flameburns623
Registered User
My own home lodge building has a pool table in the social hall, long disused. Several neighboring Lodges likewise have such, and at least one particularly enormous lodge has a foosball table in what was once the DeMolay Room.
One of the brethren commented that, until the late 1980's and early 1990's, aftet work, the social halls of most local Lodges were open for several hours in the evenings, when no meetings were scheduled, that brethren could come into the social hall, play games, drink soda and coffee, perhaps enjoy snacks, and fraternize.
There were charges for these food and drink items, which were small but sufficient to keep things replenished.
The DeMolay Room was open to young men on specified evenings after school. As was another room once devoted to the Rainbow Girls snd Eastern Star. When youths were involved, adult supervision was provided to ensure no injuries nor mischief.
At the permission of the Worshipful Master, non-Masons and nonmembers of adoptive bodies could be guests of members. Always, one or a couple brethren had to maintain order and cleanliness after gatherings.
On weekends, many brethren gathered around the television to watch ball games.
Others played cards, etcetera.
No alcohol and no gambing were permitted, and someone was made responsible for ensuring the area was cleaned and straightened up.
When degree work or other meetings were on the calendar, hours of socializing were curtailed or canceled.
The Ladies of the Lodge Brethren also had a designated day when they would come during the day, ostensibly to clean the entire lodge building.
They typically used a bit of that time to watch daytime television dramas and socialize. In those days, few married women had employment outside of the home.
The arrangement made the Lodge community room a center of social networking. It also facilitated widespread awareness of the local Lodge and of our wholesome nature.
The member recounting this to me said that in his view, significant numbers of candidates resulted from this.
And, by keeping youths occupied and off the streets, much goodwill was accrued in the larger community.
Churches in some towns offered many similar things, particularly in areas with no nearby Masonic Lodge.
Sadly, liability insurance matters, along with an occasional cavalier attitude about being responsible for keeping things tidy, led to discontinuation of the practice.
As well as certain social changes undermined the practice: homebound housewives became quite the exception.
Teens first shifted from playing table games to video arcades and then to handheld devices.
Big screen televisions and cable/satellite became common in homes, where restrictions on consumption of adult beverages need not be circumscribed.
Do other Brethren recollect such things?
And is there any hope that we could recapture what sounds like such a wholesome way to build bonds one with another?
One of the brethren commented that, until the late 1980's and early 1990's, aftet work, the social halls of most local Lodges were open for several hours in the evenings, when no meetings were scheduled, that brethren could come into the social hall, play games, drink soda and coffee, perhaps enjoy snacks, and fraternize.
There were charges for these food and drink items, which were small but sufficient to keep things replenished.
The DeMolay Room was open to young men on specified evenings after school. As was another room once devoted to the Rainbow Girls snd Eastern Star. When youths were involved, adult supervision was provided to ensure no injuries nor mischief.
At the permission of the Worshipful Master, non-Masons and nonmembers of adoptive bodies could be guests of members. Always, one or a couple brethren had to maintain order and cleanliness after gatherings.
On weekends, many brethren gathered around the television to watch ball games.
Others played cards, etcetera.
No alcohol and no gambing were permitted, and someone was made responsible for ensuring the area was cleaned and straightened up.
When degree work or other meetings were on the calendar, hours of socializing were curtailed or canceled.
The Ladies of the Lodge Brethren also had a designated day when they would come during the day, ostensibly to clean the entire lodge building.
They typically used a bit of that time to watch daytime television dramas and socialize. In those days, few married women had employment outside of the home.
The arrangement made the Lodge community room a center of social networking. It also facilitated widespread awareness of the local Lodge and of our wholesome nature.
The member recounting this to me said that in his view, significant numbers of candidates resulted from this.
And, by keeping youths occupied and off the streets, much goodwill was accrued in the larger community.
Churches in some towns offered many similar things, particularly in areas with no nearby Masonic Lodge.
Sadly, liability insurance matters, along with an occasional cavalier attitude about being responsible for keeping things tidy, led to discontinuation of the practice.
As well as certain social changes undermined the practice: homebound housewives became quite the exception.
Teens first shifted from playing table games to video arcades and then to handheld devices.
Big screen televisions and cable/satellite became common in homes, where restrictions on consumption of adult beverages need not be circumscribed.
Do other Brethren recollect such things?
And is there any hope that we could recapture what sounds like such a wholesome way to build bonds one with another?
