CHRONOLOGY OF MASONIC CHARITY
IN OKLAHOMA
From 1888
1888
Fourteenth
Annual Communication of the Grand Lodge of
the Indian Territory. A resolution
was presented and adopted as follows:
Resolved, that a
Special Commission be appointed to devise a
plan for the systematic education of Masonic
orphans, raise funds therefore and secure a
legal title to a suitable body of land on
which to erect a Masonic Orphanage for the
Grand Lodge of Indian Territory.
1889
Fifteenth Annual
Communication of the Grand Lodge of the
Indian Territory. A report by M\W\
Joseph Murrow that a letter had been sent to
all the Lodges asking for contributions to
the Home.
1898
Address by Grand
Master James A. Scott to the Grand Lodge of
the Indian Territory meeting at
Vinita, stressing the importance of work on
establishing the Children’s Home.
1899
At the
Twenty-Sixth Annual Communication of the
Grand Lodge of the Indian Territory
held at Wynnewood, the Grand Secretary again
calls the attention of the Craft to the
importance of the Home.
1900
Brother Henry
Furman is made Financial Agent for the
Home’s Fund. The records of the Indian
Territory Grand Lodge communications
over the next several years show that he
dedicated great amounts of time, personal
sacrifice, and resources to the project. He
seems to have single-handedly gotten the
project off the ground.
M\W\ Brother
William L. Eagleton in the Eighth Annual
Communication of the Oklahoma Territory
Grand Lodge, announces the need for a
Home for widows and orphans, and suggests
that it be financed by a per-capita tax on
Members. The motion is adopted. Other
resolutions provide that the Grand Secretary
will collect and the Grand Treasurer will
deposit the funds. A Board is appointed.
1902
M\W\ Henry
Furman, G.M., reports to the Grand Lodge of
Indian Territory on the progress in
collecting the fund for the Home in Indian
Territory.
The Grand Master
adds:
Can you, as a
self-respecting Mason, see this work going
on and take no part in it? The great secret
of happiness in this life is to make others
happy. If you have done so you know that
this is true. If you have never tried to do
so then indeed has your progress in masonry
been in vain and the labors of your Brethren
in your behalf been for naught.
The Trustees of
the Orphan’s Home Fund made a report showing
the fund at $10,445.17.
1905
At the Annual
Communication of the Grand Lodge of the
Indian Territory held in Tulsa, it is
reported that the endowed fund of $50,000
has been completed.
1907
At the Annual
Communication of the Grand Lodge of
Indian Territory at South McAlester, the
Masonic Home Committee reports that no
offers for the Home location have been
made. An offer is then read from Atoka for
a temporary location for the Home in
an existing facility. The proposal includes
an offer from the Eastern Star to charge a
per-capita tax on its members to support the
Home.
The Grand Master
then appointed the first Board of Control:
J.G.
Ralls Atoka
William Busby McAlester
Henry M. Furman Ada
Lewis R. Nash Ft. Gibson
First meeting of
the Home Board of Control. William Busby
elected President, and J.G. Ralls elected
Secretary.
1908
Home opens, with
Brother George C. Sanders as
Superintendent. (23 children)
Due to the ill
health of his wife, Brother Sanders resigns
as Superintendent and is replaced by Brother
R.W. Choate.
Mrs. Emma Telle
named Matron in Charge of the Home.
1909
The Oklahoma
Territory Grand Lodge receives the
report from Brother W. L. Eagleton that the
$50,000 endowment fund has been
accomplished.
The two Grand
Lodges are united to form the Grand Lodge
of the State of Oklahoma.
At the Grand
Lodge session on 1909, a committee
consisting of William Busby, Joseph Ralls
and C.L. Reeder was appointed to find a
permanent location for the Home.
The Committee
visits the “Darlington Reservation” and
investigates the possibilities. They were
greatly impressed by what they saw.
Later in that
year William Busby visits Washington and
secures the introduction and passage of an
Act of Congress which allows the Fraternity
to purchase the Darlington property at the
appraised value.
1910
At the Annual
Communication, the report of the committee
informs the Grand Lodge that the space at
Darlington is ample for the present and
future needs of the Home. There are several
cottages which can be used for elderly
Master Masons or their widows. They also
announce their hope to build a college on
the property.
The Home is
removed from Atoka to Darlington. (65
children)
1911
The Home Board
of Control reports to the Grand Lodge
session on the condition of the Home
property and on the progress made in making
it ready.
1913
The Grand
Chapter, O.E.S., votes funds to build a
chapel on the Darlington property.
Fire destroyed
the old commissary building which was being
used as a power plant and industrial school.
1919
Grand Master O.
Lonzo Conner suggests that there should be a
separate Home for the Aged, and recommends
an appropriation to build such a Home.
1920
At a meeting of
the Home Board of Control, an offer is made
by the Scottish Rite Consistory at Guthrie
to allow the Grand Lodge to use the Guthrie
property as the Home.
Materials are
developed and sent to each of the Lodges,
explaining the pros and cons of moving the
Home. Each Lodge is instructed to make the
information available to the members and to
vote on whether or not to move the Home when
it holds its annual election of officers.
The results are to be forwarded to the Grand
Lodge.
1921
At the Annual
Communication, a vote on moving the Home is
taken. The results are:
Guthrie
876
Muskogee 208
Darlington 10
Norman 1
It was then
decided to make the vote unanimous in favor
of Guthrie.
1922
Hawk and Parr,
Architects, was selected as the firm to
design the Children’s Home, and later the
Home for the Aged as well. Campbell and
Price, of Oklahoma City, was selected as the
contractor.
The Home moves
to Guthrie. (106 children) (15 adults)
Everyone is moved into the “Old Statehouse”.
1923
Moved into
Children’s Home. (66 boys) (48 girls) (21
men) (5 women)
1924
Announcement is
made of an agreement with the State of
Oklahoma to sell the Darlington property to
the state to be used for a hospital for the
treatment of drug and liquor addicts.
1925
After commenting
on how well the children in the Home are
doing in Guthrie, Grand Master Henry S.
Johnston commented on the importance of
establishing a separate Home for the Aged
rather than continuing to house the two
populations together.
“The old people must be gotten out of the
Home. Elderly men smoke and chew and swear
and old men and elderly men and elderly
women both grouch and complain, and the very
playfulness which makes a boy the delight of
a parent, the sunbeam of a home, renders him
an object of aversion to some elderly
persons who are not related to the boy or
interested in him, especially when his noise
and play clashes with their past habits of
life or the condition of nerves of the
elderly person.”
A hospital,
fully equipped except for an operating room,
is established on the third floor of the
Children’s Home.
1927
Six story
Masonic Home for the Aged is occupied. (27
men) (10 women) Brother William A. Hopkins
and his wife are engaged to serve as
managers of the facility.
1928
By motion made
and passed by the Grand lodge Session, the
Home for the Aged is given the official name
of the Charles L. Reeder Dormitory.
Also, a
committee is formed to work with the Home
Board of Control to create an outreach
program to offer help and guidance to young
men and women when they graduate from the
Masonic Children’s Home.
1930
The Grand Lodge
approves a motion directing the
Incorporation of the Masonic Charity
Foundation of Oklahoma, and authorizing it
to receive and disburse funds and receive
and dispose of property. Organization
begins on July 9th. Lew Wentz is
first President, Rufus Renfrew is first
Secretary.
1931
A report is
received by the Grand Lodge, documenting the
establishment of the Masonic Charity
Foundation of Oklahoma in much the form it
operates today. Membership in the Homes:
Children’s Home, 118: Home for the Elderly,
88.
1934
The Children’s
Home adds vocational training facilities;
Masonic Print Shop established.
1935
Grand Master
Joseph Drouot establishes the permanent
endowment fund of the Masonic Charity
Foundation of Oklahoma.
1936
Vocational
Building erected at Children’s Home by Royal
Arch Masons. H.L. Muldrow becomes Secretary
of the Foundation.
1938
First moving
picture made of the Homes, showing the
building and daily life.
1941
A special issue
of the Masonic Home News traces the
history and development of the Masonic
Charity Foundation.
1942
Assets of the
Masonic Charity Foundation exceed $200,000.
The Masonic
cemetery at Darlington is removed to
Guthrie.
1949
Upon the death
of Lew Wentz, Rufus Renfrew becomes
President of the Foundation. Assets of the
Masonic Charity Foundation pass $1,000,000.
1950 – 1954
Programs
continue to expand at both facilities. The
Children’s Home adds additional vocational
training; the Home for the Aged increases
hospital and nursing home services.
1955
Because
additional space is needed for the Home for
the Aged, ground is broken for a four-story
Annex to the Home, together with a new Grand
Lodge Building.
Cornerstones
laid for Annex and Grand Lodge Building.
1956
New Annex is
occupied. (Total in both buildings – 107)
(78 women, 29 men)
1957
On
recommendation of Grand Master W. Ralph
Howard, the Children’s Home is opened to all
children in need, regardless of Masonic
affiliation.
Opened single
floor Solarium Building next to Home for the
Aged.
1964
Assets of
Masonic Charity Foundation pass $5,000,000.
1965
The second film
featuring the Home, Oklahoma Masonic
Heritage, is produced.
1968
The first deaths
occur in Viet Nam of soldiers who grew up in
the Children’s Home.
1970
Due to changes
in IRS regulations, changes are made in the
Articles of Incorporation of the Masonic
Charity Foundation. The Grand Lodge
Trustees ratify the changes.
Serious
discussion begins about the necessity of
building a new Home for the Aged or
completely remodeling the existing
facilities.
1974
The Research and
Development Committee of the Grand Lodge
formally recommends that the new Home for
the Aged be constructed. Further, as
changes in the state’s foster children
program have reduced the need for the
Children’s Home, and there are now only 10
children being served, they recommend that
the Home be closed and the children be cared
for in an alternative facility.
1975
The Grand Lodge
votes to build a new Home for the Aged in
Guthrie.
1976
Construction
begins on new Home.
1977
Cornerstone is
laid by M\W\ LeRoy Hudson for the new Home
for the Aged.
1978
Members are
moved from the old six story Home for the
Aged to the new Home west of Guthrie. (76
Residents moved). The old Home for the Aged
is closed. The Four Story Annex building
remains open.
With only three
children remaining in the Children’s Home,
caused by a multitude of government programs
serving children, the Home is closed and the
children placed in foster homes.
1979
All charitable
activity of the Grand Lodge of Oklahoma is
transferred to the Masonic Charity
Foundation of Oklahoma. Assets of the
Foundation exceed $13,000,000. First
professional office with full staff is
established. Prior to this time, the
Secretaries had worked from their own homes
or offices and without the assistance of
staff.
1983
The Lodge
Matching Fund Program is established to help
local Lodges meet charitable needs of their
communities.
The Foundation’s
first computer is purchased. With
programming developed in-house, the computer
serves the Homes, the Foundation, and the
Grand Lodge. Remote terminals add to the
efficiency of the program.
1984
The first grants
are made under the Foundation’s Children in
Crisis Program. This program provides major
grants to groups working with Children at
risk in some way.
The Foundation
adopts a professionally-designed,
governmentally approved retirement plan for
its nearly 100 employees. Also, the
Foundation builds a new wing on the Home for
the Aged to house a new laundry, storage
facilities for members, and a mechanical
shop.
The Masonic
Charity Foundation joins with the Oklahoma
Grand Lodge in supporting the National
hospital Visitation program of the Masonic
Service Association. Through this effort,
hospital counselors are currently serviced
in both U.S. Veteran’s Hospitals and in some
state Veterans Hospitals.
1985
The “Partners in
Prevention” program in conjunction with the
Oklahoma Society for the Prevention of
Blindness is established whereby local
lodges assist with screening for vision
problems in school children and the elderly.
Laundry is moved
from Children’s Home to new wing in rear of
the new Home building.
1986
Name changed
from Masonic Home for Aged to Oklahoma
Masonic Home.
1990
Ground is broken
for the permanent offices of the Masonic
Charity Foundation of Oklahoma.
1991
The Masonic
Charity Foundation of Oklahoma establishes
the Masonic Leadership Institute for the
purposes of developing programs in Masonic
training and education.
Cornerstone of
the Foundation’s offices is laid.
Four Story Annex
building is closed.
1995
Four Story Annex
building is sold.
Old six story
building is donated to Logan County.
1996
Solarium
building is sold to Logan County.
2000
Due to under
usage of the Oklahoma Masonic Home, caused
by a multitude of government programs
serving the elderly, the Board of Directors
voted to phase out the Home.
23 of 37
Residents at the Oklahoma Masonic Home were
moved to various facilities in Guthrie,
Oklahoma City, Midwest City, Moore, Noble,
Purcell and Wichita Falls, Texas and Plano,
Texas.
Oklahoma Masonic
Home building is sold.
14 Residents
remain at the Oklahoma Masonic Home building
which continues to operate as the Oklahoma
Masonic Home.
Promises Matter
program established to assist every needy
Master Mason, his wife, widow and mother in
Oklahoma; plus female Eastern Star members.
2001
10 remaining
Residents at the Oklahoma Masonic Home
building are moved to various nursing
facilities in Guthrie.
2002
Web page created
and toll free number added to assist Lodges.
Presidents
Of
Masonic Charity Foundation
Lew H. Wentz
1930--1949
Rufus O. Renfrew
1950
General William
S. Key
1951 – 1958
Lyle L. Hague
1959 – 1965
Clay A. Babb
1966
Raymond O. Gibbs
1967 – 1981
J. Clay Thrash
1982 – 1985
Wilson B. Haney
1986 – 1988
Mahlon B.
Robertson
1989 – 1991
Bob C. Morrison
1992 – 1994
James C. Love
1995 – 1997
Robert G. Davis
1998 – 2000
John L. Logan
2001 – 2003
Gary A. Davis
2004 – present
Secretaries
Of
Masonic Charity Foundation
Rufus O. Renfrew
1930 – 1935
H. L. Muldrow
1936 – 1951
Lee B. Thompson
1952 – 1964
Robert W. Osborn
1965
William F.
Lambert
1966 – 1970
Roy J. Pierce
1971 – 1981
Ted C. Preble
1982
Fred C. Joiner
1983 – 1985
Orin A. Shipp
1986 – 1998
Bob C. Morrison
1999 – 2001
Robert G. Davis
2002 – Present
Professional
Office established in 1979
