Past master night

[Bloke]

No. It's usually in November on a night when nothing else is going on. It's always between the Nov. stated meeting and the Dec. stated meeting when we have the election of officers for the following year. That's why the sitting SW and JW are there. That gives the guys who are moving up a chance to ask questions and hear stories from the ones who have done the job.

If you've ever been WM and done the job the way it should be done, there is a whole lot more to it than showing up to preside over reading the mail and doing some ritual work from time to time.

Your "Past Masters' Night" and ours are completely different.

Is the lodge opened or is it just a dinner ?

And do you have "Masters Groups" which are groups of WM local to each other who visit each other's lodges and generally mutually support and promote ? Back in the day, they often had a name and even a banner (logo, but sometimes in some places an actual banner) and be annually formed by SWS. We still get see 5-15 PMS turn up on occasion and them announced by their Masters' Group name and year.. but they'll be formed the 1970s/80s/90s... they don't seem to get formed now days..

 

[Companion Joe]

No, the lodge isn't open. More often than not, nobody even ventures into the lodge room. It's just supper and a get together in the dinning hall.
What we do isn't anything official as far as state guidelines. It's just our lodge's tradition. The intent isn't really to "recognize" or "honor" the PMs of the lodge; it's just to provide a special meal, which isn't even fancy, for those who have served a term in the east. In today's homogenized world where everyone in entitled and gets a trophy, it's a simple way to have something exclusive for those who have the shared experience of presiding over the lodge for a year.

We don't have any Masters Groups where WMs officially get together (at least in my part of the state). It's just sort of understood that if you are a WM, one of your responsibilities is to visit and be an ambassador for your lodge.

 

[Warrior1256]

In Tennessee, you are considered a Past Master once you have been elected, installed, and served a minimum of six months as the Worshipful Master of a lodge.

Here in Kentucky you can join the Past Master Association the day you are installed as WM.

In OR amd NM everyone is invited and we honor the PMs.

Same here.

 

[Companion Joe]

You can join the Past Master's Association the day your are installed here, too, and there is also the virtual Past Master degree in the York Rite. But to officially have the title Past Master, wear the pin thereof, and have the recognition, you have to actually preside for six months.

 

[Warrior1256]

But to officially have the title Past Master, wear the pin thereof, and have the recognition, you have to actually preside for six months.

Now this I am not sure about here. Will check into it.