its daylight heritage and has been Daylight’s true sister lodge for many years. In December 1922 Masons in the Vancouver area, once again mostly musicians, met with Right Worshipful Brother E, M. LeFlufy, the District Deputy Grand Master for District 13 to draft a petition signed by fifty members of the Craft seeking a dispensation to form a daylight lodge. The name selected was Meridian and the communications were to be held on the first and third Thursday of each month. Grand Master A. Mc. C Creery set the lodge under dispensation to work on June 7, 1923. The ritual work chosen by the lodge was the Canadian work.

Meridian‘s first year included twelve regular meetings and twelve emergent, fourteen candidates for initiated, passed and raised and at year‘s end the membership was sixty-four, twenty-eight of them being musicians. Like many daytime lodges a small orchestra was started and it played at the 1923 Grand Lodge sessions, for other lodge installation and at events to raise funds for the lodge and the Masonic Service Bureau benevolent funds.

On July 10, 1924 in a joint ceremony, Grand Master Stephen Jones constituted Meridian Lodge No. 108 and Unity Lodge No. 106. All attended a party at the Hotel Vancouver with the Meridian Lodge orchestra providing the music as the luncheon was served. One hundred and fifty seven attended the luncheon for which the finance committee submitted a bill of Vancouver Hotel Banquet – $117.75, Cigars and Cigarettes – $26.50 and Flowers and tips to waiter – $19.00, a total of $163.25. Fifty years later the Hotel Vancouver estimated that the same event would cost in 1974 prices, $2819.24.

The lodge had its first member become District Deputy Grand Master in 1928 when J. E. Beck was tapped for the honor. One member of the lodge Right Worshipful Arthur W. Delamont who was Master in 1947-1948 was honored and respected in Vancouver as the leader of the popular Kitsilano Boy Band and was awarded the good citizen metal by the City of Vancouver in 1946 and the Civic Award in 1970.

Daylight Masonry moved to the Canadian prairie province of Manitoba when the Winnipeg lodge Prince Rupert No. 1 sponsored Tuscan Lodge, given its dispensation on April 27, 1923. Like so many lodges of this era, it too had a small orchestra that performed in the Winnipeg area to raise funds for the lodge‘s charity activities. The lodge was formally chartered and given the number 141 on September 24, 1924 by Most Worshipful Edward N. Walker, P. G. M. in charge of the ceremonies.

During the sixty or so years of the lodge‘s existence, it members were quite active in Grand Lodge. Right Worshipful Nathan Rothstein served as the Grand Treasurer in 1960, 1961 and 1962 and had the honor to see his son David serve as Grand Master in 1957. Four years before that another member, Harry H. Gray held the same position and in 1974 the lodge not only celebrated 50 years, but once again one of its members, Ross Campbell sat in the Grand East. Campbell was the last Brother to preside over Tuscan as a daylight lodge because in November 1965, no longer able to attract enough brothers, meetings were changed to Tuesday evenings and within twenty years it ceased operations completely. Event though by then it was an evening lodge the February 1974 meeting held particular interest because it saw Grand Master Campbell joining with two fellow Past Grand Masters, all daylight past masters of their own lodge, conferring the Master Degree. Krupp Stadium in Winnipeg honored the lodge‘s 1956 Master, Charles Krupp, long active in Masonry and civic affairs. Even though the lodge vanished into Masonic history, of all daylight lodges it can claim one of the largest number of Grand Lodge elected officers.

1928 – Harold Leighton Reed
1928 saw the installation of one of the lodge’s more illustrious members. Harry Reed’s accomplishments fill page after page. He was born December 5, 1893 in Waltham, Massachusetts and graduated from Tufts University. He began his musical career at the age of 14 as a church organist, went on to become the staff organist of Loew’s St. James Theater in Boston. He came to Seattle in 1921 and played organ in different theaters in Seattle and Everett, was organist for the opening of the Fifth Avenue Theater and from 1933 to 1966 gave noon organ recitals at Rhodes of Seattle department store.

He was a radio pioneer and in 1931 became the assistant program and musical director of radio station KJR. By the time he had left the station in 1937 he had helped develop the “disk jockey” format. He was president of Local 76 of the Musician’s Union and was attending the national convention of the American Federation of Musicians in Miami when he became ill and died on August 7, 1967.

His interests included serving on the Chamber of Commerce education and arts committee, the advisory boards of the junior programs, Seattle Philharmonic and the Cornish Junior Symphony, forerunner of the Seattle Youth Symphony Orchestra. He served on the U.S.O. Executive committee, board of directors of the Seattle-King County Chapter of the American Red Cross, Urban Renewal Board, numerous mayoral committees and was active in Greater Seattle. Also active in the Eagles, he was the official organist for numerous national Eagle’s conventions and in 1949 he was named an honorary past worthy president of Seattle Aerie No. 1. He was official organist for the Seattle Elks Lodge for 20 years.

He was made a Master Mason in Daylight on January 17, 1923, on August 13, 1924 was appointed to fill the vacated office of Senior Steward and that December was installed as Senior Deacon. In December 1925 he was elected Junior Warden with little opposition. He was installed Master, December 28, 1927 by Past Master Harry Carney.

The January 11, 1928 minutes record lodge charity,

The W. Master and WBrother Hart reported on the condition of Brother Montgomery. The W. Master engaged a nurse for one week at a cost of $17.50 to relieve Mrs. Montgomery. On motion the, action of the W. Master was concurred in.”

1928 was not a particularly busy year. There was only one special communication other than the usual Anniversary Celebration. In fact there were only six degrees conferred and two petitions received. Interesting pieces of correspondence in the files regarding the request for a Masonic funeral for a Brother Pepper in Los Angeles testify to the close relationship between Daylight and the Musician’s Union Local 76, several telegrams are addressed to Daylight Lodge F. and A. M. or Musicians Assn Seattle Washington.

1933 – Carbon Lester Weber
Born in Norristown, Pennsylvania on the 2nd day of October in 1895, Carbon Weber received all his degrees in Daylight lodge finishing them April 27, 1927. He was active both in the lodge and as an officer in Local 76 of Musicians Union. R.W. Walter W. Steffey, Junior Grand Warden, who when he became Grand Master named Weber his Junior Grand Deacon assisted Frank Poole who did the installing.. Weber played violin with the Seattle Symphony for fifteen years and after retiring returned to the East Coast living in Sicklerville, New Jersey where he died December 10, 1974.

Secretary Gastel had cause to write a letter that states the effect of the Depression on the lodge better than any history might.

Dear Brother Muller:

Through the Scottish Rite Bodies of Spokane, I learned first of your plight, due ti (sic) this depression, and am indeed sorry to hear of same They inquired whether we could extend any aid, and I had to inform them that we could not. As you know over 60% of our members depend for their living on the amusement field, and that has been sorely hit by this depression; which in turn reflects on our Lodge receipts by them not being able to pay their dues. There are over 60% of the members who have not paid their 1932 dues, and we are carrying 15 members who owe more that two years dues. About two years ago we were caught in the failure of the Puget Sound Savings Bank, where we carried our surplus funds; and this embarrassed the Lodge greatly, so we had to make drastic cuts in our operations. Very few petitions have been received during the last two years, this also added materially to the depletion of our treasury. I received your communication of the 2nd. inst., and in reply want to assure you that we will see to it that your membership will not be cancelled. So do not worry about your dues in Daylight Lodge. Trusting that some way will open to you in the near future to re-establish yourself among the workmen of the Temple.

The Grand Patron of Eastern Star, Floyd Ellis addressed the lodge on May 10 and invited the Daylight Orchestra to participate in the opening ceremonies of the Grand Chapter on June 22. There is no indication in future minutes to show that the orchestra did perform, however Harry Reed in a letter thirty years later wrote:

… pleasant recollections of the good old days when so many of our members were working in the theatres. We were able to stay through the meeting, have a bite to eat and still be on time for the matinee at 2:00 p.m. Meetings were at the Masonic Temple until the restricted parking began and we had to run out to look at our tires to see if they had been marked by chalk! In those days we were fortunate in having 25 or 30 members to play for installations, for Grand Lodge in Tacoma and Seattle and on one occasion for the Eastern Star. The “gabbing” became so loud we could not hear ourselves so finally Henry Damski, who was directing, called for attention and very sweetly told the “gals” that we had given up golf dates and other engagements to play for the opening of their convention and hoped it would be appreciated but “we had no intentions of merely supplying musical accompaniment for their conversations!” After that you could have heard a pin drop.

1938 – Fred William Jiencke, Sr.

To the Worshipful Master, Wardens and Brethren of Daylight Lodge No. 232, F. & A. M., greetings

Believing it to be in the best interests of this Lodge, and with a sincere desire for continued peace and harmony within its walls, I must respectfully refuse to be installed as Master of the coming year. I have given this matter careful consideration, and trust you will see it in the same light as I do.

Sincerely and fraternally yours,
(s) Reginald Tudor Thomas
Senior Warden

Thomas had been elected Master at the December 8, 1937 meeting with Fred Jiencke Senior Warden and Harry Wishaar Junior Warden. There is no copy of the letter that secretary Gastel forwarded to Grand Master Poole but on December 28, 1937 he wrote back:

In response to your request, I here-with grant Daylight Lodge #232, a special dispensation to hold election of three principal Officers at a special communication at 10:00 a.m. January 6, 1938. This dispensation is granted by authority of Section 1606 of our Washington Masonic Code. You will notify each member of this communication of that date and time.

Wishing you the compliments of the season, I remain

Sincerely and fraternally,
(s) Frank L Poole
Grand Master

Hand written in the lower left corner in the Grand Master’s hand is a note: Check for $5.00 re’cd will give the Gr. Sec.

So on Thursday, January 6 a special communication was held for the sole purpose of electing the three principal officers which were to be Fred Jiencke, Harry Wishaar and Earnest Clark who were install into office the following Saturday by Grand Master Poole, peace and harmony being restored.

What was the root of the controversy was a question asked of brothers who had knowledge of that period? Jiencke himself would never discuss the matter but Past Masters Solberg, Taylor and Wright all told quite similar accounts. All agreed that, at that time, many officers and members felt that there was no need to seat a Past Master in the East, because the lower officers were excellent ritualists. Taylor said, several of the officers were so firm in their position that they had made it very clear that they would not take an office under a Past Master. Taylor and Solberg both felt that the lodge had become slightly estranged between those who like Thomas were active in both the lodge and Eastern Star, and those who were not.

But Beach Taylor summed up the entire affair by saying,

‘Tudor was a Mason who loved his lodge and lived his Masonry. He listened to good counsel whispered in his ear and quickly recognized that Masonry was too big for such a petty controversy so, he solved it in a brotherly and Daylight fashion.‘

Fred Jiencke, the new Master like several of his predecessors was a native of the Big Sky country, born in Butte, Montana January 29, 1890. He petitioned the lodge in 1931 and completed his degrees June 8, 1932. He was a projectionist for many years at the Priteca designed Coliseum Theater and also president of the Seattle Local of the Motion Picture Projectionist Union. Before becoming a projectionist, he worked in Georgetown in south Seattle for the telegraph company. On the advice of a friend he got a job in the growing ‘moving picture: industry and the total number of films and reels he had shown by the time he retired cannot be estimated. He coached many a fellow projectionist including his son and grandson in the booth high above the balcony. An active Shriner, for years he participated in staging their ceremonials. His wise financial counsel during the 1970’s was to prove a boon to the lodge as he helped set it on a more secure investment footing. His advice to younger lodge bothers in later years was of a sage and by the time he was called by the Supreme Grand Master on February 3, 1983 he had not only lived to see his grandson installed as the lodge’s fiftieth Master, but had become fondly known to lodge brethren as ‘Grampa Jiencke.‘

1939 – Henry Gwinner Wishaar
The 1930’s ended with the installation of the last of the almost charter members. Henry Wishaar was one of the thirteen petitions received on April 21, 1920, was last of the group to be raised September 1, 1920 and the last of three to sit in Daylight’s Oriental Chair. He was born in Beverly, New Jersey, March 24, 1878 and he died on April 14, 1948. His petition that lists his profession as printer, does not indicate which paper he was employed by. R. Tudor Thomas and John Butterfield signed it. Thomas was a Seattle P.I. pressman while Butterfield was with the P.I., Seattle Star and Seattle Times.

The December 14, 1938 election also was the first time in a number of years that officers advanced in a normal progression through the chairs. The minutes contain nothing except what might be termed normal and customary business for the year. On December 13, 1939 L. Presley Gill who in early 1936 had been rejected for membership, was made an Entered Apprentice Mason. Past Grand Master Frank Poole, continuing the new tradition installed the new officers on January 11, 1939. The minutes of that special communication note:

M.W.Bro. Poole asked the following Past Masters to stand at the Altar; W.Brothers Weber, Westcott, Jiencke, Ferguson, Solberg and Wright. In introducing them, he stated that he had The pleasure of installing all of them except W.Bro Wright, who was installed by R.W.Bro. M. Hill, who did a good job also.

Looking through the correspondence for the 1930’s the personal significance of the Depression can be seen for they are full of requests for reinstatements or explanation why dues payment were late. Also there were requests for waivers of jurisdiction or information on a petitioner. One such letter of an undecipherable date from Valley Lodge No. 71 does show that Masonry has not always been charitable towards all.

“Mr. G… has petitioned Valley Lodge … We received a letter from … of Daylight Lodge … stating that Mr. G… was a catholic, and he did not consider Mr. G… proper material for our fraternity.

The investigating committee of our lodge would appreciate it very much if you would interview … if he is a member of your lodge, and forward any reliable information …”

Hand written on the bottom of the letter is the following:

“we understand sister says she is paying his initiation. anyone can get in the rotten lot – whole family devout Catholic – when he was sick called priest.”

1941 – Ulysses Simpson Grant Kuhn, Jr.
Grant Kuhn was installed on January 8, 1941, Harold B. Hobbs was Senior Warden and Karl J. H. Horn was Junior Warden. Both Kuhn and Horn lead very popular dance bands in Seattle and the Puget Sound area. Like a majority of Daylight members, Kuhn was an affiliated member, who joined February 14, 1923 from Century Lodge No. 208. It leaves little to the imagination to assume where his family stood during the Civil War. He was born in Norwall, Illinois November 9, 1892 and died October 10, 1962 leaving a large void in Daylight’s and Seattle’s musical scene. His band played most frequently at the Butler Hotel located at the corner of Fourth Avenue and Prefontaine Place, built by one of Seattle’s pioneer black entrepreneurs who was said to have been a Prince Hall Mason.

May 14, 1941 was Past Master’s Day and in addition to the Past Masters, the lodge honored secretary Erwin Gastel and two other charter members plus visiting Grand Master Matthew Hill. The minutes of this meeting were the final lodge minutes Gastel signed. On August 5, Daylight brethren paid him his final Masonic honors as they lay to rest their good and faithful servant of nearly twenty-two years. On November 26, 1919, when the first organizational meeting was held Gastel, a cellist in the Orpheum Theatre orchestra was elected treasurer.

Those very first minutes read,

At this time the matter of permanent officers was taken up. Bro. E. Gastel, and Bro. J. E. Carter were nominated for treasurer; and on the ballot both brothers received nine votes. There being a tie, It was suggested that as we had implicit confidence in both, that we toss a coin to decide the election; there being no objection, this method was adopted, and Bro. Gastel being the lucky contestant, was declared elected Treasurer.

He continued to be the treasurer until March 11, 1920 when the minutes again read,

A communication form (sic) Brother L. R. Smith, tendering his resignation as Secretary. Moved to accept same carried. On motion the resignation of Brother E. Gastel as Treasurer was accepted. On motion Brother E. Gastel was nominated as Secretary; there being no further nominations, he was declared elected by acclamation.

Gastel was a native of Philadelphia born April 21, 1874 and had received his degrees in Seattle’s Arcana Lodge No. 87, raised November 23, 1908 R. Tudor Thomas succeeded him.

From its earliest days the lodge’s small orchestra performed at most public lodge functions and at least once a year at the Masonic Home. Augmented by brothers from other lodges, for many years this orchestra also furnished the music for the King County Wardens and Master Association Dance. Page after page of the minutes makes some reference to the Daylight Orchestra.

At the October 8 meeting a motion by Junior Warden Horn was passed ‘that the lodge in the future make two visits to the Home annually, accompanied by the orchestra, one in March and one in September. ‘ The minutes of this meeting also note a special honored visitor, ‘A high light of this communication was a talk by Wor. Bro. Leland Charles Bagley, past master of Silver Trowel Lodge No. 415 of Los Angeles.” In these minutes is written the only reference to the turbulent world of those times stating that, “Bro. Hobbs volunteered and was appointed as the representative of the lodge on the Defense Committee.”

Strangely, the December 10, 1941 minutes contain not one word of the world shattering events of December 7, but rather concern normal lodge business, the death of the second charter member for the year Lloyd Spencer, who had been elected Treasurer when Gastel became secretary in 1920, the visit of District Deputy Grand Master Norman E. Thurlow, the election of Harold Hobbs as Master and the decision to have an open installation.

The October 15 issue of the Seattle P-I has an article of interest that read:

1st SYMPHONY REHEARSAL SET THIS MORNING

Sir Thomas Beecham Arrives in City; Concert Season to Be Opened on October 20

Sir Thomas Beecham, Seattle‘s fiery new symphony conductor, will wield his baton over his first rehearsal of the orchestra at 9:30 o‘clock this morning in the Eagles‘ Hall. Sir Thomas ‘ arrived in Seattle last night. The first concert of the Seattle Symphony will be October 20 at the Music Hall Theater.

‘ the roster of players released by the organization

and this roster included Daylight members: SECOND VIOLIN – Grant Kuhn, FLUTE ‘ Frank Horsfall, OBOE ‘ Whitney Tustin, CLARINET ‘ Thomas Solberg, BASS CLARINET ‘ William Wright, HORNS ‘ Alvin Schardt, Harold Sorbo, TRUMPETS ‘ Albert Cleveland, TYMPANI ‘ Emil Hansen, ORGAN ‘ Arville Belstad. (Also in the trumpets was Charles Decker, later to be a Daylight member)

1941 had not been a busy year for ritual work, as there was only one petition for the degrees and the membership dropped to 115. The lodge paid to Grand Lodge a total of $197.00, which included both Grand Lodge and Masonic Home dues, the average monthly bill was just over $60.00.

1945 – L. Presley Gill
1945 saw the installation L. Presley Gill as Worshipful Master. He is unique in lodge annals in that he petitioned twice and was rejected the first time in January 1936. That first petition listed his profession as attorney, but his 1938 petition listed it as picture operator-attorney. When asked about this unusual event, charter member Beach Taylor, explained that it involved a family disagreement between Gill and his father-in-law ‘. . . who didn‘d think ‘Pres‘ as he was known was good enough for his daughter and the lodge sort of helped iron things out. Actually we made sure his father-in-law was working when the petition came up for ballot and when he took the first degree.‘ He went on to say that like good Masons, in time everything was ironed out, ‘ ‘ and Pres became one of our best Masters and you know, he also served fourteen months,‘ Taylor added with a bit of irony in his voice?

Gill who was born in Montgomery, Missouri, February 13, 1908, worked as a projectionist while putting himself through law school as well as the years when he was getting established as a lawyer. He became one of the most successful, highly respected and frequently consulted labor lawyers in the nation. His corner office in the King County Labor Temple at First and Broad, was a frequent haunt of many of the State’s leading politicians including U.S. Senators Warren Magnuson and Henry Jackson. It was often said that any proposed labor law, state or federal, dropped in the hopper by a Washington congressional delegation member or legislator in the 1940s, 50s and 60s, was either written or examined by Gill. He died in 1987.

1945 was the busiest year the lodge was to have for degree work. It started two weeks after the installation with four Fellowcraft Degrees and this continued throughout the year with a special, sometimes two, every month except August. A total of forty-five degrees were conferred during the year including a number as a courtesy for lodges elsewhere in the nation. There were seventeen special communications in addition to the usual stated meetings. Twelve Entered Apprentice were started on their Masonic journey and by year‘s end fifteen brothers had been passed and raised, increasing membership to 146.

For example there was an April 25 Special, for Master Mason Degree conferrals on two brothers, one from Jamestown Lodge No. 6, Jamestown, North Dakota. These minutes read,

‘The flag of our country was presented at the altar, at which time the Worshipful Master paid tribute to our belated Beloved President, Franklin Delano Roosevelt and called the lodge to a moment of silent prayer in his memory;‘

1945 was a year in which Grand Lodge in compliance with requests from the Federal Government, held a limited Grand Lodge session in Seattle and the lodge in observing the Grand Master‘s directive, ‘ ‘ unanimously decided to adopt the resolution and V.W.B Early J. Berry, deputy of the Grand Master in this district was selected to represent Daylight lodge at the Limited War-Time Annual Communication ‘‘ But the lodge still held its own birthday celebration with a special communication on July 11. ‘This special communication was held for the purpose of celebrating the twenty-fifth Anniversary of the Lodge ‘ Brothers James LaFlour and John Butterfield, Sr., founders of the lodge, were seated in the East and given a round of applause.‘ And seated with them in the East was William H. Searing who had been Grand Marshal at the constituting ceremonies in 1920.

1949 – James Stokes Andrews
1949 was to be another fairly busy year with six petitions, fourteen degrees and two petitions for affiliation bringing membership to a total of 165. One of the affiliates was a musician from Meridian Lodge No. 108, AF & AM in Vancouver, British Columbia. John Raymond Souders better know as Jackie, became perhaps Seattle’s most popular 1950’s and 1960’s bandleader. Jackie Souders‘ Band greeted troops at the pier as they disembarked on their return from the Korean War. During the 1962 Seattle Century 21 Worlds Fair, his was the official fair band.

The 1949 Master was James Andrew, a crane operator and later weighman at Bethlehem Steel Company. He was raised August 9, 1944 in his neighbor hood lodge, Alki Lodge No. 152 and later became a charter member of West Seattle Lodge No. 287. He affiliated with Daylight April 10, 1946, but the minutes show that he was active in degree work even before he affiliated. Throughout 1946, he frequently gave the lectures, often filled the Junior Warden’s chair and officially assumed the office in January 1947, advanced to the East and was installed in traditional Daylight manner January 12, 1949 by Frank Poole. In 1960 he served as Master of Walter F. Meier Lodge of Research No. 281.

The minutes suggest that this Glasgow, Scotland native, born October 29, 1904 was an excellent ritualist and his almost immediate selection as Junior Warden was due to the fact that Past Master Beach B. Taylor was sitting in the West and Junior Warden Paulsen advanced to the East. He became the second member of the lodge to hold the office of Junior Grand Deacon and in 1956 became the first member to serve as a District Deputy of the Grand Master and in 1958, when age forced secretary Tudor Thomas to resign, he was elected to fill the office. He was called to the Celestial Lodge on February 11, 1963.

The minutes of April 13 read,

The Worshipful Master discussed a proposed visit by Daylight Lodge to Meridian Lodge No. 108, located in Vancouver B.C. and appointed brother Earl Stanley to assist him in making arrangements. The next minutes note that arrangements had been completed for a visit … on Friday, June 3.

The October 12, 1949 minutes record the first official visit to Daylight from the officers and members of Meridian Lodge starting an extended history of Masonic visitations and fellowship between daylight Masonic brothers in the Northwest’s two oldest daytime lodges, a lasting credit to the Masonic foresight of Daylight‘s Scottish brother. To note the event and the tie between the two lodges, Worshipful Brother A. H. Millham instituted a traveling gavel that has to this day, traveled north and south across this international border testifying to the universal brotherhood of Masonry. On January 11, 1950, Andrews’ highly successful and busy year ended the lodge’s third decade with the installation of the lodge’s first railroad Masters.

In the Pacific Western United States no new daytime lodges were formed between 1924 and 1950, a fact largely attributable to the decline in live entertainment like vaudeville, a victim of the depression and the growth of the talkies in the film industry.

For these very reasons San Francisco’s Jewel Lodge No. 374 gave up its unique niche in West Coast Masonry and become a night-time lodge on June 2, 1941, some thirty years later in 1973, to consolidate with Bay City Lodge No. 526, and Lincoln Lodge No. 470 forming United Lodge No. 374. That lodge subsequently combined with other lodges so that even the number disappeared and thus vanished the first of the West’s daylight and entertainer’s lodge. Never-the-less, it was a jewel which left its mark on Masonry, for it inspired the formation of other daytime lodges on the West Coast, such as Silver Trowel in Hollywood, Queen Beach in Long Beach, Meridian in Vancouver, Midday in Portland and Seattle’s Daylight.

Jewel Lodge in its years of existence could claim a number of distinguished members such as Leo Bruck, its first secretary, a professional musician and composer who for 35 years was secretary of the San Francisco Masonic Board of Relief and Employment Bureau. The Scottish Rite Bodies gave him its 33rd Degree in recognition of his efforts for Brotherly Love, Relief and Truth. Another member, George Juan Hatfield assisted in the formation of the American Legion in California, later was elected California’s Lieutenant Governor. Well known lecturer and writer, Manly Palmer Hall was included in the list of Jewel members.

1964 – Floyd Elmo Hart, Jr.
The lodge’s first Senior Warden, Stubby Hart, did not live long enough to see his son, Floyd Hart, Jr. seated in Daylight’s East. The 1964 Master was thirteen when his father became Master in 1927. Floyd, Jr. petitioned and completed his degrees on June 11, 1959 and immediately became an officer. A Seattle native, he was born September 2, 1914 and followed in his father’s profession.

When the Seattle Repertory Theater was formed in the middle 1960’s, he was its first technical director. He retired from the position when, some twenty years later, the Rep moved from the Seattle Center Playhouse to a new home, The Bagley Wright Theater. He and his wife then moved to California but could not take the total retirement life and returned to Seattle. For a while he operated a small fishing vessel in Grays Harbor but he could not stay away from back stage and he began to work for the Seattle Opera. On July 23, 1994 the Seattle Opera, in its program for their production of Wagner’s Lohengrin, paid special tribute to Hart and his long expertise in his trade. Hart had fabricated the Silver Knight’s electronically operated magic swan used in the opera. He worked the opera’s first two performances, did not awake on the morning of July 26 ringing down the curtain on a lifetime of theater and also marking a final curtain, the last tie to Daylight’s founding members. Kingsbury installed Hart who had as Senior Warden another brother from the world of entertainment, singer/teacher George Peckham.

In the Pacific Northwest, 1964 is remembered as being the Year of the Alaska Earthquake and the lodge received a letter headed:

CITY OF KODIAK

Office of the Chief of Police

Another year and I am late with my dues again. This will probably be the only year in my life I will have an excuse.

As you know, … the Island of Kodiak suffered the disaster of an earthquake and following the earthquake, a series of seismic sea waves. The wave inundated a large portion of the city and caused part of it to wash out to sea. After knocking out communications, these waves also took out the major part of our tax structure. Every person in this area and in particular the members of the Kodiak Police Department worked long hours. Countless acts of heroism and dedicated service far beyond the call of duty, too numerous to be listed here, will be long remembered.

I have several letters from brothers and will answer every one.

Respectfully,
(s) Jack L. Rhines

Surprisingly, there is no record in the lodge’s minutes or treasurer’s book of any donation to any Earthquake Relief Fund.

On December 9, the lodge made a bylaw revision. It adopted a proposal first defeated two years earlier to change meetings to the second Saturday, same time, and same place. It was adopted unanimously, so when newly elected George Peckham was install as Master on January 9, 1965, it would was the lodge’s first Saturday meeting and installation. Peckham had found it necessary to preside over the last several meetings of 1964 because as Hart would later acknowledged, he had become a problem alcoholic. Both he and Peckham later told how on one occasion the lodge members hurried him out the back, side door of the lodge room when it was announced that the Grand Master was in the Tiler’s room. Hart absented himself from lodge for the next twenty years, even though his brothers pleaded with him to return. But twenty-five years later when he felt comfortable talking about it, he looked back and told how the lodge had protected him in his hour of need. When he did finally return to lodge, he was greeted as a respected senior Past Master with important ties to the lodge’s origin.

1965 – George Flint Peckham
For thirty years, through good times and not so good, George Peckham was to be one of the lodge’s predominate pillars of support but, like so many Daylight members, he didn’t learn about Seattle’s entertainer’s lodge until after taking his degrees. He became a dual member December 11, 1957. He received his degrees in Alamo Lodge No. 44 in San Antonio as a war time courtesy candidate for Arcana Lodge No. 87. One of thousands of military candidates, he was raised November 26, 1943. As earlier related he accepted the secretary’s office when Hugo Naegele declined to be installed. When a permanent secretary was found two years later, he then started back through the officer‘s line.

Born in Athol, Massachusetts, July 19, 1904, he often said that it was a word he never uttered on radio because starting with a hard ‘A‘ it would invariably be misunderstood as another word. After studying voice in Chicago, he traveled west and worked for a while in lumber camps in Oregon’s Rogue River Valley. In the early 1930’s he came to Seattle looking for work and sang his way into a job at a downtown nightclub called the Blue Danube. The pay? $2.00 a night!

In 1944 he founded the Seattle Chapter of AFRA, what is now know as AFTRA {American Federation of Television and Radio Artists}, was a member of AGMA {American Guild of Musical Artists}, AGVA {American Guild of Variety Artists} and served all three unions as a regional representative. For a time during the 1950’s and early 1960‘s he also handled Actor’s Equity problem. In 1994 at the Seattle AFTRA Chapter‘s 50th Anniversary celebration, the members honored him by creating the George Peckham Communicator Award, to be given to a person who fosters good relations between artists and management.

He appeared on stage in many different productions singing with Seattle’s Western Opera, the Portland Opera and other local musical productions. For example, he was a charter member of the Seattle Shakespeare Festival and more than one fledgling actor or singer found a room in the Peckham house. As a vocal coach, he trained both amateur and professional students running from opera to jazz. His reputation with pop singers was nationally known and many artists on tour would spend a few hours with him, correcting their vocal problems. He taught a voice lesson on December 21, 1994, the following morning he was found dead from a stroke. He was the brother that for many years the lodge could fitting call Boaz.

Peckham was elected secretary for a second time December 1966, but had filled the office on a temporary basis for most of that year. He continued in the office until 1975 when he was named Secretary-Emeritus. Grand Master George Bovingdon named him chairman of the Grand Lodge Obituary Committee for the 1966 session.

The previously mentioned change of meetings to Saturday morning proved to be successful, the Tiler’s porch book shows a very definite increase in attendance during 1965, often two pages of signatures. There were five petitions received and thirteen degrees conferred, the largest number in nearly ten years. One of those was Frederick William Jiencke, III, who when he signed the bylaws on October 9, 1965, gave the lodge its first father, son and grandson combination.

1966 – Elmo Thomas Richmond
When Thomas Kingsbury installed the new Master on January 8, 1966 and George Peckham retired from the East, it can be marked as the end of Daylight’s professional, full time entertainment officers. A number of the future Masters would be a part of the entertainment world but none would continue throughout their life to earn their principal income in that field. Many would continue the support, love and part-time activities in theater and music, but Daylight was now a different lodge.

Elmo Richmond, born in Caseville, Michigan, April 6, 1911, raised as a Master Mason on November 8, 1959 was Yard Foreman for the Northern Pacific Railroad and the first of three consecutive years of brothers involved with the rails. Both of his Wardens worked in different aspects of the railroad industry.

The year started off in good fashion, with petitions and degree work, but then in March Ray Pierce resigned and moved to Portland for treatment of his cancer. Once again George Peckham picked up the pen when Richmond asked him to take over the duties on a temporary basis for the balance of the year. That June, Senior Deacon Allen Austin died, and Ray Piece followed in August. At the June 11 meeting a major topic of debate was a Grand Lodge Resolution to allow alcoholic beverages in the dining area of a Masonic building. From the minute notes, it was a lively discussion but the proposal would wait nearly twenty-five years before Grand Lodge would adopt it.

Ever the letter writer, Harry Reed wrote Richmond on January 5:

… and I hope to be at lodge for installation on Saturday, although not much before 10:00 a.m. If it snows don’t be surprised to find me missing as it too long a trip on our “rapid transit” system, …

… don’t be surprised if I sneak away early. For more than 15 years I’ve been one of the three judges to pick the soloist for the Seattle Philharmonic Orchestra’s annual concert so I’ll be due at Cornish School Auditorium shortly after noon and often there are a dozen aspiring instrumentalists, ready to do their best!

… It was welcome news to hear that our Past Master Don Johnston will be the “big shot” at Seattle Center for $15,000 per year. Sorry that Don Dawson’s job as stage manager at the Center made it impossible to continue through the chairs but happy to hear that “letter perfect” Fred Jiencke, III is taking the second rung of the ladder. That November meeting was a real thrill.

There was a special communication before all but three stated meetings and Secretary’s Peckham’s Annual Report to Grand Lodge shows six new members were added either by proficiency or dual membership but deaths kept the membership the same, 137. The cash balance at year’s beginning was $8736 and on December 31, 1966 it totaled $9578. Expenses averaged $153.00 a month, so the lodge entered 1967 in reasonably secure shape, its new secretary firmly in charge of the office.

Edwin C. Booth, wrote the lodge in January 1968 a letter which is worth quoting:

I don’t remember King and King but I remember the Henry Duffy Players because I was property man for the Seattle Company for several seasons. Your remarks about the Tent Show takes me back to the year 1913. Stub Hart as he was called, Father of Floyd and Benn, was the assistant Property Man for the Bailey and Mitchel Stock Company and I was Assistant Electrician and we used to do bit parts and supe. I got canned for not paying attention to instruction from the Director during rehearsal of “Forty-five Minutes from Broadway” in which Stub and I were to sing with a small chorus. I was talking with one of the chorus girls, so the old heave ho.

There was a family by the name of Kelly who played the Tank Towns every summer with a so-called Repertory Company and I applied for an acting job but I was too late, there was only one job left and I could have that; taking tickets at the door and playing the base [sic] drum in the band which I thought beneath my level so I turned it down.

This was at the old Seattle Theatre which was at the northeast corner of Third and Cherry. It was a early day theatre because the gas jets were still in the footlights at that time but of course were not in use in 1913. There was a ladies orchestra that played the overture and intermission music and I remember the leader, I think her name was Ma Higgins and she used to smoke cigars.

Best Wishes for the New Year (s) Eddie

1977 – Allen Dexter Carter
The first public installation of officers since 1972 was held on January 8, 1977 when Allen Carter another senior DeMolay was installed by Secretary Morgan. Carter and Morgan had been friends for a number of years, worked together in several Seattle area theaters and operated their own theatre, a venture which convinced them that in Seattle, theater was a not for profit business. Morgan had raised Carter on April 1, 1972, one of the first petitions he had brought to Daylight. Morgan appointed him to his first office in the line and installed him into every office he had held. Fittingly for a lodge which had supported various student musician activities and counted in its membership many teachers, the soloist for the installation was Michael Deviny, a winner of the San Francisco Opera Auditions to which the lodge had donated funds.

With his stage experience Carter, proved to be one of the lodge’s most spectacular ritualists, and in the future, one of the most called upon members. He was able to learn and fill on short notice any station and do so in an impressive manner as he showed at his installation by installing his own officers. He was born in the City by the Bay on June 20, 1945 but spent most of his life in the Burien area graduating from Highline High School. Like many would be thespians, he found that theatre paid poorly, barely a living wage and he attended technical school to become a marine electrician. Later with his theater training he became a Boeing Company instructor.

Carter’s first meeting in the East was a memorable one, marked by the visit of Most Worshipful Shigiru Nishiyama, Grand Master of Japan and two Past Grand Masters of Japan, Chet Neilsen and Mike Matsumoto plus a number of brothers who held dual membership in Washington and Japanese lodges. At the following meeting in recognition of his long association with the music profession, Past Grand Master George Bovingdon was elected an Honorary Past Master. He had worked his way through college and earned his law degree while blowing on a horn. It was also in recognition of his influence as president of the Seattle Youth Symphony Orchestra Board of Directors.

The year also saw two bylaws changes adopted. That proposed by Art Loomis to raise petition fees and a second to prohibit dues being remitted merely because a member was fifty years a Mason. The latter was caused by the demand from a member who insisted that because he had held Masonic membership for fifty years, he should automatically have his dues remitted. Several of the charter and senior members objected to this saying that in a lodge as small as Daylight, trying to stabilize its income, every member should pay his fair share. Besides it was difficult to convince the membership that these particular dues should be remitted when it was reported that the demanding brother the previous year had donated a $25,000.00 organ to his church, provided an endowment to maintain the instrument, resided in one of San Francisco’s more exclusive residential complexes and that he was always a year late in his lodge dues. Need-less-to-say the bylaw change carried without a single negative vote. It was apparent that the lodge looked at the reality of its situation concluding that to survive, everyone must contribute to its success.

1980- Richard Roland Merritt
The new Master who would raise the curtain on the new decade was Dick Merritt who joined the lodge for the unabashed goal of becoming a Shriner, but his interest in Blue Lodge work soon became so important a part of his life that he instead became an officer. It was unfortunate that in attempting to fill the chairs and obtain officers, Daylight chose the same expediency, adopted by many lodges advancing members like Merritt through the chairs at an inordinately fast pace. The consequence of imitating these other lodges was soon apparent; ritual and Masonic practice suffered from the inadequacy of years; traditions were forgotten and attendance declined due to lack of proper overall planning and the to frequent poor ritual performances. As dedicated as these young new officers were, they simply lacked the background, the training that years of Masonic experience gave, and the lodge suffered because of it.

Merritt was part of a large Merritt clan in the Puget Sound region in business and several lodges. A Seattle native, he was born October 26, 1927 and took his Entered Apprentice Degree in Vancouver B.C. May 10, 1975 when Daylight Lodge was allowed to confer the degree during its annual visit to Meridian Lodge No. 108 and he finished his degrees on September 13 that same year. He was first appointed Senior Steward in 1976, then Junior Deacon by-passing the important training of Senior Deacon to be elected Junior Warden. Voted to the East, October 20, 1979, he was installed on November 17, in the Main Masonic Temple because, the regular meeting place had been rented to another organization and an installation dinner could not be held.

In fact to meet the Masonic Code requirements, on the morning of November 17, just three brothers opened lodge at the Scottish Rite Temple where bylaws changes were submitted to move the lodge to a different location. Lodge immediately closed and all hurried up Broadway to the Main Masonic Temple so that retiring Master Carnahan could open a special communication to install Merritt and his officers. Merritt had the honor of being installed Daylight’s sixtieth Master by his cousin, William H. Merritt, a Past Master of Theodore Roosevelt Lodge No. 229 who was then serving as Senior Grand Steward. Merritt’s assuming the East just four short years after being raised, clearly attested to the officer shortage problem.

Richard Merritt was employed as a ship repair superintendent at the Foss Launch and Tug Shipyard where secretary Morgan was working. One morning as Morgan was leaving a vessel, Merritt challenged him demanding to know where he was going. When Morgan told him that he was going to conduct a Masonic funeral, Merritt stated that he wanted to join the Masons because, it is part of the Shrine and I want to be a Shriner. Because of the manner in which the request was made, it was not received with any great enthusiasm nor did the knowledge that he was an excessive drinker make it any more popular. Not withstanding the manner of the request, after discussing the matter, the lodge officers decided that a petition and the ballot box would answer the question of his admission.

Charity was practiced and Merritt subsequently became one of the lodge’s most dedicated officers. Unfortunately because of his rapid advancement he was never to be too proficient in the ritual. Nevertheless, the lessons he heeded well and learning true temperance, he set an example for many members of both his lodge and the machinist union of which he remained an active member. True to his obligations he never hesitated to go out of his way to assist a brother, in particular one who faced the same problems he himself had faced and conquered. He was appointed to the Grand Lodge Drug Foundation 1986-88 but because of ill health was unable to actively participate. Always an active and energetic person, over the years he served as an organizer for the Teamsters, as a delegate to numerous labor bodies such as the King County Labor Council where he was remembered for putting Governor Albert Rosellini on Labor’s Unfair List. Sadly the lodge was not able to continue to benefit from his advice, for he was diagnosed with leukemia and died July 26, 1988, all too soon after serving as Master.

One of the first problems which faced the new Master was the proposal to move the lodge’s meeting place because unlike most evening lodges, now more than ever, a major part of Daylight’s monthly gathering was feasting at the High Twelve Festiveboard which the Junior Warden presided over with knife, fork and a Silver Trowel used to spread the fellowship.

It had become so much a part of Daylight’s style that it was at these hours of fellowship, that members frequently spent as much, or more time discussing Masonry and other lodge related matters, as they did during the actual stated meeting. No meeting passed without such fellowship and following a Master Mason degree the practice was started of heading for a pizza parlor where the new member could be saluted with wine. At Daylight the Junior Warden continued to superintend the Craft during the hours of refreshments, and it really remained, the province of the Stewards to see that the tables are well furnished…

This traditional luncheon, seemingly a minor issue, became a source of increasing friction and rental problems at the lodge’s Scottish Rite home, for without prior notice and with seeming increasing regularity, the members would arrive for a stated meeting, only to find the dining facilities had been turned over to other organizations, meaning the festiveboard would be served in the lobby of the building, or could not be prepared and would be cancelled. At long last a number of the brethren became rather exercised over the continuing problem and demanded that the lodge find a new home, but after meeting with building management, Merritt received assurances that in the future the lodge could be guaranteed their monthly festiveboard would not be affected, the problem was past. He was promised that in the future there would be no conflicts, so the push to move elsewhere was sidetracked.

As related earlier, starting in 1973, as a scholarship program, Daylight had contributed funds to the Seattle Youth Symphony Orchestra. Many times, there had been discussions as to what more might be done; a dinner had been considered, but quickly put aside as being impractical for such a small lodge to try to support. Realistically, the task of staging a dinner for the over one hundred and twenty-five members of the orchestra seemed financially and practically impossible. But in 1980, Merritt and secretary Morgan presented to the lodge a dinner proposal to instead honor the principal or first chair players of the orchestra along with their parents. By doing this, indirect recognition would be given to the whole orchestra and special recognition to the hard working orchestra leaders. The plan was accepted and the first dinner on February 2, 1980 was a smashing success, with over one hundred and thirty in attendance. Twenty young musicians were recognized, honored and presented a special Masonic Scholarship Medal.

Afterwards the lodge received a letter from Vilem Sokol, conductor of the orchestra that read in part:

It was extremely thoughtful of you to think of honoring the first chair players of the orchestra, who have been associated with our organization for many years… {we} have been witness to their determination and their leadership.

One parent expressed her pleasure by stating that every time someone wants to honor a musician, they expect them to play and … all you did was say thank you for being good students. I thank you for doing something different.

Yet another wrote regarding these dinners:

I was fortunate to attend your dinner… I am sure I speak for all the musicians and their parents when I say that we were touched and moved by your gracious gesture to share an evening of warmth, hospitality and above all appreciation of the young talent. You are one of the few organizations that recognizes these young people of our community as symbols of excellence.

These dinners continued until the early 1990’s, when the lodge’s reduced membership did make it to difficult hold.

June 1980, the lodge celebrated its sixtieth anniversary with a number of Grand Lodge officers in attendance including newly elected Grand Master Wayne Sparger, Deputy Grand Master Herbert Edman and the new Deputy of the Grand Master in District No. 5, Daylight’s own secretary, who after nearly thirty years became the second Daylight Past Master to be a Deputy.

It was a day of mixed joy and sadness, because just one week earlier the final curtain was rung down on the Lodge’s beginning years. The last living charter member Beach Bassett Taylor, 1931’s Master posted his final bill and had his admission ticket to the Celestial Lodge torn by the Supreme Grand Master. . Over the years, lodge Masters had turned to him in search of advice, tradition and at ninety plus he continued to represent the independent spirit of the lodge by answering,

‘We didn’t do it that way in 1930, but we won’t know if we don’t try and we can’t make a mistake to correct, by always staying the same. We can always change back if we don’t like it.‘

Taylor was one of those who attended the very first November 28, 1919 organizational meeting.

1981 & 1982 – Zane Allen Fuller
Daylight advanced the date of its election of officers to the earliest possible date each time the Grand Lodge Code was amended consequently on October 14 Merritt presided over his final meeting when fittingly, the brethren of Meridian Lodge No. 108 made their annual visit. Officers elected for the coming year were, Zane A. Fuller as Master, Allen D. Carter, P.M. as Senior Warden and Thomas F. Northup as Junior Warden, Ken Lindsay and Coe Tug Morgan started their sixth year as treasurer and secretary.

The installation was held on November 1, 1980 in the Ballard Masonic Hall because, once again and on short notice, the planned installation date became unavailable when the Scottish Rite Temple management informed the Master-elect that the dining room had been rented to a larger organization.

The new Master was born in Los Angeles September 4, 1928 and was raised in Totem Lodge No. 282 on March 23, 1970. He worked evenings as a baker and could not attend meetings so, at the suggestion of his secretary, he checked out Daylight Lodge, affiliated before the end of the year soon began work as an officer. He normally would have served as Master in 1977, but he dropped out of line as an active officer to attend school, spent several years as steward until he could again become fully active. Even after he was seated in the East, he often appeared at lodge directly from work, with a touch of flour behind his ear.

On March 21, 1980 when the new District Deputy made his first official visit, the Junior Warden and Senior Deacon, two of three officers who were not recycled material, dropped a bomb. Like many lodges the choice of officers looked glum at this time and over the past several years Past Masters had filled a number of the offices that included the Senior Warden. In fact only the Master, Junior Warden, Senior Deacon and Marshal were not Past Masters, a sorry condition.

In a very firm but Masonic manner, the two brothers informed the brethren that they were not willing to advance as officers, because in the short time they had been in the lodge, they could not hope to be prepared to be the kind of officers they could and wanted to be. The minutes record this meeting best:

In 1981 only one appointive officer has not been a past master and WM Fuller and JW Northup the only non-PM elected officers. Over a period of months various officers and PM’s had discussed this matter and what should be done. JW Northup had expressed concern because due to a recent industrial accident he had been retrained into a new work field and did not know his future work status or hours. The WM had appointed Paul Adams as Senior Deacon but he had had little opportunity to learn ritual and gain necessary experience for progress thru the chairs. While Brother Tannehill had been appointed Marshal, his age and his work which placed him at the bottom of the seniority list working for Rainier Brewery virtually eliminated him from filling the office. Hence a problem.

The minutes continue to describe a typical Daylight action when faced with a problem:

Following this March 21st meeting all Past Master and officers present, gathered in front of the East and Worshipful Master Fuller was asked to continue in the East for next year and start planning with that idea in mind for 1982. Worshipful Brother Carter indicated he would then plan for the year of 1983. This would give the officers lower in the line, more opportunity to gain necessary Masonic experience. Brother‘s Northup and Adams both indicated that they wholeheartily concurred in this action and would work closely to see that Worshipful Brother Fuller received as much support as possible.

This action, forced upon the lodge by these concerned, young brothers was to break tradition, but was one of the wisest resolves the lodge had taken in a number of years and perhaps even saved the lodge. Now assured what seemed a continuity of officers, it would give the lodge the opportunity to allow the junior officers, the extended time normally gained moving through all their stations. It would assure experience in all these stations. To assist in gaining this needed lodge experience, Fuller adopted a policy of having a different junior officer close in the East each meeting, and shifted other officers accordingly.

In April 1981, the lodge members arrived for their stated meeting, to find that the Scottish Rite management without any advance notice had again rented the dining facilities to another organization. The lodge was forced to observe the yearly Past Master’s Day Festiveboard, in the Tiler‘s area and this proved to be the proverbial straw. As soon as lodge opened, several bylaw changes submitted to move to other Masonic Halls in the Seattle area, a committee was appointed and it would recommend three different halls, Green Lake, Home in Georgetown and The Main Masonic Temple.

A month later, the members proving that Daylight Lodge, though small, was not about to be considered less important than any other lodge, overwhelmingly opted out of the Scottish Rite Temple to the Green Lake Masonic Hall. The move received the Grand Master’s approval, and Daylight promptly packed out to be warmly welcomed at Green Lake, their fourth home in sixty years. In addition to the Green Lake Lodge Master and several of his officers, the lodge was welcomed to their new home by an unexpected guest, Wilf Roger, Past Grand Master of British Columbia.

1999-2001 John Frederick Losey, Jr.
With the installation of John better know as Jay Losey by his father, John Sr., the lodge lurched into a new year ending a century and looking at a new century and the lodge‘s eightieth year. Losey‘s petition was received on June 18, 1994, just one week after Grand Lodge had lowered the petition age to eighteen, consequently his was very possibly the first petition received by any lodge under the new laws. He was attending Central Washington University at the time he joined the lodge and was raised by his father on January 21, 1995. He filled in as a Steward for the balance of that year and because the officers higher in line left Seattle he held only two appointed offices, Chaplain and Junior Deacon before being elected Junior Warden. The scarcity of officers can be noticed by the fact that in 1997 he was installed as Junior Deacon but when the installed Senior Deacon moved from Seattle the month after the installation he was to be found filling several different offices.

John Sr. installed John Jr., as Master on September 18, 1999 as the second Losey to sit in the Lodge‘s Oriental Chair; a fourth family to serve as Daylight Masters. His great grandfather had served as the Master of Doric Lodge No. 92 in Fremont and family tradition claims Freemasons for eight or ten generations. Losey‘s first year as Master saw him restart the Seattle Youth Symphony First Chair Players Honors Dinner, an event that had be dropped from lodge activities after 1990. Losey felt that the lodge needed a definite goal and purpose. Because he had been an erstwhile band member at Central Washington University and remembered the dinner program from his early contact with the lodge he believed this was an ideal lodge program. The June 2000 meeting was one when the lodge honored the newly elected Grand Master Richard Mecartea, a past master of Elliot Bay Lodge No. 252, the only lodge that Daylight had ever sponsored. A frequent visitor to Daylight over his many years as a Masonic leader, in recognition of his many years of contact with Daylight he was named and honorary Past Master. At the end of his first year as Master his father presented him with a Past Master‘s Apron his Great Grandfather‘s.

Looking at officer prospect the lodge again decided that two year terms were a reasonable solution. David Julian was in the West and affiliated Past Master Phil Ostendorf was in the South. When Secretary CoeTug Morgan installed Losey for a second year on January 20, 2000 he had a fairly complete line of officers. The lodge had accomplished a coup when John Ulysses Ruiz, the Junior Deacon of Queen Anne Lodge No. 242 was assigned to a second shift job and came to Daylight seeking to work. Losey jumped at the chance to have an experience brother as an officer. Past Master Andrew Carnahan had been as the year 1999-2000 Senior Deacon on interim basis and Losey was pleased to replace him with Ruiz. As the lodge history tells this was certainly not a first time so he then was officially named to the office for the year 2000-2001. True the five elected officers were all Past Masters but the balance of the officers were young brothers.

Early in the year 2000 three inquiries about Masonry were forwarded to the lodge from the Grand Lodge office and all three became active members. In the fall of 2000 several of these younger brothers suggested that in keeping with the lodge‘s musical background, that the lodge should build a portable bands stand to use at Seattle area Street Fair. The bandstand could feature ‘garage bands,‘ and also give Daylight some visibility in the community. The idea didn‘t come to fruition but in May of 2001 the lodge‘s marshal, Raleigh Wilson who had been heading the committee was contacted by the Fremont Solstice Festival and asked if Daylight would like to sponsor one of the Fair‘s bandstands. The lodge jumped at the chance and even managed to get Junior Deacon Anthony Monaco‘s band as the first band on opening day.

The following week June 23 thru 25 Daylight jointly with Tyee No. 115, the Wayfarer‘s Daylight Lodge hosted the North American Conference of Daylight Lodges. Tyee observed the event on June 23 by celebrating that lodge‘s 100th Anniversary and on the 25th the official meeting of the Conference, Daylight and the Conference welcomed not only the Washington Grand Lodge elected officers headed by M\ W\ Robert Van Zee but also M\ W\ James Gordon, the just installed Grand Master of British Columbia. It was a proud day for daylight Masons as Brother Gordon was past Master of Meridian Lodge No. 108. Daylight members were re-elected to Conference offices, Ernest Hazelwood as President, Ben Robinson as 1st Vice President and CoeTug Morgan as General Secretary.

As the lodge started the new century, membership except during the unparalleled 1950s, ‘60s and ‘70s continued to hover around 55 to 60, a number that was more in keeping with the history of lodge. Always trying to be in the forefront of changes, they voted to continue to maintain a web site. In this new electronic age, using the latest Email method the lodge Trestleboard and minutes were sent monthly to about half the members.. This included lodge bills and general discussion and much of the lodge planning each month took place between all the officers by the same means. Losey instituted the idea of conducting meetings around the Festiveboard, taking motions and holding the discussions in an informal setting and then returning to the lodge room and with one motion confirming all the action taken at the Festiveboard. The lodge‘s secretary continued his community service by being appointed to serve on the Sound Transit Citizen Accessibility Advisory Committee and also as the secretary to the Board of the Seattle Chamber Players. The year 2001 ended with an ample bank account and 56 members on the lodge books with the members reinvigorated by young faces and new ideas but for the first time in nearly 12 years Daylight did not have a brother serving as a Grand Lodge officer or committeeman.

By turn of the millennium, there were a total of at least seven daytime lodges in the State. Two in Seattle, number one Daylight No. 232, number two Olympus No. 45 Prince Hall, number three Ridgefield Daylight No. 237 in Vancouver, DAYLIGHT officially added to its name in 1994 and number four, Tyee No. 115, the Wayfarer‘s Daylight Lodge in Renton, Frank S. Land No. 313 and two other Prince Hall Lodges Evergreen Lodge in Everett and African Genesis in Oak Harbor. Bellingham and Spokane held discussions about making a possible change to daytime. Around the nation and the world, daytime lodges, lodges now comprised mainly of retirees, have proliferated attesting to an ever-subtle change in the Masonic Craft, where a new kind of fellowship is found and where the medieval Mason, would doubtless find himself at home in a lodge where the Junior Warden truly superintends the Craft at refreshment.

Small though it has always been, Daylight members have always been active both in the Craft, and their community, ever practicing the precept that every person has a claim upon your good offices, do good unto all. An incomplete, and short list of civic active brothers might mention, Martin Ringhofer, president of the Boeing United Way fund and in 1995, a candidate for the Seattle School District Board; Fred Jiencke, Sr., CoeTug Morgan, Chet Aldridge, Carbon Webber, Athol Laity, Charles Meredith, Harry Reed all elected union officials; Morgan a Governor appointed Commissioner on the Washington State Arts Commission. Masonic service has seen Don Ward and David Julian as organist for a number of lodges; five members have been Deputy of the Grand Master though one represented another lodge and district; several have served as Grand Lodge committee members and to date nine have worn a Grand Lodge officer‘s purple collar; one, Morgan was a serious but unsuccessful candidate for Junior Grand Warden.

To that scant list, should be added the over 150 entertainers, who brought joy and happiness to audiences, wherever they worked both as men and Masons. Notable brothers like Jackie Souders, whose band was the official band greeting servicemen returning from the Korean Conflict and visitors to the Century 21 World’s Fair in 1962; George Peckham who taught many local pop and nationally known entertainers, how to use their voice, who for a number of years staged the Masonic Hour of Music for the benefit of the Masonic Service Bureau and founded the Seattle Chapter of the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists; of course Benny Priteca, master architect whose theaters can still be found in cities other than Seattle; Harry Reed entertaining noontime customers at Rhodes Department Store’s giant pipe organ. The roster of the Seattle Symphony has been filled with Daylight names, many first chair players and there were the many unseen and unrecognized brothers backstage who pulled curtains and moved sets.

To separate the most important events of the 1990’s, even the past three decades will be a task for a future lodge historian. What the future will bring to the Northwest’s oldest daytime and once entertainer’s lodge cannot be foretold, but if the past is any indication it will be interesting for like any stage production, the cast awaits each curtain raising with both anticipation, and a bit of stage fright. Like a classic play, the lines don’t change, but new actors, different directors give it a new and slightly distinct interpretation. Places everyone, goes the cry backstage Curtain up…

Perhaps it would be appropriate to close this narrative by repeating the words of the first secretary, Erwin Gastel who wrote in one of his communications to the lodge:

‘May I bespeak for Daylight Lodge that each succeeding year will find our membership in closer bonds of friendship, exemplifying in our daily life all the teachings of our wonderful order – this, and only this, will lead us to the realization of the Perfect Life, exemplified in our Degrees, which will spell progress and success for our Lodge.”