The University Scheme and College Lodges

The University Scheme is a program developed a few years ago to give men that are attending a university a chance to join a Masonic Lodge even if they are not 21. These brothers pay a lower amount in dues and are around other young men interested in the Fraternity. This program is, in my mind, brilliant. Our Fraternity is just that, a fraternity. Yet, we offer something that the Greek system can’t, the unity of lifelong brotherhood.'

It is true that a man or woman can go about their lives meeting others from their Fraternity or Sorority; the problem is that once you graduate from college, that’s it. No more meetings, no more living together in a house, nothing but fond memories of your time in the Frat. Freemasonry offers more to its brothers.

Once you become a Freemason, you are one forever. You can travel to different Lodges, meeting new brothers and know that anywhere in the world, a brother is watching out for you and your family. Once a man gives the obligation, he makes a commitment to the Fraternity for the rest of his life. The values and storied past of our Craft gives us prestige over all other Fraternal organizations.

The University Scheme is a great system but it is not “new” in the sense that Freemasonry has never existed on campus. In fact, Freemasonry and Universities have gotten along together on both sides of the pond. There are many examples of Academic Lodges in the United States and Canada, including University Lodge #496 in Toronto, University of Washington Lodge #141 in Seattle, Richard C. Maclaurin Lodge A.F.&A.M., and Harvard Lodge A.F.&A.M. Richard C. Maclaurin Lodge was the first college Lodge, having been formed in 1920, while Harvard Lodge was the first Academic Lodge, having been formed in 1922.

Richard C. Maclaurin Lodge formalized what was originally “the Masons at MIT” club into a Lodge in 1919. Harvard Lodge AF & AM was formed, in part, from the efforts of Dean Roscoe Pound and Professor Kirsopp Lake as a way to join the myriad number of Masonic organizations at Harvard University into one Lodge. Harvard Lodge, as an academic Lodge, is very distinctive in its methods, including wearing academic robes during regular stated meetings. Both Richard C. Maclaurin Lodge and Harvard Lodge require that a University connection be established, whether it be staff, student or alumnus, to be eligible to receive the degrees.

College and Academic Lodges are, in my opinion, one of the best ways to create the strong connection between men and Freemasonry at a young age. It is true that a young man could join De Molay but it is the connections that we make in our years at a university, college, trade school, or our first job that last the longest. The UGLE has, in my opinion, committed itself to a laudable and important goal, using these intimate associations formed during these years as starting blocks for making Freemasonry not merely a Fraternity, but a lifestyle.

The current Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Minnesota, AF & AM, Most Worshipful Brother Thomas Jackson, has stated his commitment in creating connections among brothers that were members of college fraternities and I agree with him fully. My advice for my own Grand Lodge and Grand Lodges around the globe would be to encourage the formation of College or Academic Lodges.

In Minnesota, we have one of the largest University systems in the country, so it would seem appropriate to me that a Lodge be formed in this state called the University of Minnesota Lodge. I am an alumnus of the University of Minnesota system (I went to University of Minnesota, Morris) and would love to see a Lodge, even one that meets only a few times a year, formed for the benefit of students, staff and alumnus of the U. But it needn’t stop there. If a brother is a student, staff, or alumus of one of the many private colleges or the MNSCU system, such as Hamline (my Law School Alma Mater) or Moorhead State, a Lodge could be formed to serve the students of those colleges and could continue to foster those connections made as students.

I believe one of the best ways to continue growing and strengthening the brotherly bonds of our Fraternity will be to create these Lodges based upon school affiliation. I hope that we see a continuance of the University Scheme started by the UGLE, the coming of fruition of Grand Master Jackson’s college fraternity goal and the continued prosperity of North America’s College and Academic Lodges. Connections are what makes our Fraternity what it is and using collegial affiliation is just one way to continue fostering these connections.

Alcohol and the Lodge: Do They Mix?

Club Milton, a small bar that is run by Pioneer Lodge #1, Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Minnesota, has recently been closed down after a fatal shooting. The shooting was not the only violent crime that has occurred at the bar; in 2005, a man was in a fight while in the bar, went outside where he was shot and killed. In 2006, a man was discovered in a burning car but it was determined that he had been killed elsewhere. Club Milton is licensed as a private social club that is run by Pioneer Lodge. Currently, the City of St. Paul is holding hearings concerning these crimes.

Before I continue, I have to admit that the neighborhood that surrounds the club is not the safest as I have seen in my own experience, which makes this story an extreme example of this issue. However, I think this story does raise an interesting point, should Lodges be in the business of serving alcohol or more broadly, does alcohol have a place in the Lodge? My opinion is that liquor and Masonry can mix in moderation. The history of alcohol and Freemasonry can be seen from the early beginnings as coexisting peacefully. When the United Grand Lodge of England was formed in 1717, it was formed at Goose and Gridiron Ale House. The early Lodges met in taverns including those Lodges that ultimately formed the UGLE.

American Lodges continued the tradition of meeting in taverns including the first lodge in the new world in Boston meeting at the Bunch of Grapes Tavern. Many Lodges participated in table lodges or festive boards (and many still continue the practice, including my Lodge) which involve many toasts.

However, the American way of life changed as a new wave of immigration hit the shores. Many reformers began to view alcohol as an evil that contributed to the problems in society. The Temperance Movement began around the 1840’s to limit the amount of alcohol that people could consume. Later, the state of Maine created a ban on all liquor and was joined by other “dry” states. The Movement caused a ground swell and many fraternal organizations, including many state Grand Lodges, began to outlaw those who could join including saloon owners. The movement came to a head when the 18th Amendment was ratified to the Constitution which prohibited, “the manufacture, sale, or transportation of intoxicating liquors within, the importation thereof into, or the exportation thereof from the United States … for beverage
purposes.”

After a decade of bootlegging and the rest, the 21st Amendment was ratified which essential repealed the 18th Amendment although states were still given the right to restrict the transportation of liquor if they chose. (The case of Granholm v. Heald has effectively restricted states from granting in-state direct shipments of liquor preference over out-state direct shipments through the prohibition of out-state direct sales though states may still restrict all direct shipments of alcohol.) In the United States, there still exist many dry counties and municipalities, including 46 completely dry counties in Texas.

There are also modern examples of the Temperance including Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) and International Organisation of Good Templars. Alcohol is still highly regulated and modern state statutes define a DWI, DUI, etc. at .08 BAL through the efforts of MADD.

It appears to me that Freemasonry clings to many of the old adages found in the Temperance Movement. I took a look at Paul Bessel’s great website for all things Masonic and found that in his survey of Grand Lodges that as of 2007, at least three Grand Lodges prohibit the conferring of degrees to bar owners. Many Grand Lodges, including my own, consider drunkenness a matter of unmasonic behavior with the possibility of reprimand. (This provision I agree with as intoxication is a problem) Many Grand Lodges also exclude alcohol from being served within the Lodge or by the Lodge, e.g. Arizona, Florida, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, etc., or Lodge Room, e.g. California, DC, etc.

I believe that there is nothing wrong with alcohol being served by Lodges, as long as the conduct does not lead to excessive drunkenness. We are not the Eagles or the Elks but seek a higher moral order but we must remember our past, a past that included meeting in taverns. As the outside of the Temple that housed Pythia, the Oracle of Delphi, stated μηδὲν ἄγαν, “nothing in excess” and γνῶθι σεαυτόν, “know thyself”. We must remember both as we determine where alcohol fits in our practice of the Gentle Craft.

I do believe that the Lodge Room themselves should be considered sacred space. Unless there is a ceremonial reason for serving alcohol, I believe that Lodge Rooms are completely off-limits.

The shooting outside of Club Milton is truly tragic but I do not believe that serving alcohol should automatically deemed an unmasonic behavior. It is by the frailty of men in knowing their limits that leads alcohol being a problem.

College Debt May Pose a Problem for Young Freemasons and what we can do about it

According to the Project on Student Debt, college graduates are graduating with about $20,000 in debt; most of the debt coming from student loans. I know people, including myself, that are over $100,000 in debt. I think one of the barriers that young men may be experiencing that their fathers and grandfathers did not have was this huge amount of debt upon graduation. During World War II, servicemen were able to take advantage of the G.I. Bill with a higher rate of return on their investment in college. The G.I. Bill allowed 51% of servicemen to take advantage lower cost education, with 72% of Vietnam Veterans taking advantage of the G.I. Bill.
The problem of debt also has a silver lining. Many more people in Generation Y are college graduates which means that they are highly educated. This situation is very good for Freemasonry because many of the young men that will join the Fraternity have a desire for knowledge. This desire is directly correlated with the interrogatories ask of all of our candidates. We need these highly educated individuals to keep the strength in our Fraternity.
I am not suggesting that we lower the dues for these young men or that we lower our standards. Dues for the Blue Lodge have been historically low. However, most young men don't know that dues are relatively low compared to many other service organizations or more importantly the networking possibilities. Hopefully, young men will begin to realize that the amount of networking that they can accomplish strongly outweighs the dues paid. As many more students graduate from college, they need these opportunities to network with people that can help them get a job. One program that we could institute is a multitude of guilds based on different professions. Young men should be encouraged to join these groups. Minnesota has a lawyers guilds that law students, lawyers, judges and other legal professionals can join and interact. There should be guilds of many more professions, such as doctors or engineers, etc.
The way to stay relevant in today's society is to realize that we are a Fraternity of mutual support committed to not only to brotherly love and truth but dedicated to the relief of other brothers and their families. Our commitment to relief should include helping young men to enter the workforce. With this proposition for increased networking, we can remain important and relevant to society.