1951 - 1960

1951 OFFICERS

• Ralph M. Mitchell - W.M.

• James Chalmers - S.W.

• John T. Young - J.W.

• Arch E. Hicks - Treasurer

• Gregg B. Christy - Secretary

Election - December 8th 1950, Installation - January 4th 1951

The rent on the Temple was raised to $90.00 and a petition signed by Frederick M. Harle was received February 23rd, who later served as Master.

Two motions were presented on March 9th. One of them would increase the salary of the Secretary to $50.00 and the other would allow the Lodge to pay the Senior Warden a sum equal to 60% of the mileage and per diem which the Grand Lodge pays the Master for attending the Grand Lodge Communication. They were voted on April 13th and carried.

Worshipful Brother Farmer H. Frisby died of cancer on April 6th. Religious services were held in the Fairmount Christian Church of which he was an elder and Worshipful Brother Harrison Shiffner conducted the Masonic services on April 9th. This was the last time this Worshipful Brother performed these services. They were fast friends and had worked together for years. Worshipful Brother Shiffner reported that it had made him so nervous it would be impossible for him to do it anymore.

On May 25th the Past Masters Club delivered $900.00 as proceeds from the spring banquet and a motion was made that the Lodge contribute the same amount but after some discussion the motion was tabled until June 8th at which time $9..00 was voted from the Lodge treasury to apply on the Temple debt.

1952 OFFICERS

• James Chalmers - W.M.

• John T. Young - S.W.

• Odell Colley - J.W.

• Arch E. Hicks - Treasurer

• Gregg B. Christy - Secretary

Election - December 14th 1951, Installation - January 4th 1952

A bill for a dozen Lambskins was presented on March 28th at a cost of $29.00 which would be about $2.40 each plus postage. A far cry from the 50 cents each paid by the Lodge in 1911.

The Lodge was asked to give Masonic burial to Worshipful Brother Charles W. Hibler of Eureka Lodge # 73, Brunswick, Missouri, on April 2nd. It will be remembered that he was one of the charter members of Mt. Washington Lodge but after moving back to Brunswick he had dimitted to his original Lodge. He had been the 4th Mastr of Mt. Washington Lodge in 1914. Religious services had been held in Brunswick and Masonic services were at t he graveside in Mt. Washington Cemetary.

The death of William S. Clark, another charter member, took place on February 17th.

Worshipful Brother Frank L. Lewis, a Past Master of Blue Springs Lodge # 337, petitioned the Lodge on April 25th for affiliation and thus became an affiliated Past Master, and it was on May 23rd that Harry H. Carr petitioned for the degrees and became a Master later on.

A sum of $930.72 was cleared from the $5.00 banquet held on April 18th which was applied on the debt.

During the summer a fireproof vault was constructed on the banquet room floor level in which to keep the valuable records accumulated by the Lodge. Only the Master and Secretary were to have keys to fit the combination lock. All other organizations meeting in the Temple were allowed to keep their records in the vault also.

Masonic services were held on November 16th for Samuel L. Couts who served Mt. Washington Lodge so faithfully as Tyler from 1923 to 1949 inclusive.

Brother Frank J. Allen was presented a 50 year pin on December 26th. He is a charter member of the Lodge.

1953 OFFICERS

• John T. Young - W.M.

• Odell Colley - S.W.

• I.R. (Ike) Coen - J.W.

• Arch E. Hicks - Treasurer

• Gregg B. Christy - Secretary

Election - December 12th 1952, Installation - January 2nd 1953

The rent was raised on March 27th to $100.00 per month; $1000.00 was raised to apply on the Temple debt by the spring banquet given by the Past Masters Club; and a proposal on April 24th to raise the dues from $6.00 to $8.00 was defeated on May 22nd. An announcement of the death of Worshipful Brother Ralph P. Peck was read to the Lodge on November 13th. He was Master in 1921 when the Lodge moved into the new Temple.

1954 OFFICERS

• Odell Colley - W.M

• I.R. (Ike) Coen - S.W.

• Waldemar H. Sudbrook - J.W.

• Arch E. Hicks - Treasurer

• Gregg B. Christy - Secretary

Election - December 11th 1953, Installation - December 30th 1954

The spring banquet was held on April 30th netting $700.00. This was the last year the Past Masters held their $5.00 per plate banquet. During the 15 years they were held, approximately $11,000.00 had been raised and the debt on the Temple paid off. Well, not quite all paid but there is money in a special fund of the building board to finish paying when those who hold building certificates can be located.

A Motion for the Lodge to appropriate $300.00 to the certificate of indebtedness fund was passed on May 28th and it was also proposed that the dues be raised from $6.00 to $8.00 which carried on June 25th.

The petition of Robert E. Keerns was presented on July 9th and he is Senior Warden in 1961 it is very probable he will serve as Master in 1962.

The cooling units in the Lodge Room floor were installed July 9th and the public address system at the Secretaries desk was installed July 23rd.

The old carpet on the Lodge Room floor which was purchased in 1921 had long served beyond its time and was threadbare. A $5.00 per plate anniversary banquet was held in the basement of the Methodist Church on October 15th at which time the faithful and long suffering Secretary and Treasurer were honored for  the services they had rendered to the Lodge - Treasurer 31 years, Secretary 37 years, almost 70 years of service. The net proceeds of the banquet were to be used in the purchase of a new carpet. Mt. Washington Chapter O.E.S., and Mt. Washington Chapter R.A.M., and Mt. Washington Lodge contributed to the fund and a new carpet was on the floor before time for the annual installations of the various bodies.

1955 OFFICERS

• I.R. (Ike) Coen - W.M.

• Waldemar H, Sudbrock - S.W.

• Adolf Lortscher - J.W.

• Arch E. Hicks - Treasurer

• Gregg B. Christy - Secretary

Election - December 10th 1954, Installation - January 5th 1955

At the stated meeting on Friday April 22nd, the Master made the announcement of a special meeting to be held on Monday May 2nd, to confer Entered Apprentice Degrees. Worshipful Brother Hicks, Treasurer made the remark that would be his birthday anniversary. The Master said that he was aware of that fact and would expect him to properly celebrate the occasion by giving the first degree lecture. Little did Brother Hicks realize the scheduling of this meeting was intentional on the part of the Master for he had arranged to have a surprise birthday celebration in the banquet took. It was also necessary for Brother Hicks to give the lecture in order to keep him in the Lodge Room so that all could congregate in the banquet room ahead of him. As he entered the familiar strains of "Happy Birthday" greeted him.

His family - wife Gertrude, daughter Helen Lee, son Clyde - were in attendance. He was presented with a beautifully decorated cake and a gift certificate with which he purchased a pair of binoculars.

Two fifty-year opines were presented during the year. One was to Worshipful Brother Louis E. Holland on May 27th in the Lodge Room. He was a charter member and Master of the Lodge in 1916. The other one was presented to Worshipful Brother Clarence A. Kittell, Master in 1927, who was eligible on the same night as Brother Holland but because Brother Kittell had been bedfast for several years it was impossible to honor him then. Arrangements were made to present it to him at his home on September 11th.

A pilgrimage was made to St. Louis by ten members of the Lodge on October 29th. The occasion - to help confer the Master Mason Degree on Donald Ditzler, son of our member Ernst Ditzler who has so often and so graciously entertained those who attended Grand Lodge. The host Lodge, Lambskin #460, was very gracious. That evening the pilgrims were entertained by Brother Ernst and his wife Helen at their home in a very regal manner - an event to be remembered.

The Brethren, during the year contributed anther generously to the new building being erected at the Masonic Home in St. Louis. All Freemasons should be prude of the care given to the guests at the Home.

1956 OFFICERS

• Waldemar H. Sudbrook - W.M.

• Adolf Lortscher - S.W.

• Fred M. Harle - J.W.

• Arch E. Hicks - Treasurer

• Gregg B. Christy - Secretary

Election - December 9th 1955, Installation - January 4th 1956

A motion was made on February 10th to have a photostatic copy of the Lodge Charter made for use in the Lodge Room and the original placed in the vault of safe keeping. The motion carried.

After the business session of the Lodge had been dispensed with the Lodge closed on March 23rd the Lodge Room was opened to the public and a 50 year pin was presented Brother Bert T. Ritter, a charter member, with members of his family present. He told the very interesting story of how the Altar had been built.

Mt. Washington lost three of her Past Masters during the year. Services were held for John T. Young on February 21st, who was Master in 1953; for Herbert H. Haukenberry, Master in 1947, on May 9th; and for Clarence A. Kittell, Master in 1927, on June 22nd.

A motion was made and carried on October 12th that the Lodge invest $3000.00 of their funds in government bonds. This was rescinded on October 26th and a new motion made to invest the money in a savings and loan association account which carried. It was also moved that the new officers jewels and new staff ornaments be purchased.

1957 OFFICERS

• Adolf Lortscher - W.M.

• Fred M. Harle - S.W.

• Steele Anderson - J.W.

• Arch E. Hicks - Treasurer

• Gregg B. Christy - Secretary

Election - December 14th 1956, Installation - January 4th 1957

The Master appointed a committee on February 8th to devise ways and means to publish and mail a Lodge paper to the membership. The Lodge appropriated a sum of $250.00 for initial publication and mailing on March 8th. Because the Lodge had gotten a little booklet that was mailed with the dues statement each year that was called the "Goodwill Builder" it was thought appropriate to call the new paper the "Mt. Washington Goodwill Builder" and carry on the tradition. The first copies were mailed in April.

It had been several tears since a thorough study of the Lodge By-Laws had been made. The Master appointed a committee to study and re-write them where deemed advisable. Several changes were made and approved in March. The raising of the Secretary's salary to $75.00 per month being the principal change. Another change was to pay the Junior Warden 60% of what the Master gets if he attends the Grand Lodge.

A committee to investigate the possibilities of forming a "Benevolent Fund Association" for the members of the Lodge was named by the Master on May 10th. About three months were spent on investigations by this committee who then recommended that the Master, by and with the consent of the Wardens, appoint seven members to form that Association.  The Association started taking applications on September 11th. The first funds paid out were on the death of Brother George G. Gillespie in December.

A 50 year pin was presented to Worshipful Brother Thomas H. Knight, charter member, on September 20th. He was Master in 1925.

1958 OFFICERS

• Fred M. Harle - W.M.

• Steele Anderson - S.W.

• Richard L. Lewis, Jr. - J.W.

• Arch E. Hicks - Treasurer

• Gregg B. Christy - Secretary

Election - December 13th 1957, Installation - January 3rd 1958

It was voted to purchase special aprons for the Officers and Past Masters on April 11th.

A new registration and Tyler's desk was secured on July 11th, a duplicating machine for the printing of the Lodge paper was purchased on September 12th.

Brother John W. Thomas received his 50 year pin at the anniversary banquet on October 17th.

Brother Emmett G. Reid, a charter member and first Secretary of the Lodge, and Worshipful Brother Arch E. Hicks, Master in 1919 and Treasurer of the Lodge since 1923, were presented 50 year pins on November 14th.

1959 OFFICERS

• Steele Anderson - W.M.

• Richard L. Lewis, Jr. - S.W.

• Harry H. Carr - J.W.

• Arch E. Hicks - Treasurer

• Gregg B. Christy - Secretary

Election - December 12th 1958, Installation - January 9th 1959

The Lodge is now paying $150.00 rent per month and on June 12th it was necessary to suspend 15 members for non-payment of dues. Later several of these paid and were automatically re-instated.

Another of the charter members was called to the "Great Beyond" on June 30th. Thomas H. Knight, who was Master in 1925, was a Justice of the Peace for many years and was also a member of the school board before it was absorbed by the Kansas City School System. Services were held July 2nd at which the Shrine Charters furnished the music as he had been a member of that organization for several years.

An increase in the per capita tax having been passed at the Grand Lodge Communication in September it was necessary to to offer a proposal to increase the yearly dues on October 9th from $8.00 to $10.00 to become effective on January 1st, 1960. It was voted on November 13th and carried.

One of the members who lived in Denver, Colorado, had been very seriously ill for several years and was in financial difficulty. The Lodge had previously sent him money as aid and at the Grand Lodge session the case was called to the attention of the Relief and Charity Committee of the Grand Lodge. They agreed to furnish as much aid as the Lodge could furnish so on October 9th the Lodge voted to send the family $25.00 per month to which the Grand Lodge added another $25.00. Payments were continued until May 1960 when he passed away.

The Rose Croix Players of the Scottish Rite bodies visited the Lodge in October and presented a Masonic Play, "The Greatest of These," which was very greatly enjoyed by those in attendance. One of our members was in the cast.

1960 OFFICERS

• Richard L. Lewis, Jr. - W.M.

• Harry H. Carr - S.W.

• Robert E. Keerns - J.W.

• Odell Colley - Treasurer

• Gregg B. Christy - Secretary

Election - December 11th 1959, Installation - January 2nd 1960

At a Saturday special, February 27th, the study club of Wyandotte Lodge #3, Kansas City, Kansas, was present and conferred a second section of a third degree. It should be remembered that this Lodge was originally chartered by the Grand Lodge of Missouri in 1855 and known as Kansas # 153 in Wyandotte (now Kansas City, Kansas) but helped to form the Grand Lodge of Kansas.

Death again entered the ranks of the charter members and Past Masters on May 25th and removed Louis E. Holland, who was Master in 1916 and had received his 50 year pin on May 25th 1955. He was buried just 5 years to the day from when he received his pin.

It would be a positive crime not to enumerate some of the accomplishments of this outstanding member. He was born on a farm in New York and without the benefit of even a high school education but through hard work and ingenuity attained a very high place not only in the immediate community but also in the world. He was an experienced engraver on his arrival in the Kansas City area in 1902 and after a few years established the Holland Engraving Company which soon mushroomed into the largest engraving company in the middle west. He was lovingly known as "The Father of Aviation" in Kansas City. He was instrumental in getting the Jackson County road system under way and under the slogan "Pull Missouri out of the MUD" was influential in the Missouri road system. He helped to bring the TWA headquarters to Kansas City. He was President of the Associated Clubs of the World, Chamber of Commerce of Kansas City, American Automobile Association and so many other organizations  there is not room to mention them all. He was very influential in getting the loan which enabled Mt. Washington Building Association to build the Temple. Mt. Washington Lodge, Jackson County, Missouri, the United States and the world at large have lost an outstanding citizen for he was known throughout the world. To quote from an editorial in the Kansas City Star on the day of his funeral:-

"Lou Holland was sought for leadership because he combined idealism and practical sense to a degree that brought remarkable results. He accepted the role of leadership because of the strongest sense of public responsibility. Through the years of a growing international reputation, he remained the same Lou Holland who loved to work with his hands, the modest, plain appearing man who always had time for his friends. Over the decades Lou Holland was one of the giants of this community. Kansas City is fortunate to have known him." A small memorial park in his honor is to be built at the Municipal Air Terminal and dedicated on June 17th, 1961.

A letter was received on July 8th from the President of the Masonic Home stating that they would stand a part of the burial expenses of a resident of the home instead of the Lodge having to bear all the expense. This will certainly be of great help to some of the smaller Lodges.

The Master designated October 28th as Father and Son night at the Lodge when all the fathers who had sons who were also members of the Lodge were honored. Not all could be present but 12 fathers and 7 sons did attend. Several were out of town and could not be there.

The matter of a larger concurrent jurisdiction had been under discussion for some time. A motion was presented on November 25th to be presented to all Lodges increasing this jurisdiction.

1. "All of Jackson County except Fort Osage Township;

2. Gallatin Township in Clay County except any portion thereof in Liberty

3. Pettis, May, and Waldron Township in Platte County

4. All other territory within the corporate limits of Kansas City, Independence, Parkville, or within the corporate limits of any city or town partially within the area described in this motion in which there may be a Lodge."

This motion was carried in all the Lodges affected and was declared operative by the Grand Master.

Joseph H. Anway, who was Master in 1948, was taken by death on December 11th, with services on December 14th.

Past Master Roy J. Cavanah was appointed DDGM on the 59th District by Grand Master Bruce H. Hunt at the Grand Lodge Communication in September. This is the first time Mt. Washington has been so honored although she is one of the larger Lodges in the 59th District.